Gambling trends still rising, studies show

The correlation between crime and gambling has long been suspected, but a state-sponsored study released last week confirmed it, according to an agency that councils addictive gamblers.

Nearly 1,000 inmates at the Orient Road Jail in Tampa were asked two gambling-related questions.

Their answers shed light on the rising trends of problem gambling throughout the state.

It also adds to the fears among gambling counselors. The number of places where people can place a bet is rapidly growing.

The Hillsborough County inmates specifically were asked whether they felt the need to bet more and more money and whether they had ever lied to people important to them about how much they gambled.

A positive answer to one or both questions is indicative of a gambling addiction.

The results of the survey showed nearly one in five inmates were problem gamblers.

The study was authored by Mary Cuadrado and Louis Lieberman, who head the Hispanic Addictions Studies Program at the University of Texas at El Paso. Both have done extensive research on addictions related to gambling, sex and drugs, according to their website.

The study was sponsored and issued last week by the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) out of Altamonte Springs.

Gambling statistics are on the rise just as the number of gambling facilities continues to increase.

Pat Fowler is the FCCG executive director. She said gaming rooms - often referred to as sweepstakes or Internet cafes - are making gambling more convenient.

"It's hitting the state in huge numbers," Fowler said.

While there is no direct link between the recent inmate study and gaming rooms, Fowler said the increasing number of neighborhood gambling halls are undoubtedly causing problems for Florida residents.

In her mind, there is no question gaming rooms have contributed to the recent surge in problem gambling.

"Calls came very suddenly and we hadn't discovered anything like it really," she said. "We never saw so many people calling as a result of this one form of gambling ... We do have a profile on sweepstakes rooms and we do know they are impacting people."

Hernando County has at least 14 known gaming rooms, many of which have opened during the past few months.

It's further proof that gambling is not merely an urban problem any longer, Fowler said.

"The people calling our agency tend to be older and tend to be less affluent," she said. "They seem to experience a shorter amount of time from the initial gambling to the point where it becomes a (chronic) problem."