Problem gambling

Treatment and counseling services are available free to any Oregon resident who has problems related to gambling, either as a problem gambler or as a family member or friend of a problem gambler. Lottery-financed services are delivered through 29 outpatient treatment clinics across the state, short-term crisis-respite centers in Grants Pass and St. Helens, a residential treatment center in Salem and a home-study program for people with less severe problems.

People wishing to speak with a counselor about problems related to gambling may call toll free: 1-877-MYLIMIT (1-877-695-4648) or visit the Web site for help via Instant Messaging/Chat/Email. Treatment is free, confidential and it works.

• Oregon Problem Gambling Helpline Web Site
• Overview
• Prevention and Outreach
• Problem Gambling Awareness Art Search
• Media
• Resources
• Treatment
• Service Elements
• ORS  
• Useful Links  

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Oregon Problem Gambling Helpline Web site

The Oregon Gambling Helpline has launched a new Web site with online features. This new Web site will extend the reach of the Helpline beyond current telephone-based services by featuring:

• Link to chat live with a gambling counselor. Click this option to connect directly with a counselor and communicate via pop-up chat window. This offering is limited to certain hours clearly stated on the site to ensure adequate availability and timeliness. Protocol will be very similar to that currently utilized for telephone callers.
• Direct links to Instant Messaging via the most popular service providers. Similar to chat link, but allows visitors to utilize a more familiar interface for some than a hosted chat window. Accounts are set up on most major messaging services (AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ).
• Email service forms that invite visitors to leave a message and return email address for return contact.
• Updated listings (and look-up facility) of Oregon service providers by locality with contact information. Include GA venues statewide.
• Detailed information regarding GEAR and a direct link to request contact from GEAR staff.
• Client/consumer educational materials that have previously been posted on the DHS Web site will soon be moved to the Helpline Web site as well.

Overview

Oregon invests over 12 million dollars annually to reduce the negative effects of gambling. Oregon’s Problem Gambling Services incorporate strategies that minimize gambling’s negative impacts while recognizing the reality of gambling’s availability, cultural acceptance, and economic appeal.

Oregon is recognized nationally as a leader in the field of problem gambling services. In 2002, DHS Problem Gambling Program was the co-winner, along with the Oregon Lottery, of the prestigious Government Award (RTF) from the National Council on Problem Gambling.

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Problem Gambling Prevention and Outreach

1. Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Problem Gambling Services orchestrates actions to prevent gambling-related problems, promote informed and balanced attitudes, and protect vulnerable groups. These actions include promoting healthy public policy and developing collaborative relationships between various stakeholder groups.

2. County Governments are provided funds annually to empower communities and strengthen community action. Local governments develop and implement regionally specific prevention plans that include measurable goals and objectives. The prevention plans follow a public health model as a foundation.

3. The Oregon Lottery allocates about $1.2 million annually for public awareness and education programs designed to provide clear and consistent messages regarding healthy and unhealthy gambling behavior. The "Play Responsibly" campaigns, along with a problem gambling awareness campaign, use television, radio and print media.

Local prevention activities include programs such as working with schools on gambling prevention education, working with senior citizen groups on gambling education, and incorporating gambling prevention into activities aimed at other youth risk factors. A review of research of several problem behaviors and problem gambling suggests that many risk and protective factors are shared. More information on this subject can be obtained from the Problem Gambling Resource Guide.
 

Outreach efforts are aimed at increasing community awareness about problem gambling so people who need help can connect with the services they need. Outreach efforts are done locally by prevention and treatment specialists who help to increase awareness of problem gambling within the community. They work with community groups, schools, mental health programs, alcohol and drug abuse programs, corrections departments and other health organizations in this effort.

At the statewide level, the Oregon Lottery provides Problem Gambling Awareness and Responsible Play campaigns on TV, radio, and in the print media. The key message of this campaign is that lottery games are for fun and entertainment and should be played as such, and that treatment is available when gambling is “no longer a game.”

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Free and Confidential Treatment

Oregon offers several levels of treatment, depending upon the nature of the gambling problem:

1. GEAR
Oregon’s Gambling Evaluation and Reduction Program (PDF), GEAR, is designed to meet the needs of less severe problem gamblers. GEAR is a structured program that offers home-based change tools such as self-change guides, telephone counseling, Internet support groups, and educational videos.

2. Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient problem gambling treatment involves assessment, individual treatment planning, one-to-one counseling, group counseling, treatment for concerned others if appropriate, case management, and aftercare planning. Oregon operates approximately 27 problem gambling outpatient treatment programs throughout the state. Included are specialized culturally competent programs targeting an African American community and two Hispanic communities.

3. Residential Care
Oregon operates one statewide inpatient gambling treatment program and three regional centers that offer crisis-respite services. Individuals utilizing this level of care are referred from an outpatient gambling treatment program.

4. Maintenance
Part of treatment planning includes aftercare, relapse prevention, and ongoing support through the recovery process. Alumni groups offered within treatment programs and client involvement with Gamblers Anonymous are two examples of this level of care.

Problem Gambling Awareness Art Search

Each year Oregon middle school aged students are invited to submit artwork for a calendar designed to increase awareness of problem gambling.

The seventh annual art search is conducted in partnership with local problem gambling prevention and outreach coordinators. Twelve artistic designs will be chosen for the 2010 calendar. Entry deadline for student artwork is March 20, 2009.

Artwork should be illustrating one of ten different messages (see "Artwork Flier link below for messages) and entered on letter-size white paper with the name of the student artist, grade level, school and city on the back. DHS and its partners will judge the entries. Gift certificates ranging from $25 to $50 will be awarded to 12 students.

Please create a poster that illustrates one of the following messages, or develop your own: 

• Gambling can be a risky activity
• Gambling for money online is illegal
• Using "free" internet gambling sites puts you at risk for identity theft and other serious problems
• Free counseling is available for anyone with a gambling problem
• Gambling problems can happen to anyone
• There are better things for kids to do for fun than gamble
• People who gamble should set and stick to a limit of time and money
• Signs of problem gambling: lying about gambling and betting more than you intended
• Gambling addiction is a problem many of us are not aware of
• People can recover from gambling problems

Submit entries to Greta Coe, Human Services Building, 500 Summer St. NE, E86, Salem, OR 97301. Please include your name, grade level, school and city on the back of the poster.

For more information on this campaign, see the Artwork Flier (PDF) for directions and suggested messages. For more information on problem gambling, visit 1877mylimit.org  

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Media

For a complete history of the DHS media regarding problem gambling and this program, click here. 

Resources

Recommended resource list (PDF) 

Problem Gambling Resources 

Articles from Newsletters

Gambling: The Hidden Addiction (Part 1) (PDF) - From Addiction Messenger

Recovery and Resources (Part 3) (PDF) - From Addiction Messenger 

Screening and Treatment (Part 2) (PDF) - From Addiction Messenger

Research and Program Evaluation
Oregon has been the home of several research studies on the prevalence and nature of problem gambling. The Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation conducts such studies with major support from the Oregon Lottery.

Additionally, DHS Problem Gambling Services measures the performance of individual treatment programs and overall system effectiveness. Every consenting person who enters state-supported gambling treatment is followed for up to two years to determine long-term program effectiveness.

Annotated Bibliographies

Gambling among the Corrections population (PDF)

Gambling and college students (PDF)

Problem Gambling Prevention Bibliography (PDF) 

Professional resource guide

The Problem Gambling Prevention Resource Guide for Prevention Professionals (PDF) is designed to provide addictions prevention providers and other professionals with information on potential relationships between problem gambling and other problem behaviors and to equip providers with information about evidence-based addictions prevention programs, including gambling-specific prevention programs.

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Service Elements

• SE 83 Made Simple (Powerpoint - Be sure to click on the READ ONLY button to access the presentation).
• Problem Gambling Prevention Services (A&D 80) (PDF)
• Outpatient Problem Gambling Treatment Services (A&D 81) (PDF)
• Problem Gambling Treatment Enhancement (A&D 83) (PDF)

ORS

409.430 Gambling Addiction Programs; Advisory Committee 

409.435 Problem Gambling Treatment Fund 

461.549 Use of Video Lottery Proceeds for Treatment of Gambling-Related Behavioral Problems   

Useful Links

• Newscan
  “A weekly look at gambling news worldwide” from The Responsible Gambling Council (Ontario)
• Gemini Research
  An organization that specializes in managing and reporting on problem gambling research; the "Reports and Links" section offers a number of international research studies and reports available online.
• Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre
  The “Resource Centre” link offers “eWildman”, a comprehensive review on gambling literature. Access to research requires subscribing, which is free.
• National Gambling Impact Study Commission Full Report
  Completed in 1999, the report is a comprehensive study of the social and economic impacts of gambling in the United States.
• The WAGER
  The Weekly Addiction Gambling Education Report is a research bulletin published by the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling; it is intended to disseminate information about the study of pathological gambling.

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