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New study shows drop in number of Iowans who gambled
Rod Boshart
Jun. 5, 2016 7:17 pm
DES MOINES - A new study estimates that almost 1.6 million adult Iowans gambled during the past year, with almost 1 in 8 of those 'at risk” of developing a problem, according to the state Department of Public Health.
The number is down from 2013. A survey then found that 1.8 million adults Iowans had gambled during past 12 months, and 16 percent could be classified as at-risk.
The latest report - Gambling Attitudes and Behaviors: A 2015 Survey of Adult Iowans, prepared by the University of Northern Iowa Center for Social and Behavioral Research - estimates 294,000 adult Iowans are 'at risk,” meaning they may be experiencing some symptoms of problem gambling.
'We know the majority of Iowans who gamble do so because it's fun and they do not have financial or emotional problems as a result of it,” said Eric Preuss of the state health agency's Office of Problem Gambling Treatment and Prevention.
'It's encouraging that fewer Iowans are gambling, but it's still concerning that of those surveyed, about 1 in 4 said they know someone whose gambling may be causing problems for him or her,” Preuss said. In addition, about 1 in 7 adult Iowans said they have been negatively affected by someone else's gambling.
The state's latest biannual survey also examined fantasy sports.
While fewer than 1 in 10 adult Iowans reported taking part in fantasy sports in the past 12 months, 91 percent of those who did were engaged in another type of gambling activity, too, such as casino gambling, slot machines or scratch tickets, according to state public health officials.
Among all adult Iowans, fantasy sports players are more likely than nonfantasy sports players to be an at-risk gambler - 19 percent of fantasy sport players were classified as at-risk compared with 12 percent of nonfantasy sports players, according to the report.
Among symptoms of problem gambling: thinking a lot about gambling, such as past experiences, future ventures or ways of getting money for gambling; feeling a need for more money or with which to gamble making larger bets to raise the excitement level; repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop gamblin; feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling; gambling to run away from problems or to get relief from feeling depressed, anxious, or bad about yourself; often returning another day after losing in an attempt to win back losses; lying to family members, friends, or others to hide gambling from them; losing or almost losing a significant relationship, job, or an educational or career opportunity because of gambling; relying on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling.
Find the 2015 survey at www.idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/83/Reports%20and%20Studies/Gambling%20Attitudes%20and%20Behaviors%20Survey%202015.zip.