How to deal with and recognizing gambling addiction – KCAU 9

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Since 2019, Iowans have been legally placing bets on sporting events, but 2021 marks the first time March Madness has been on the board.

Since sportsbooks became legal almost two years ago, the advent of mobile betting apps has made the activity even more accessible.

Ive been in the gambling industry for about a decade, experienced sports better William Reynolds said.

Reynolds says hes been sports betting most of his adult life.

Ive seen both sides of gambling. Ive seen the winners and Ive seen the losers. Ive been on both sides as well, Reynolds said.

Reynolds said betting and honesty, should go hand in hand.

If you have delusions of grandeur and think youre going to be the next Vegas sports betting superstar youre probably not. With gambling, you need to have your expectations in line. Some gambling is for entertainment. Some gambling is to find an edge. But at the end of the day, most gambling is going to result in a loss so you have to be honest with yourself, Reynolds added.

Thats something a therapist with Heartland Counseling Services knows plenty about. She said there are a few key signs to recognize gambling addictions.

If theyre chasing their bets, what happens is they may lose at the casino and they keep going back to try and win back what they lost. Are they spending money thats needed for like bills to try to win big? Are they borrowing money? Are they hiding their activity? Cindi Prather said.

Thats when experienced gambler Charlie Franklin III said its time for friends to step in.

Help them out. Tell them Hey, dont do that or youre going to be borrowing money from me tomorrow. Play with them, joke around with them but ultimately get them away from what theyre doing. Take them out of the setting. Get them away from the casino, Franklin said.

Franklin said some easy-to-follow guidelines can help keep gamblers out of trouble like budgeting your money and having strict boundaries.

Thats probably where I see most people mess up. They say Im only going to do this. Then they start doing a little too much and then all of a sudden theyre going to the ATM or theyre thinking about other money they can use, Franklin said.

If you like to play the odds, both Reynolds and Franklin say when betting, if you find yourself getting upset about the outcome of a game it may be time to take a step back.

If you or someone you know may have a problem gambling, here is a link to resources.

See the original post here:

How to deal with and recognizing gambling addiction - KCAU 9