(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A recent study about gambling in Illinois finds more than 10% of adults have a gambling problem or are at risk for one.
Sixty-eight percent of people polled in the Illinois Department of Human Services survey said they had gambled during the year before – with the lottery being the most popular form.
Shane Cook, director of Gateway Foundation’s Gambling Disorder Program, notes the assessment measured activity during 2020 – before sports betting took off.
He expects the numbers would climb if the same survey was done today, now that people are essentially walking around with casinos on their phones.
Cook said the state needs to promote treatment options for gambling addicts.
The survey found 761,000 adults in Illinois are at risk for developing a gambling addiction, and 383,000 are already problem gamblers.
Cook said the forthcoming Chicago casino makes gambling accessible for a whole new group of people.
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