10-02-2025
‘Click your phone, lose your home'; U of I professor explains dangers of gambling
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The American Gaming Association estimates Illinoisans will bet $130 million in legal wagers on the Super Bowl. But — gambling researchers say you should think twice before placing money on the big game.
The numbers speak for themselves. In 2022 the Illinois Department of Human Services estimated close to 400,000 people in the state have a gambling problem. The same study said nearly double that are at risk of getting hooked.
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One professor at the University of Illinois is hoping to tell people about the dangers gambling brings before it's too late.
'Click your phone, lose your home. Click your mouse, lose your house,' John Kindt, Professor Emeritus of Business Administration, said.
Professor Kindt has been studying the effects of gambling for over 30 years.
'If you look behind me, you'll see a whole series of red books. And this is the United States International Gambling Report,' Kindt said.
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He helped contribute to the report along with many other researchers around the country. What they found was concerning.
'We have hundreds of studies showing the downside of gambling economically,' Kindt said.
It can be simplified to what Kindt calls the 'A-B-C's' of gambling.
'You have, the 'A' stands for new addicted gamblers, and kids are now showing double the gambling addiction rate of the older generation,' Kindt said. 'The 'B' stands for new bankruptcies, up 18 to 42% as people lose their money. The 'C' stands for new crime. A major report out of the University of Illinois years ago, people lose their money, crime rates going up about 10% every year.'
The American psychiatric Association calls this a gambling disorder.
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'And this is the first behavioral addiction. It's known as a behavioral addiction,' Kindt said.
Kindt also said 20% of people addicted to gambling attempt suicide. This issue also impacts those living in the state — even if you don't gamble.
'That costs the state of Illinois 6 to $13 billion per year,' Kindt said.
But if you do struggle with a gambling disorder there is hope. Shane Cook works for the Gateway Foundation which helps people who struggle to stop.
'In a situation where you're just feel compelled to continue to gamble, maybe step back and look for somebody that you can have a conversation with and explore,' Cook said.
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Cook said the foundation is here to help. They're one of 30 behavioral health clinics working with Illinois' 'Are You Really Winning?' campaign.
'All of the organizations, including Gateway Foundation, we are out in the community, reaching out to individuals, and we have the services where people can access them,' Cook said.
The 'Are You Really Winning?' campaign lists a couple signs to look out for when you bet. Some of those are hiding gambling by lying — borrowing money to cover losses — and feeling irritated when trying to cut back on gambling. Keep those in mind before you put big bucks on the big game.
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