With sports gambling becoming legal in Kentucky in 2023, the anticipation was that while the new law would raise more tax revenue for the state, it would also bring more cases of problem gambling.
Dr. RonSonlyn Clark is president of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling , which was established 27 years ago to help promote prevention activities, awareness and education for people with gambling issues.
A retired senior director of substance use and prevention at RiverValley Behavioral Health in Owensboro, Dr. Clark has counseled people with gambling problems for over 20 years.
She recently answered questions about her views on the first year of legalized sports gambling in the state.
Question: How do you think the first year has gone from your perspective?
Dr. Clark: The year has been very busy. From my perspective, I have been busy training and supervising individuals across the state in pursuit of their certification to do gambling counseling.
In January, we had a 30-hour training. It’s the first time we’ve done that. And we had … 20 something people that went through the training, and I have in various stages of getting people certified, I’m counting my fingers, so bear with me. I think I’ve got seven people undergoing supervision with me at this point, and out of that supervision to have already passed their exam and are Level 1 certified and continue to work toward Level 2.