WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A recent study from USC and UCLA researchers suggests a nearly 30% increase in bankruptcies in states where sports betting is legal. One sports betting addiction counselor says the impulse to bet on sports is devastating families across the state.
Sept. 1 marks two years of legalized sports betting in Kansas.
JoAnn Briles-Klein has treated those with gambling addictions here in Wichita for more than two decades. She said the legalization of sports betting, even your phone, has led to serious problems.
The itch to win big can be a losing wager.
“I’ve seen it destroy marriages, I’ve seen it destroy families, I’ve seen it destroy lives,” said Briles-Klein.
Briles-Klein has treated gambling addicts for 22 years. She also sits on the problem gambling task force. She shares that sports betting has reached the addiction phase and is only on the rise in Kansas. She thinks easy access from any phone on top of normalized marketing has allowed it to become out of control.