Gambling chips on computer keyboard. (Getty Images)
The past several years have seen an explosion of gambling in Virginia, and it is poised to become a billion-dollar industry here next year . There are new legislative proposals to further expand gambling, like allowing Virginia residents to bet on local sports teams , legalizing so-called skill games, and building more casinos . Concurrently, spending on advertisements for gambling is surging . Reading the headlines, one would think gambling has been a huge success for Virginia.
Virginia Explained: The never-ending battle over skill games
But that’s because we don’t talk about the downsides of gambling.
Up to 6% of gamblers worldwide suffer from problem gambling, a diagnosable condition defined as by a person continuing to gamble despite negative consequences. Calls to gambling helplines are skyrocketing in Virginia : in 2022, there was a 56.7% increase in the number of calls to the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling from the previous year. This data links to the most tragic problem associated with gambling: suicide.