CLEVELAND — Football season is in full swing. At the beginning of 2023, the state of Ohio legalized sports betting on these games. Not even a full year later, sports betting is popular in Northeast Ohio.
Betting on the Browns or the Buckeyes is easy and legal, all from your living room while you're watching the game.
"It's at our fingertips, and it's just so easy to hit that button over and over again that people can lose track of how long or how much they're betting and then you get that slip back of how much you lost, or how much you owe," said Michael Buzzelli, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.
Ohio for Responsible Gambling said there has been a 70% increase in calls for help with problem gambling in 2023 versus 2022.
"Cleveland, or Cuyahoga County, has the most calls to the problem gambling helpline than any county in the state. Sometimes double or even triple other large counties like Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, where the other casinos are," said Buzzelli.
The majority of bets are done on phones or online, "97% of the bets placed in Ohio are mobile, and then less than 3% are at the actual sports books at the venues, at the bars, other places like that," said Buzzelli.
Paul Estep started gambling years ago in casinos for fun. "I ended up spending my rent money, and I lost my family that way. Ended up losing my vehicle, lost my license, lost my jobs," said Paul Estep from Toledo.
Today, Paul's life is different, "I've got a host of friends that are in Gambler's Anonymous, you know, and so I have good friendships, and I've got supportive other people," said Estep.
He asked for help, "I go to two meetings a week. I go to treatment every other week, and I got my life back," said Estep.
With the ease of sports betting this football season, the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio suggests setting limits on time and money spent on apps. If your loved one or friend is experiencing a change in mood, it might be time for a conversation.
"Gambling addiction has the highest suicide attempt rate of any addiction, and I think there are a number of reasons for that, but I think the lows, or the pitfalls, can come so quickly because you can lose so much money, so fast," said Buzzelli.
Estep knows it could be easy to slip up, "I'm starting to watch football now, but I'm not going to make any bets," said Estep.
But this time, he's thankful he's got too much to lose, Estep said, "I was living in shame of who I was and my weakness, and today, I'm not ashamed of myself anymore."
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-GAMBLER, that hotline is available 24/7.
