https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2018/04/30/warren-buffett-says-buying-bitcoin-is-gambling-not-investment/#123b513f2c57

Warrent Buffett discusses the difference between investment and speculating as it refers to buying bitcoin.

For Immediate Release
5PM, March 14, 2016
Media Contact: David Geier, Director, Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program
 
Media Release: Governor Pete Ricketts Designates March as National Problem Gamblers Month in Nebraska
 
Lincoln: Governor Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation, February 3, designating March as National Problem Gambling Month in Nebraska. March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month because one of the biggest sports betting events of the year, the NCAA College Basketball Championship tournament, occurs in March.
 
Better known as March Madness, an estimated 40 million Americans will bet in “Final Four” office pools and other forms of betting on the event, totaling approximately $9 billion each year. Betting on the Super Bowl alone is estimated to total approximately $8 billion a year. Research indicates that for every $1 in tax revenue from gambling, taxpayers spend $3 in social, legal and incarceration programs that stem from gambling problems.
 
“The nine members of the Nebraska Commission on Problem Gambling are family people, and not different from other Nebraskans in their love of sports,” said Ed Hoffman, chair of the commission. “We just need to be aware of the risks to our families of developing problem gambling disorder and be able to see the signs of risky gambling behavior before real trouble hits.”
 
As many as 28,000 Nebraskans may suffer a problem gambling disorder, and as many as 200,000 adult Nebraskans may be at risk of developing a gambling problem, according to David Geier, director of the Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program.
 
“As more Nebraskans know the serious harm that results from a problem gambling disorder, and can read the signs of a person they know getting in trouble with gambling, they also need to know that help exists,” said Geier. “The Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program provides funds to help Nebraskans and their families suffering a problem gambling disorder.”
 
According to Geier, the warning signs include:

• Betting more money than you can afford to lose
• Gambling more money to win back money you lost
• Borrowing money or selling something of value to gamble
• Other people saying that you have a gambling problem
• Health or financial problems the result of gambling
• Feeling guilty when you gamble
• Betting higher and higher amounts of money to get the same thrill from gambling

 
For more information, please visit problemgambling.nebraska.gov to locate a certified problem gambling counselor near you. Call 402-471-4451 or 1-800-522-4700 any time.
 
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Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program  700 South 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508  402.471.4450
​

While watching football this season, I can't help but notice the daily sports betting ads. They are everywhere and not just one or two ads during a game, it is constant. I have noticed that some of the individuals I am working with are being triggered by these ads although they have months or even years of abstinence from gambling. They are suggesting that millions of dollars will be won in a given weekend. I don't know about you but when football is on in my house there are at least four child sized eyes also watching the TV. My children ask me questions like, "Wow, is that real?" I suggest that if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. I suggest that there are fathers and mothers out there who might be putting their families at risk by gambling this way or another way. Those who like the idea of this type of gambling are suggesting that it is a game of skill. I suggest it is just as random as a press of the button at a slot machine. 

Whether you struggle with sports gambling or another type of gambling we can help you at Peace and Power Counseling. Call and talk with a counselor today. 402-515-7412.

The below link will take you to a news story published in March 2015 about a brave female gambler who tells her story. I admire her for stepping up and helping those who are struggling with gambling to know they are not alone.


http://www.wbng.com/news/local/All-or-nothing----the-truth-about-gambling-addiction-295411531.html

The below story from USA today, published on April 4, 2015 reports that there are advocacy groups that are concerned about the predatory nature of the state run lotteries. 

Let's talk about lotteries. Lotteries are a form of gambling that entice those who are seduced by fantasy. Just think for a moment about the solution that a large windfall would create. Being able to pay back all the debt, pay off the house, own the cars, pay for the kids to go to private schools and even help those family and friends that are also financially behind the 8 ball. 

Some fantasies get very involved and therefore feel even more real and all the more likely to happen. The chance of winning the lottery is like the same person being hit by lightning between 10 and 15 times. As the baby in the E-Trade commercial says, "You are more likely to be mauled by a polar bear and a regular bear in the same day than you are to win the lottery." 

Yet we continue to buy lottery tickets. We know that the chances are low but the draw of the fantasy keep us coming back for more. We say to ourselves, "As long as I have a ticket in my hand or in my pocket I have a chance to win."

So, how do you know if this is an addiction or not? Do you lie about your lottery ticket purchases? Have you bought more lottery tickets recently than you used to buy? If you answered yes to either of these questions you can receive a no charge gambling evaluation here at Peace and Power Counseling. 

We are not going to do any more than let you know what our assessment shows and let you know what your options are. We are here to help you find a way out of the despair that the gambling has caused. Please give us a call today.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/04/stateline-lotteries/25291687/

Here is an article that shows that increased access to gambling increases the number of those who struggle with a gambling problem. I hope our government considers this as they consider whether to legalize sports gambling or not.


http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/gambling-addicts-seduced-growing-casino-accessibility-article-1.1301339

Here is a quote from the below article: "When sports betting is legalized, young people who have never stepped in a casino or purchased a lottery ticket will try putting money down on a game, and some will develop gambling problems. Athletes are specifically at risk. Lives, families will be ruined. This risk can't be overstated."

Easier the access the more addictive the chemical or the behavior. This is why we attempt to limit access of alcohol and cigarettes by children. We know these can be quickly addictive to the developing mind. Gambling is also highly addictive and impacts the brain and can damage the way we see ourselves and how others see us as well. If you or a loved one is struggling with a gambling problem, please reach out. There is help available.




http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id/12555614/betting-sports-betting-legalization-cause-more-problem-gamblers

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/online-gambling-is-it-worth-the-risk-for-governments-1.3001653

The following are the last few paragraphs of the attached story. Wondering if sports bracket gambling is illegal or not? Read on...

"These stories of youngsters betting on the tournament concern Otteman, the Central Michigan professor. He contends that brackets are the "gateway drug" of sports gambling, giving children the first rush that can lead to addiction. Otteman credits the NCAA's anti-gambling publicity and education campaigns, but he is still bothered every year when the organization, on its website, provides printable brackets that are inevitably used for gambling.

"That's where it goes sideways to me," Otteman said. "It's a very hypocritical stance, in terms of fighting against legalization but still profiting from the popularity of the brackets."

The stance likely won't change. On Tuesday, in a federal courtroom in Philadelphia, attorneys for the NCAA continued the fight to keep sports betting illegal. The conflict is among the NCAA, professional sports leagues and the state of New Jersey, which has been trying to legalize sports betting for years.

Meanwhile, federal employees are reminded that their standards of conduct prohibit them from participating in any gambling while on duty or on government property. And if they have ESPN, they could watch President Barack Obama fill out his bracket."

http://journalstar.com/ap/national/bracket-popularity-illustrates-ncaa-s-ambivalence-on-gambling/article_c29059cf-1ce5-5acf-b01c-96e5cdb29de4.html#.VQ7T7B1xVt8.email