Apps can help control how much you gamble
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The NCAA Tournament is one of the busiest times of year for gamblers at the betting facility Winner’s Circle in downtown Indianapolis.
Assistant General Manager Laura Stark said, “People get really excited about March Madness. It’s an event that we look forward to every year. It’s big fun, a lot of excitement. We see people that we normally don’t see all year round and people usually come in just for this particular event.”
Customers can bet online or place a bet in person at Winner’s Circle, 20 N. Pennsylvania St.
“You don’t need an app. We have 10 kiosks, self-betting machines, and we have five ticket writers,” Stark said.
In March 2022 in Indiana, $274 million was wagered on basketball alone, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission.
Part of the state tax revenue generated from sports gambling helps fund the Indiana Problem Gambling Awareness Program. Excessive gambling is one of the only behaviors not related to substance abuse that’s considered a psychological disorder. Mary Lay, program manager for the program, said, “It very much mimics those ways people behave when they have an alcohol issue, or a marijuana issue, the feeling of needing to do it more and more to get the same satisfaction.”
Recoverme, Gamban and other apps can limit or stop gamblers from accessing online wagering sites.
Another way to stay in control is to only gamble what you would spend on a movie or concert. If you exceed that limit, you could spiral out of control.
Lay said, “Spend money that was intended to be spent on something else, like food or rent, or bills, where they want to stop and they’re not able to stop, when they find themselves lying about how much they’re engaging in the behavior.”
Indiana ranks fifth in the amount of money wagered out of the 29 states plus the District of Columbia that allow sports betting.
For help with a gambling problem, call 800-994-8448.