Gambling and Senior Citizens

Seniors Increasingly Vulnerable to Lure of Casinos, Experts Say

The Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario released a study that senior citizens living on incomes under $20,000 are more apt to become problem gamblers than those of other demographics. Research suggests that currently 6 percent of 5,000 people are problem gamblers from this age and income level. Experts expect this percentage to only increase, as the baby boom generation ages. "They (baby boomers) have a different view of money," Jamie Wiebe, director of research stated. "Boomers tend to be looser with their money when it comes to pleasure and more accustomed to the idea of gambling as fun. That could spell trouble for them once they start to live on retirement savings or pensions." [Canoe-wire (Ottawa) - 2/23/03]

Older Americans Gambling Retirement Money

"Growing numbers of older Americans find themselves grappling with problems from gambling. In New Jersey, adults age 55 and older accounted for 15 percent of all calls last year to the state's hot line for problem gamblers, up from 9 percent in 2000. In Arizona, the latest figures show that 23 percent of calls involved seniors; in Connecticut, the number was 32 percent. The problem with this age group is that they really can't recoup. Most aren't going to go back to work; they aren't going to be able to get that income back. There seems to be a subgroup of older adults who tend to be more vulnerable. These are individuals who tend to be more isolated, more bored, more lonely. They may have been diagnosed with depression or an anxiety disorder. So they may be turning to gambling as an outlet — one of the local casinos. Older adults (also) will get birthday cards (from a casino), or if they don't show up, they'll get a card from the casino saying, 'Gosh, we've missed you; you haven't been here in a while.'" [10/1/02-Wall Street Journal]