Driven by Sports Betting, Arkansas Problem Gambling Council Reports Spike in Calls for Help

Gambling,

KATV reports the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council has seen a 22% increase in calls for help in 2024:

Between sports, horse racing, and casinos, the thrill of a possible big-money win keeps Arkansans coming back for more.

“The love of the game, the love of sports, but it’s also with the advancement of technology,” said Vena Schexnayder of the APGC. “Right now, we carry little casinos in our pocket and that’s our phones.”

Schexnayder said this silent addiction can get out of hand.

Gambling via smart phone is relatively new in Arkansas. In 2022 lawmakers approved a state rule change to permit sports betting online via smart phones and other mobile devices from anywhere in Arkansas. Family Council strongly opposed that rule change.

Sports betting is particularly out of hand nationwide, and some sports betting companies have actually produced ads that seem to promote problem-gambling behavior — like commercials that show people so fixated on sports betting that they ignore everyone else around them or encouraging people to take advantage of every opportunity to gamble.

People who gamble online face a serious risk of developing a gambling addiction, and some research indicates that people who engage in sports betting are twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.

You can watch KATV’s news segment below.

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Arkansas Lawmakers Approve Sports Betting on Smart Phones

Casinos,

On Tuesday the Arkansas Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee approved a state rule change that permits sports betting online via mobile devices.

The new rule is slated to take effect in a few days.

Under this new rule, gamblers will be able to bet on sporting events online via a computer, smart phone, or other mobile device from anywhere in Arkansas.

As we have said for weeks, when voters passed Amendment 100 in 2018, they authorized casino gambling at certain locations in Arkansas — not from anywhere in the state over the Internet.

This rule change permits sports betting anywhere in Arkansas. That isn’t what voters had in mind back in 2018.

It’s impossible to monitor Internet gambling to be sure state and federal laws are enforced.

No matter how many safeguards and security features are in place, there’s no way to guarantee that children won’t gamble via these smart phone apps.

People who gamble online face a serious risk of developing a gambling addiction, and some research indicates that people who engage in sports betting are twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.

Arkansas already has enough problems from gambling. These new rules only make those problems worse.

Bottom line: Online sports betting is a bad bet for Arkansas.

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Legislative Subcommittee Approves Sports Betting on Smart Phones in Arkansas

Casinos,

On Thursday the Arkansas Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee Administrative Rule Subcommittee approved a state rule change that would permit sports betting online via mobile devices.

The proposal now goes to the full Joint Budget Committee for final consideration next week.

Lawmakers on the committee will be able to vote to approve or reject mobile sports betting in Arkansas.

If approved, gamblers would be able to bet on sporting events online via a computer, smart phone, or other mobile device from anywhere in Arkansas.

When voters passed Amendment 100 in 2018, they authorized casino gambling at certain locations in Arkansas — not from anywhere in the state over the Internet.

This rule change would permit mobile sports betting anywhere in Arkansas.

That isn’t what voters had in mind when they approved the casino amendment a little over three years ago.

It’s impossible to monitor Internet gambling to be sure state and federal laws are enforced.

No matter how many safeguards and security features are in place, there’s no way to guarantee that children won’t gamble via these smart phone apps.

People who gamble online face a serious risk of developing a gambling addiction, and some research indicates that people who engage in sports betting are twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.

Arkansas already has enough problems from gambling. These new rules would only make those problems worse.

Bottom line: Online sports betting is a bad bet for Arkansas.

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