December 1998

On a Personal Note...

Edited excerpts from the Summer 1996 column

Several years ago, I had the good fortune to move into an exciting and incredibly challenging new job. It represented a whole new dimension to the work I'd been doing in human services and corrections for more than 25 years; fascinating in its psychology, its economic magnitude, its history and, more graphically, its power to devastate. But the reality was that I knew very little about it-even after studying and sitting in the midst of mental health and chemical dependency for so many years. Looking back, I realize I've had some wonderful tutors and am grateful to them for their patience in getting me through at least Gambling 101. I no longer stare with glassy eyes when someone says more then $6.8 billion is wagered in Minnesota every year. I now understand that the gambling industry touches the lives of almost every adult and child in our state; far too often with tragic results.

While most people gamble responsibly, and the economic benefits are many, I've also learned about the downside. It is heard in the stories of people-young and old-whose gambling is out of control; has gone past being social or recreational and become utterly devastating to family, friends and jobs, often at a significant cost to many businesses, governmental agencies and taxpayers. I've also come to understand that problem gambling has no social, economic, religious, political, age, gender or cultural boundaries.

However, I don't despair. The people I have been able to work with have convinced me that problem gambling will not be able to remain the "invisible disease." The shroud of secrecy has at least been cracked, if not broken, and I'm hopeful. Hopeful because we have gradually invested more in public education and prevention, and have been able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of most policy makers that treatment is effective, that it's a sound investment in state and private health care dollars (80% of those completing treatment have either stopped or reduced their gambling). But most of all, I'm hopeful because the number of people asking questions keeps growing every day; people working in schools, corrections, mental health centers, and human service agencies; businesses, financial institutions, insurance companies, and court systems; and churches, chemical dependency, employee assistance, physical medicine, etc. By adding gambling to our list of things to check out with clients or students when some-thing's askew, we uncover at least one of the reasons too many people's lives go into a tailspin. This all reflects considerable progress in just a few short years.

Postscript: Fast forward: Since this will be my last column as manager of the state's gambling program, I started above with some slightly edited excerpts from an article I wrote several years ago. I decided to draw from it as a reminder of the power of problem or compulsive gambling, to acknowledge the progress that has been made in responding to the downside, yet also remind ourselves that far too many mothers, dads and kids are still suffering. Even though over 2,200 compulsive gamblers have gone through treatment and at least 7,000 family members have been involved, the hotline still rings up to 400 times each month. That is a sobering reminder of the challenge we still face.

But for now, back to my reasons for drawing from the previous column. The last and most personal one is to reiterate my appreciation to the many people I've been able to meet and work with. I'd love to stay active and continue those relationships, but some permanent health problems dictate reducing my work time and changing jobs. That's a hard swallow, yet is tempered a bit by remembering how rich this experience has been and that so many of you are still able and willing to stay the course.

In closing, I simply want to repeat that I've had a fascinating and fast ride the past six years, and feel very fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time, surrounded by people in recovery, providers, concerned lay people, researchers and policy makers who were willing to teach me. Many thanks!

-Jay Bambery, Department of Human Services

Gambling Problems Resource Center
2720 Highway 10
Mounds View, MN 55112