Internet Help Available for Problem Gambling

Problem gambling treatment will be available online as a West Virginia group takes live help services to the Internet.

West Virginia is launching a new service to offer online help and counseling for victims of problem gambling. The service will be free, and is expected to launch within the next few days, according to representatives from the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia.

The group already runs a toll-free help center for compulsive gambling problems, 1-800-GAMBLER. Sheila Moran told the Gazette Mail that online counseling for problem gambling will help reach young people, who tend to be more active on the Internet.

Statistics show that the phone program has received 3700 calls in nine years from people in the age group 36 to 55. But only 530 calls were received in the same period by gamblers 25 and under.

Moran says the service will hopefully go live December 7th, and that visitors to 1800Gambler.net will be able to converse with counselors.

Moran says the group already handles e-mails, but that live interaction is more efficient and productive than written exchanges. Even with online services, she stresses the need for counselors to get problem gamblers on the phone, where tone and context become much clearer.