BLACKJACK GAMBLING ADDICTION ON RISE IN FLORIDA

With a year gone by since legal Blackjack debuted in casinos across Florida some shocking statistics have come to light. Gambling help lines are apparently being inundated with people seeking help for addictions to Blackjack. Last year only 9% of calls to gambling addiction hotlines were for Blackjack, this past January the figure had sharply risen to 43%. The states helpline has reported a 16% increase in all calls for gambling addiction but the inordinate rise in calls from people who count Blackjack as their game of choice has surprised even the staff who man the help lines, also interestingly enough, the majority of the calls have originated from South Florida, which is the centre of the state’s thriving gambling industry.

As it stands Blackjack is almost equal with Poker as a reason to call the state’s helpline. An uncertain economic climate has been among the reasons cited for the increase in gambling related addiction, with people hitting the Poker and Blackjack tables hoping to make a quick buck in order to keep their heads above water. The financial situation is, however a dual edged sword, state budget shortfalls are also a driving reason why the authorities have been much more receptive to the addition of new games like Blackjack, to its casino tables. So while they may have their eyes on the potential tax revenue, your individual gambler, with ends hardly meeting as well as they used to even 18 months ago, is more and more driven to try their luck out at the Blackjack table in the hope that some unexpected income will help grease the wheels for another month or so.