National Problem Gambling Awareness Week

The seventh annual National Problem Gambling Awareness Week is being held from March 1 to 7 in the United States, with the goal of educating the public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling through a "grassroots public awareness an outreach campaign".

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), a national advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families, is using the week to promote its activities using radio, television and print advertisements.

The NCPG has created its own YouTube channel, featuring over 20 public service announcements on everything from gambling help lines to videos focusing on problem gambling in specific U.S. states, as well as a Web site with information and statistics on problem gambling.

One information sheet explains: "Americans spend more on gambling than all other recreation combined. For most, it's a fun diversion, but for a few, gambling can become a serious life-altering problem."

According to the NCPG research, around two to three percent of the U.S. population (or six to nine million people) have a gambling problem in any given year. Only a small fraction of those seek treatment or recovery programs, the reason the NCPG hosts its annual awareness week.

According to material on the Problem Gambling Awareness Week website, 85% of U.S. adults have gambled at least once in their lives, with 80% gambling in the past year alone. All U.S. states except for Utah and Hawaii have some form of legalized gambling.