Nebraska organizations help prevent and end problem gambling habits

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – You may be unknowingly encouraging your child to develop problem gambling behaviors.

It’s at a young age that studies show the problem could become worse.

Growing up in a family of gambling, incarceration and addiction, one of them stuck with Mike Sciandra.

“The game is the one thing that stuck with me,” Sciandra said.

According to the National Problem Gambling HelplineIt is estimated that up to 10.5 million Americans have a gambling problem. According to studies, many of them started at the age of 10 on average.

“More and more people are having gambling problems, and so we’re seeing it at younger ages,” said Lorelle Mueting, director of gambling prevention. Family service from the heart said.

That’s when Sciandra got into it.

“I remember starting betting, playing card games for money, betting on sports when I was nine years old,” Sciandra said.

“So giving away lottery tickets, even though it seems really harmless, can be a problem for people,” Mueting said.

“As I got older, I thought I was going to get through it,” Sciandra said.

It only got worse.

“I went bankrupt twice. I lost a marriage because of this.

He tried to stop.

“I cut up credit cards, canceled bank accounts, tried to hide money from myself.”

It wasn’t until he says he had an epiphany while playing Keno four years ago that he truly committed to his recovery.

“I got to the point where I was serious about getting treatment. »

Below are resources for problem gambling and confidential crisis helplines, where they provide free resources and transfers to local providers.

Nebraska Player Assistance Program
1-833-BET-OVER (Nebraska specific help)
1-800-BETS OFF (Iowa specific help)

“Now that I’ve lifted this weight, I have so much more clarity, so much more focus, so much more passion,” Sciandra said.

Sciandra now helps others recover and is a speaker to children and teens.

Heartland Family Service also offers treatment for problem gambling.