Gambling the next wave of addiction

Page 26

Road to Recovery

Gambling may replace drugs and alcohol as the new addiction of choice in First Nations communities, if the results of two studies on problem gamblers are any indication.

The reports, both titled Spirit of Bingoland, are the result of the studies prepared by Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute in Alberta. The first study, released in October 1994, focused on Native problem gamblers in Alberta; the second, released in August 1995, looked at gamblers in two Chippewa communities in Ontario.

"The study, for me, is a god news, bad news story," said Maggie Hodgson, executive director of Nechi.

Gambling can place severe strain on families, both emotional and financial. In the Alberta study, 65 per cent of all households with children were headed by a single parent.

Those single parents spent, on average, $742 a month on gambling, while two-parent households spent an average of $465 a month. Almost 70 per cent of the households, both single and two-parent, had incomes under $30,000 a year, while one-third under $15,000 a year. The Ontario gamblers spent an average of $656 per month gambling, even though 80 per cent of them earn less than $30,000 per year.

Because many gamblers live with people who also have a gambling problem, children in the household are often caretakers for other children. Even in households that include members of the extended family, those brothers or sisters or grandparents may be gamblers or have other problems. Many people start gambling very young, so older children may not be available to look after younger siblings.

"The people who are feeling the effects are children," says Hodgson.

A new study on gambling and young people, which involved interviewing 1,000 youngsters, was due to be released at the end of October.

It's often children who trigger an adult's desire to overcome an addiction; for instance, the comment of a child may force a mother to take a serious look at her drinking problem and how it affects her children. Young people can also be the catalyst that convinces an adult to get control of a gambling problem. Hodgson remembers one child asking his parents why bingo players never had full gas tanks and always bought just $5 worth of gas.

The Alberta study shows that the percentage of people with severe gambling problems in the Native community is approximately four times that of the general population. The Ontario study showed considerably lower numbers, but this is probably due to differences in the two study groups.

The Ontario study was restricted to interviews with residents of two Native communities who were "known to gamble a lot". In Alberta the respondents came from a large number of communities across the province and "known to gamble a lot" could have been taken to mean those with an extreme gambling problem.

Despite the variations in the results of the two studies, problem gamblers shared many more similarities:

Younger people and those who began gambling at an earlier age were more likely to have more severe problems;

People with lower incomes had more serious problems;

The more severe the problem the more likely it is that person will have family or friends with a problem;

Strong feelings of grief among those who had recently experienced a death were associated with more serious problems.

There is an inordinate amount of grieving in First Nations communities to do with lost relationships, losing loved ones through death or the loss of one's health, Hodgson said. She has lost 10 members of her immediate family in the last two years and it takes a tremendous amount of focus to keep going while grieving. Add to that process problems with money and housing and the stress could be unbearable.

But there is good news, Hodgson adds. Some 20 per cent of the people interviewed for the studies make between $30,000 and $50,000 a year. A number of people had some university education and many were recovered alcoholics or drug addicts Large numbers actively took part in cultural or spiritual activities, support groups or worked as volunteers.

Those strengths must be built on to help people in recovery maintain a balance, Hodgson said. Healing and recovering from addictions is a question of balance.

Many First Nations are starting to recognize gambling as a potential problem and are starting to introduce programs, such as Gamblers Anonymous, to help people. The federal government is directing dollars, through health programs and programs like Brighter Futures and Head Start, to educate and help children and adults both on an off the reserve.

After-care programs should focus more on grieving to help people deal with their losses and move on, Hodgson said. Parenting programs can incorporate grieving, lifestyle choices and problem-solving to help parents become better in their roles.

But despite the beginnings of recognition of gambling as a serious problem in First Nations communities, many band governments are looking at setting up casino on reserves as a means of economic development.

The Chippewas of Rama First Nation, one of the two Ontario communities studied by Nechi, is scheduled to open its own interim casino in May 1996. It will include 1,300 slot machines and 75 table games, said Ted Williams, a former chief and chairman of the casino implementation team.

The interim casino will be replaced in about three years by a resort destination complex on the shores of Lake Couchiching and the interim casino building will be turned into commercial and retail space.

He expects some five million people a year will visit the casino near Orillia, one-and-a-half hours north of Toronto, which is expected to generate about $200 million.

"Now we are in a position to make a substantial impact on the local economy," said Williams.

Some 30 meetings have been held with community members during the last three years of planning, including several with members of the surrounding non-Native communities. rea resident and band members have expressed more concern about the possible social impacts of the casino than the money it is expected to generate.

Band councillors and the chief toured several casinos in the United States, examining ways they dealt with problem gambling among their members. This included banning band members from the casino completely, except for those who are working

"We are trying to make life for the community better, not make it worse," said Williams.