Hamilton, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2016 -- Throughout the month of April, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey supports National Child Abuse Prevention Month by raising awareness of the deleterious effects that problem gambling can have on children. With the exception of Utah and Hawaii, all states, including New Jersey, allow for legalized gambling in some form. The availability of gambling in New Jersey, and the proliferation of Internet-based gaming in addition to traditional casinos, leads to an increased risk of problem gambling. According to an article by Council staff member Pamela Wade, evidence suggests that problem gambling is associated with the maltreatment and neglect of children.
Children of problem gamblers are at an increased risk of neglect because gambling episodes are frequently accompanied by "brownouts," characterized by a distorted sense of time and memory loss. Problem gamblers may lose track of time while gambling, resulting in children being left unattended at home, on casino premises or in locked and parked cars in casino parking lots. Disordered gambling is also linked with the emotional and physical abuse of children with a parent who is a problem gambler.
Children of problem gamblers may develop adverse behaviors in response to the emotional and physical distress of their parent's addiction. Children of problem gamblers may develop behavioral problems such as poor academic performance, anger directed towards peers, drug and alcohol use and poor social skills. They may also feel fearful of abandonment, believe that they are the reason for their parent's behavior, and come to see money as an expression of love. Left unaddressed, these emotional wounds can have long-term consequences. Additionally, children of problem gamblers have an increased risk of developing a teenage or adult gambling problem in Atlantic City and throughout New Jersey.
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey offers support, treatment and hope to problem gamblers and family members in the form of resources like their 24/7, confidential hotline, 1-800-GAMBLER. The Council encourages children of problem gamblers to seek professional help for gambling addiction, whether with an individual counselor and/or Gam-Anon meetings in Freehold, NJ and other New Jersey towns. Family members who suspect child abuse or neglect are urged to call their local police or alert New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency at 1-877-NJABUSE.
About The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey is a non-profit, private organization dedicated to helping individuals seek help for their compulsive gambling problem, and for concerned friends and loved ones to confidentially express their concerns about someone close to them. Their 24/7 hotline is 800-GAMBLER. The Council also works to train professionals in the fields of gambling addiction and recovery.
For more information, please visit http://www.800gambler.org.