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; aæéÉmïÈÈÊm From Cards to Casinos ' Society's Winners and Losers . _ ~ ........ --n------a----------I--imh^mhbbmmmbmhbpb Wednesday, March 31, 1999 ualUlbmu COMMUNITY CALENDAR • LIFESTYLES • SPORTS • COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE • TV LISTINGS Is Your Gambling A Problem? • Arc you constantly preoccupied or thinking of gambling? • Do you find you need to gamble with increasing amounts of money? • Arc you restless or irritable when you cannot gamble? • Do you gamble to escape your problems or to relieve unpleasant emotions? • Do you chase your losses to win back money? • Do you hide your gambling from your family or friends? • Have you broken the law to repay gambling debts or to continue gambling? • Arc you having problems with your relationships, job, education, or career because of your gambling? • Do you borrow money to gamble? If you answered yes to any of these, you may need help related to your gambling. For more information about -addiction services in the Durham Region, contact any Pinewood Centre office at: Bowmanville, 200 King Street East, (905) 697-2746; Oshawa Centre, 419 King Street West, (905) 571-3344; Ajax, 95 Bayly Street West, (905) 683-5950; Port Perry, 180 Mary Street, (905) 985-4721. Forms of Gambling • Casinos • Bingo • Lotteries (pull tabs, scratch tickets) • Horse track • Sports Betting • Video Poker • Slot Machines • Cards • Stock Speculation • Games of Skill (pool, golf) Risk Reduction Strategies • View gambling as entertainment and not as a way to make money • Make sure that your financia obligations arc paid first • When gambling, take only the money that you can afford to lose Remember, if you can't afford to lose it, you can't afford to gamble • Do not take charge cards or debit cards with you to the gambling venues • Set a cul-olT point in terms of winnings or losses and leave when you have reached that point. Chasing your losses will usually result in bigger losses • It may be helpful to set a certain lime limit and leave whether you arc winning or losing. This will help with minimizing your losses • Gambling at a quick rate of play increases risk of problems, lake frequent breaks • Develop other rccreationa activities that do not involve gambling • Gambling services that can he accessed by either your phone or the Internet carry a greater risk ol problem development Negative Effects • ramily/relnlionships • Financial • Legal situation • limployment/edueation • Soeinl/leisure • Hmolional, physical or spiriltm health For Problem Gamblers Help is Available by Brad Kelly Staff Writer From the warm atmosphere inside his office at Pinewood Centre in Oshawa, Steve Chaisson has seen the absolute worst that gambling has to offer. He pauses for a brief moment and shakes his head from side to side when asked to construct a profile of the typical typical person whose gambling has become a problem. There is no answer. The stereotype that is portrayed in movies of shady characters in expensive expensive pinstripe suits and wearing fedoras, fedoras, is a fallacy, says Chaisson. In fact, there is no concrete makeup of a person person with a gambling problem. It could be a lawyer or a factory worker. It could be a senior citizen, or it could be a teenager, who, legally, isn't even eligible under provincial law to place a wager or purchase a lottery ticket. One thing is for certain, though: the thought process behind the problem gambler is universal. The feeling of overcoming the odds and making a financial gain fuels the urge to gamble. "Gamblers have an inflated sense of an ability to overcome the odds," says Chaisson. "They (gamblers) believe that they arc the exception to the rule, and that they won't lose. "Gamblers feel that, with a particular particular skill, some persistence, and a system system in place, they will eventually produce produce a reward." Chaisson is one of nine trained gambling counsellors at Pinewood Centre, which has four locations throughout Durham Region - Oshawa, Ajax, Bowmanville, and Port Perry. Pinewood offers counselling and consultation consultation services for all types of gambling gambling and other addictions. Across the province, there are 44 such ' frjcilities to help people people with various "It's a myth that gamblers think only about the money" Steve Chaisson Gambling Therapist addictions. One of the other stereotypes often associated with a problem gambler is that many place a wager solely for the purpose of being rewarded financially. Not true, says Chaisson. In a 1995 survey, the top three gambling gambling attractions listed in order were: • excitement • challenge • enjoyment Finishing in fourth place was money. "It's a myth that gamblers think only about the money. It's more about the play," Chaisson began. "Watch people as they get out of their cars in the parking lot of a casino. Many of them walk at a quicker pace, and everything is a rush. "Problem gamblers can also go an extraordinary length of time without sleep. They get tired after a day of work, but can go out and gamble gamble all night long. Many of them say that when they arc gambling, they can't concentrate like that in any other area of their life." It's a combination of all these factors, if not controlled, that can lead to future problems. Debts can be incurred in a hurry, and chasing loss- Trillium Foundation Distributes Lottery Cash by Michelle Wyton Stall Writer With $5,1-million to distribute to charities and non-profit organizations in the Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge Regions, the Trillium Foundation's local grant review team has a big job ahead of it. In total, the provincial government has committed $100 million to the Foundation. The money was divided up on a per capita basis. The money comes from the provincial government's government's gaming initiative which set up pilot casinos in Thunder Bay, Sault Sle. Marie, Point Edward and Brantford, It is available through the new Community anil Province-wide Grants Program to incorporated nonprofit nonprofit and charitable organizations working in the arts, sports and recreation, recreation, heritage, social services and the environment. "The old program was limited to projects rather than operating costs and strictly to the human resources field," said Joanne Richmond, local program manager. "Now the scope lias been broadened to include the environment, sports and recreation and culture. We can now fund areas not funded in the past because we did not have the The money comes from the provincial government's gaming initiative which set up pilot casinos in Thunder Bay Sault Ste. Marie, Point Edward and Brantford. money to do it." Community grants are intended for new and existing programs and services services that reach across multiple communities communities or affect the entire province. They must achieve one or more of the following following goals: contribute to community vitality, increase access, make better use of existing community facilities, encourage community harmony, prevent prevent community problems, create economic economic opportunities and increase the effectiveness of organizations. "Trillium lias had a real commitment commitment to fund true community-based activities especially for collaborations," collaborations," said Richmond. "The more people working on something, the better better it is for the community." Depending on the type of request, grants are available for up to five years in the range of $2,000 to $75,000 per es can lead to even further problems. Gambling then continues to contribute to the problem instead of serving as the solution. "Some begin spending more money, sec the warning signs, and back away. Others see the danger signs, but don't respond in the same way. They continue to gamble without making adjustments," noted Chaisson. One of the contributing factors to the popularity of gambling is technology, technology, and the ease in which a wager can be made over the internet. Chaisson estimates that, there are 167 internet Continued on page 2 year for Community Grants and in the range of $2,000 to $250,000 per year for Province-wide Grants. Applicants must provide services or programs lor Ontario residents, or demonstrate that the initiative will have a positive impact on Ontario. Funding through Trillium is not available to individuals or for-prolit organizations, to finance budget deficits, to organizations promoting a political doctrine, to medical research or health equipment or new capita construction. construction. Decisions for Community Grants will begin in April. Richmond said it is likely they will get more requests for funding than they can fill. For more information on Trillium's program call their office at 1-800-263- 2887 or consult the web site at hllp://www.trilliunifouiulation.org. Chi Jobs - 6,000 direct and created province-wide. Rama's unemployment rate has dropped from 80% to less than 10% since the casino opened, and the number of jobs in the Orillia area has increased by 38% Tourism - Annual tourism in the area has doubled to $84 million annually Crime - According to the City of Orillia Policing Statistics for 1998, crime decreased almost 30% from 1997 to 1998 Casino Niagara Jobs - More than 9,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created by Casino Niagara province-wide. Tourism - Niagara Falls tourist industry grew by more than double the national average during 1997 - $1.3 billion annually in new economic activity from casino and additional tourism Crime - Niagara residents' perception of increased crime due to the casino casino declined from 74% to 44% one year after the casino opened Casino Windsor Jobs - More than 5,100 direct jobs in Casino Windsor have been created - The casino complex and hotel have created 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in Ontario - In the year leading up to the opening of the permanent casino, 29 new businesses opened up in downtown Windsor Tourism - 80% of the casino's 21,000 daily visitors arc Americans Crime Down 4,6% between September '97 to September '98 -Source Gaming Secretariat