Gambling addiction getting worse, says counsellor

Gambling is taking a growing toll on many British Columbians, says a Burnaby-based addictions counsellor who operates a hot-line for problem gamblers.

• INDEPTH: Gambling

Garry Johns says his own gambling addiction landed him in prison twice. Now, he tries to help others. And he says he's hearing a lot of despair from callers to his gambling hotline.

"I'm doing two hours to three hours every day on the phones.," he says. "For them life is not worth living"

Johns says what he's hearing on the phone tells him gambling addiction in B.C. is getting worse and that poker, slot machines and internet gambling are to blame.

• DEBRIEF: The Early Edition's Rick Cluff speaks with CBC Radio reporter Karen Tankard.

The provincial government estimates there are 150,000 problem gamblers in B.C., with about 14,000 of them considered to have a severe problem.

The province budgets $4 million a year on its responsible gambling programs. That pays for a staff, a website, a helpline and free counselling for problem gamblers.

A recent report by the Canada West Foundation says B.C. spends about $23 dollars on treatment per problem gambler. That's the second lowest in the country except for Newfoundland. Quebec spends $91 per person.

• LINK: Canada West Foundation report (549.26 kb .pdf)

The expansion of casinos in the Lower Mainland and the growing popularity of games like poker has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in addititional revenue for the province.

The Canada West Foundation says B.C. now has 367 gaming tables in 19 casinos. The report also says the number of slot machines has more than doubled in the past five years to 5,600.