Advocates Worry Over Veteran Gambling Addiction

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Associated Press) — Advocates for gamblers struggling with their addictions are turning their attention to military veterans.

Counselors and other specialists told a Connecticut conference on Wednesday that helping veterans is difficult because few acknowledge they have a problem and seek help.

Gabor Kautzner, a counselor at the New Haven Vet Center, said many veterans struggle with an adrenaline rush that continues even after they come home from Afghanistan and Iraq. He said veterans often expect to quickly return to a normal life, which almost never happens.

He also said veterans with other dependency problems such as alcohol grapple with excessive gambling. Scratch-off tickets, for example, are sold in liquor stores, which Kautzner said is the worst place.

Counselors and advocates are calling for increased funding to help compulsive gamblers as lotteries and casinos become more common.