There has been an increase in people seeking help in Richmond for gambling addictions.
But that’s of no surprise to BC Gambling Support clinical counsellor Benjamin Wong, who sees a local spike every year in the wake of the holiday season.
This year, Wong told the Richmond News there has been a 15 to 20 per cent rise in the number of people looking for counselling for gambling addictions since the end of the holidays.
“Usually, towards the holiday season, so late November and throughout December, are low times,” said Wong.
“But right after New Year, the number will pick up and they tend to stay very consistent throughout the year.”
As a Richmond-based organization, Gambling Support BC offers free resources to support people in making informed and healthy choices regarding gambling participation.
Wong, who has been working with the program since 2018, said that he and his colleagues have come across individuals – or their family members – whose lives have been turned upside down after struggling with gambling addictions.
One of the worst cases was with one client who was about to lose his home, said Wong, adding that the man had already lost two homes within six years.
“The consequence can be severe. People lose control, lose accountability, and struggle in their professional lives,” added Wong.
“We refer to this as ‘cognitive distortions,’ which distorts their views and interrupts reality.”
For anyone struggling with gambling addictions, free prevention, treatment and support services are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, said Wong.
“The first step (for us) is to establish trust and support; therefore, they are willing to participate in the work that we guide them through,” added Wong.
Wong also wanted people to keep in mind that gambling activities aren’t just limited to casino games.
In fact, gambling is everywhere, noted Wong.
For example, a few applications on cell phones in the current digital age carry dynamics similar to gambling.
Therefore, teenagers might be exposed to these gambling activities while playing on their phones, according to Wong.
“It’s important to strike a healthy balance when we spend a major portion of time on a narrow type of activity,” he said.
For more information, visit https://www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca/.
