San Diego residents gamble less than the average Californian, but new signs suggest that problem gambling may be affecting more households than the statistics show. That is the analysis of a new opinion poll commissioned by KeepComingBack.com, an online resource for addiction and substance abuse information.

The poll, which was conducted in June 2009 and surveyed 504 adult residents of the City of San Diego , found that less than half (41%) of the adults are gambling once a year or more, and frequent gamblers (those that gamble on a weekly basis) are few are far between (7%). These figures are significantly less than the average state resident; according to a 2006 statewide survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 58% of California adults have gambled within the past year, 22% gamble at least monthly, and 10% gamble at least weekly. San Diegan gambling also occurs at a lower rate than the national average; previous surveys suggest that 60% of American adults gamble at least once in the past year.

Part of the reason behind San Diego’s low gambling rates may be due in part to the economic recession; the California Lottery Director indicated in 2009 that year-to-year state ticket sales were down 8% in 2008, and trends in discretionary spending have been relatively weak for consumers. However, gambling is still occurring at a significant pace; according to the KeepComingBack.com poll, approximately 90,000 city residents purchase a lottery ticket at least once a week. Playing the state lottery was in fact cited as the most common form of gambling, with 71% of all San Diegan gamblers playing at least once or twice a year, compared to 54% making annual visits to the region’s Indian casinos, and 28% taking trips to out-of-state casinos. San Diegans clearly have favorite games while visiting Las Vegas, Reno and Indian casinos in San Diego and Riverside County - 63% of those who visit casinos most often play slot machines, followed by card table games such as blackjack (19%), and poker (4%).

The poll found that there are stark contrasts between San Diegan gamblers and non-gamblers. High-income earners, African-Americans, and those who attend few religious services each year are more likely to be regular gamblers. Survey results also suggest that a generational gap exists among gamblers; 46% of gamblers over the age of 34 play lottery at least monthly, compared to 26% of those 34 years old and younger.

The public perception of gambling appears to have a broad affect on the personal gambling habits of San Diegans, as well as profound consequences for gaming addicts at large. The KeepComingBack.com poll found that only 1/3 of respondents believed that gambling addiction is a “very serious” (20%) or “extremely serious” problem (13%), sharply contrasting with past San Diegan perceptions of harm from tobacco (83% combined “very serious” and “extremely serious”) and eating disorders (61% combined). With so few believing gambling addiction is a significant problem, it becomes difficult for recovery advocates and public health experts to make the case for urgent legislative action to reverse gambling addiction, or to build the public support and awareness that gambling addiction generally needs for prevention efforts. Surprisingly, San Diegans with the most extreme views of gambling addiction themselves gamble the least; those with the least strong opinions on the issue gamble more frequently. According to the poll’s official analysis, “those who take a casual attitude toward gambling addiction might view addiction as a risk that they can and do control so they are more likely to engage in it.” By discounting the perceived risk of addiction, it seems that more people become susceptible to it.

This is alarming, as the KeepComingBack.com poll found that San Diegan gamblers already exhibit tell-tale signs of problem gambling. Though the vast majority of city residents (80%) set maximum amounts of money when they plan to gamble, less than half (37%) stated that they never exceed their limit. In truth, 7% said they spend more than their maximum “half the time” and 10% stated they break their limit less than half the time. Many were able to cite loved ones as potential problem gamblers; nearly 1 out of 7 San Diego residents (14%) believe they have a friend or family member with a gambling addiction problem. However, few San Diegans themselves have ever sought help for their gambling behavior; the poll found that only 1% of city gamblers have ever called a gambling addiction hotline, and 1% sought treatment or counseling for their gambling behavior.

Truth be told, problem gambling is all too frequent in America, and San Diego is no exception. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), approximately 2 million U.S. adults, or 1% of the national adult population meet the criteria of “pathological gamblers,” a severe impulse disorder, while another 2-3% of the adult population are more generally considered problem gamblers. While there is debate within the medical community about how to precisely distinguish these behavioral disorders, there is consensus that both of them are defined by the compulsive urge to gamble despite the desire to stop and the possibility of harmful negative consequences. NCPG broadly defines problem gambling as “gambling behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life,” which would likely net many more everyday gamblers than those with compulsive tendencies.

The KeepComingBack.com poll shed important light on the nature of local gambling addiction, but every community should intuitively know that they have the same problem on their hands. Gambling addiction is a psychological disorder that not only affects one’s personal finances, but also their physical and social well-being. Greater action today should be taken by families, law makers and health advocates to prevent the destructive gaming behavior that destroys lives and tears families apart. Encouraging at-risk gamblers into treatment programs and 12-step programs such as Gamblers Anonymous can save more lives from addiction, and keep our community strong.