March Madness Betting Is Just The Beginning 
Announcement from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, Inc. 

Popularity of the March Madness basketball tournament has grown rapidly in recent years.  According to Ed Looney, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, the amount of money bet on these games is rising as well.  Gambling is becoming prevalent in high schools and colleges, and even in corporate offices.  The NCAA’s cooperation in contests, such as Pepsi’s “Under the Bottle cap” campaign, has compounded this growing problem, in spite of their claims to being against gambling on college campuses.  

“Some young people start betting at 10 -11 years old.  They gamble on cards, dice, and video games between friends, but the real problematic gambling starts in high school when they are exposed to sports betting,” Looney stated.  

By the time they reach college, sports bettors have relationships with illegal bookmakers.  In a recent survey conducted at a New Jersey state college, 39% of students projected they would bet on March Madness.  Among the participants, 24% indicated that they had previously wagered on college basketball.   

An additional cause for concern is the amount of Internet wagering taking place.  “It is a growing activity for high school and college students,” states deputy director Kevin O’Neill.  Estimates indicate Internet gambling to be a multi-billion dollar business and growing.  There are currently over 1,000 offshore betting sites, over 400 of which take sports bets from gamblers.  “College sports bettors will be jumping online this season to try their luck on these sports betting sites,” said O’Neill.

For those who have never gambled before, betting on March Madness could have a seriously negative effect.  Seemingly harmless office pools often introduce the excitement of gambling to the five or eight percent of the population who cannot handle social gambling.  Many times, a company sanctioned office pool is the first experience a person has with gambling.  Some of the adolescents and adults who gamble on these games will become addicted to “the action.”  The thrill of sometimes winning can lead to problem or compulsive gambling.  Without treatment, their lives will become progressively worse.   

The Council will receive several hundred inquiries about March Madness gambling activities in the weeks surrounding March Madness via its confidential 24-hour statewide 1-800-GAMBLERÔ Helpline, as well as visits to its website, www.800gambler.org.  Compulsive gamblers, family members, friends, employers, law enforcement authorities and high school/college teachers and administrators will contact the Council requesting help and/or information.  

For more information, please contact The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, Inc.  

CCGNJ’s Office:                   
(609) 588-5515

Edward Looney
Executive Director ext. 17

Kevin O’Neill
Deputy Director ext. 16

CCGNJ’s Website:                
www.800gambler.org.

New Jersey Helpline:             
1-800-GAMBLER©

National Helpline:                 
1-800-522-4700