NORFOLK, Va. — The thrill of a win can be just as addicting as substance abuse, according to the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling.
That's why Virginia legislators are sounding the alarm on gambling addiction, as the number of casinos in the state is expected to increase in the coming years.
Problem gaming is an issue the council says has been on the rise ever since Virginia legalized online sports betting.
Warning signs of a gambling addiction include borrowing money from friends to get your gambling fix, and "chasing" wins to earn back the money you've lost.
The big difference between gambling addiction and alcohol addiction, though, is that only one of them has billions of dollars in federal funding to help people. There are no federal funds devoted to problem gambling treatment or research.
Some advocates say what the state really needs is a state-run agency to control gaming and lobby for money for prevention and treatment efforts.
That's where the Virginia Gaming Commission comes in.
Because it’s up to states to figure out how to fund problem gambling treatment, this new commission would oversee the effort. When lawmakers meet this November, they're expected to vote on a measure that would create this new, independent agency that would consolidate everything under one entity.
The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation last year that created the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee, but it doesn't serve the same purpose as an all-encompassing state agency.