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News & Features

Help for gambling addiction offered
archived from: 2012-06-25
by: Chuck Moody, Associate Editor

Catholic Charities suggests that you answer two simple questions A simple two-question test may indicate whether a person has a gambling problem, says Kathleen Zamperini, director of counseling at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and a certified gambling counselor.

Have you ever had to lie to people important to you about how much you gambled? Have you felt the need to bet more and more money?

Answering “yes” to either question indicates further assessment by a counselor or clinical professional is recommended, said Zamperini, adding that pathological gambling is a treatable disorder.

If gambling becomes more than a game or entertainment, there is help, and if you or a loved one is experiencing problems due to gambling behavior, outpatient counseling is available from Catholic Charities, she said.

Catholic Charities became involved with offering counseling services for gambling addiction when Zamperini heard that a casino was coming to Pittsburgh, and she researched programs for certification.

“I completed the course requirements through the University of Pittsburgh to become a certified gambling counselor,” she said, and Catholic Charities began counseling clients for gambling problems in May 2010. “The types of gambling thus far has been for slot machines, cards, lottery and scratch-off tickets.”

Since the Rivers Casino opened on Pittsburgh’s North Side, Catholic Charities has received more calls for counseling, Zamperini said. There also is a casino and horse racing track at the Meadows in Washington County, but Zamperini said she has not counseled anyone for gambling on horses.

There was a record Mega Millions lottery jackpot of $656 million in March, but Zamperini said she has not noticed a correlation between the amount of a lottery jackpot and an increase in people asking for help.

“Sports betting can certainly be one of the types of gambling that can become a problem, (but) I haven’t counseled any clients with this concern so far,” Zamperini said about three professional sports teams in Pittsburgh with the Penguins, Pirates and Steelers.

The clients Zamperini has counseled to date have entered counseling on their own rather than being referred by family or friends.

“I commend them for their decision as I know it takes a lot of emotional strength to look at oneself and make changes,” she said. “They are all doing very well and are committed to their personal growth. Family members do attend sessions at times, if the client is fine with it. There are many stressors living with someone who has a gambling problem, and it is helpful if the family is part of the counseling as well, especially since there can be many financial issues with problem gambling.”

The counseling sessions take place at Catholic Charities’ Downtown Pittsburgh office at 212 Ninth St.

Zamperini has been a licensed counselor for 24 years.

“I knew there is a financial strain, and clients with gambling problems may not be able to pay for counseling,” she said. “I thought they may seek help through Catholic Charities since we have a sliding-scale fee, so I decided it would be beneficial to provide the services to all.”

The program has had a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs to provide services since 2010.

“The Department of Health, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Gambling Department will reimburse Catholic Charities for counseling if the client has no other means of paying for the counseling,” Zamperini said. “They may pay full fee for the services, or partial fee depending on the client’s liability, what they can pay.

“The gambling department in Harrisburg is a pleasure to work with and has been extremely helpful with this contract. They will provide up to 20 sessions for counseling and will at times provide additional services when requested by the therapist. If after this time the client wants to continue services, Catholic Charities will utilize a sliding-scale fee for the client.”

The program recently was awarded a mini-grant from Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services for $1,910 for printing of brochures and mousepads for marketing purposes.

“The mini-grant was awarded as an ongoing effort to educate the community about help for gambling programs,” she said. “We printed brochures and mousepads with pertinent information and distributed them to churches in the community and other social service providers.”

What advice does Zamperini have for people who think they may have a problem with some form or forms of gambling but really aren’t sure?

“Call a gambling counselor and simply ask,” she said, also recommending that the person ask themselves the two questions regarding their gambling to determine if they need further assessment. “All calls are confidential.”

The amount of money lost or won does not necessarily determine when gambling becomes a problem, Zamperini said.

“Gambling becomes a problem when it causes a negative impact on any area of the individual’s life: psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal or other difficulties for themselves and the people around them,” she said. “Problem gamblers begin ‘chasing’ their losses, meaning they try to win back their losses, but this only creates a deeper hole for them.

“If they admit their problem and ask for help, they can learn to stop digging the hole and find hope. I have seen this happen every day and know they can, with support, learn to stop and make healthy choices. It takes a lot of courage to make changes in one’s life. There is help.”

For further information, contact Zamperini at Catholic Charities at 412-456-6999.

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