It’s human nature to take risks. Whether it’s gambling or skateboarding, people engage in activities every day that involve both potential risk and potential reward. Risk-taking can contribute to human development when it leads to innovation, but when the desire to take risks takes the form of gambling addiction, problems can arise.
Casinos are fully responsible for people’s addiction to gambling because their goal is to attract and retain customers. So, some people can responsibly play Jammin Jars for free while others are ready to spend all their monthly wages. Fortunately, the US casinos have also decided to become part of the solution to the problem of addiction.
Fighting Gambling Mania
Out of 30 states where gambling is officially allowed, 18 have laws that provide assistance to people addicted to gambling. The five states that have allowed casinos operation since 2004 including Maryland have simultaneously adopted laws regulating the creation and funding of addiction assistance programs.
In Maryland, gambling institutions are forced to allocate a part of casino revenue ($4-5 million per year) for the needs of the two institutions:
- The Training Center that has a hotline for gambling addicts and trains special counselors to help people with addiction;
- The University of Maryland where researchers are studying gambling addiction.
In Massachusetts, lawmakers asked each state casino to contribute $5 million to a public health trust to address gambling concerns. The foundation also receives 2% of the casino’s annual revenues, which is $300-500 million.
Games in online casinos are often even more addictive than trips to real institutions as they allow you to have fun 24/7. At the same time, virtual platforms are also actively involved in solving the problem of gambling addiction. Many online casinos offer free spins without making a deposit – experts from Gamb Lizard advise such options for those who are inclined to be overly addicted to the game and, as a result, exceed their financial capabilities.
How Much Do Maryland’s Casinos Earn?
Since the elimination of major restrictions in Maryland, most land-based casinos have significantly increased their income. For example, all six casinos registered in the state earned about $161.5 million in June. This is 13% more than the same month in 2019. A large piece of this amount was returned to the local budget in the form of taxes – $67.6 million. Meanwhile, about $49 million were transferred to the Education Trust Fund. The most successful month in terms of revenue was for MGM National Harbor – the casino managed to make about $63.6 million.
We can see that many offline and online casinos recognize the potential harm of gambling and are trying to help gambling addicts cope with their addiction. This practice is widespread throughout the world and empowers people to get the help they need and deal with this condition.
