March is Mayhem for Gambling Addicts
By: Lauren Murphy
Updated: April 7, 2008
March Madness is coming to a close, but not without taking a few hits at the old wallet.
Gambling addictions make this time of year especially hard for some people.
According to U.S. Census reports, gambling addictions hit college students the hardest.
They say 20 percent have dealt with some sort of gambling addiction.
"I can see that with a lot of my friends," said one Tech student.
Others disagree.
"Out of my friends, maybe one percent," said another student.
But what makes gambling so addictive?
"You always have a change of scoring big," said George Comiskey, the assistant director of Tech's Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery.
"And people who don't have a lot of expertise can jump right in and do well."
Comiskey says the addiction hits college students harder because they have more disposable income and fewer financial responsibilities.
Students and community members who battle this addiction can get help by contacting Texas Tech's Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery.
