In a pre-technological time, gambling was most associated with casinos, horse racing tracks, and shady underground bookies with nefarious business models. 

In the last five years, gambling has entered a digital world, and states across the country, including Illinois, have legalized sports betting along with the expansion of video gaming machines in all corners of our communities. March is Gambling Awareness Month and Jessica Smiley with Heritage Behavioral Health Services indicates gambling addiction isn't often associated with behavioral health.

Smiley says locally, gambling addiction is growing. She says when gambling becomes something that is not longer, it something that has to be done, and that is what they see happening locally.

According to Smiley, gambling addiction varies from person-to-person. She compares it to substance abuse addiction and indicates you cannot predict who will become addicted and who will not.

Because of the legalization of gambling and the widespread distribution of advertising of it, Smiley calls it 'accessible in a different way'. 

The National Center for Responsible Gaming indicates around 1-percent of the adult population has a severe gambling problem and that recent research suggests six to nine percent of young people and young adults experience problems related to gambling.

Additionally, people with gambling problems often have many of the same risk factors that predispose individuals to other addictive behaviors, like psychiatric problems like depression, unstable home life, and a lack of peer or community support.