While thousands of Iowans have gotten treatment for gambling addiction in recent years, many thousands more have ignored warning signs and refuse to admit to having a problem. Frank Biagioli, executive officer of the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program, says the state hopes to reach those many hold-outs in the next few days via National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.Biagioli says there is help –and hope– available for problem gamblers to be able to return as healthy, functioning members of society. He says events across Iowa this week will be devoted to the recognition of problem gambling and the consequences as a public health issue.He says providers around the state are holding activities. Biagioli says in the past year, the state’s toll-free gambling treatment hotline referred more than fifteen-hundred problem gamblers or other concerned parties to gambling treatment providers. The helpline, 1-800 BETS OFF, is also available on the Internet at “www.1800BETSOFF.org”.
