Conference examines problem gambling

A conference today takes up the problem of people who can’t quit gambling. The state health department’s gambling treatment officer Frank Biagioli says they’re worried about young people, college kids who get hooked on wagering.He says gambling will be part of their adult life, so it’s time to see if they’ll be able to handle it. There are signs of trouble for even young gamblers, like using credit cards to get money for gambling.He says they should take a look if they’re using credit cards, gambling on the Internet or placing sports bets with campus bookies. Biagioli says youthful problem gamblers are one of the fastest-growing concerns in recent years. These kids are the first to grow up in an era in which gambling has been legal and socially acceptable. The day’s conference will be distributed on the Iowa Communications Network. A morning session will focus on getting problem gamblers who phone 1-800-BETS-OFF into the proper treatment, and the afternoon’s devoted to college-age problem gamblers.