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by Chris Young
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Sports betting has been legal in North Carolina for about a year now. According to the North Carolina Lottery Commission, Gamblers placed more than $6.6 billion in bets with more than $5.8 billion paid out in winnings.
That translates into more than $128 million in added tax revenue for the state, but it also means more demand for gambling addiction services.
The National Collegiate Athletic Administration (NCAA) Basketball Tournament is one of the busiest times of the year for sports betting.
For businesses like restaurants and sports bars, sports betting in North Carolina has improved their bottom line this past year, but the state's gambling helpline has also seen an uptick in the number of calls that they field.
Placing a sports bet in North Carolina is as easy as logging into one of the 8 licensed sports betting apps. In their first year, these apps have logged more than 6 billion dollars worth of wagers.
Ryan Griffin owns Nash, a sports bar located in Downtown Greenville, and with most of the TVs in the restaurant playing sports, he understands a lot of customers come to watch the games they've bet on.
The popularity of sports betting has also led to an increase in people seeking help for gambling addiction. In the past year, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services revealed the state's gambling helpline saw an increase in the number of calls, from 900 to nearly 1300.
Experts say despite the millions added to the state's bottom line sports betting is a slippery slope.
Michelle Malkin, the Director of ECU's Gambling Research Policy Initiative says signs of an addiction can be hard to spot.
"Suddenly they can't pay their rent or their mortgage or they're in debt or borrowing money, there's also the isolation a lot of people will isolate themselves if we're talking sports betting, they're so involved in their app they aren't paying attention to the game they use to love."
If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, you can call the NC Gambling Helpline at (877) 718-5543, or you can click here to visit the website.
