The Maryland Lottery formally announced a new initiative Thursday targeting gambling addicts, including a program for people to voluntarily ban themselves from casinos. Stephen Martino, the director of the Maryland Lottery, said those who join the program and still go to a casino can be charged with criminal trespassing. The program also calls for them to forfeit any money won.
“Any winnings — if you win a jackpot — those can be confiscated,” Martino said.
| Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling |
| 24-hour hotline: 1-800-522-4700 |
| mdgamblinghelp.org |
The project is operated by the Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling, a partnership of government agencies, casinos and nonprofits.
Martino said 12 people have signed up for the voluntary exclusion program. It’s not in response to any perceived problem, he said, but is rather “a proactive step” as Maryland adds slots parlors.
Five casinos are planned in the state. Maryland’s first slots casino, Hollywood Casino Perryville, opened last year. A casino at Ocean Downs opened in January.
The alliance has set up 24-hour hotline for those struggling with gambling problems and a website, mdgamblinghelp.org.
“We really focus on this being a tool of personal responsibility,” said Martino, who is chairman of
the alliance. “It’s not a treatment in and of itself, but it is something that people who have a gambling program can do to help them manage their situation.”
Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Kansas run similar programs, he said.
“I think it’s good, but unfortunately, it’s actually letting everything out after the damage is done,” said Jerry Prosapio, who co-founded Gambling Exposed, a national organization opposed to the expansion of gambling.
Prosapio said voluntary exclusion programs are for compulsive gamblers who have “really exhausted all the avenues of loans.”
“It’s really a stopgap for the casinos more than anything to keep away potential people who have already gone way past their limit and might do something more drastic,” he said.
Martino said those who enter the program go through a rigorous application process. Applicants sign up for a two-year or a lifetime ban and cannot later drop out of it.
Casinos are also told not to send marketing or promotional items to people on the list.
The program does not apply to lottery ticket buyers, though Martino said officials are looking into that.
