Lotto Commission Talks Gambling Addiction
By: Pete Thompson, KARK 4 News
Updated: September 9, 2009
Some of the first lottery machines in the state are located at the EZ mart on Mara Lynn in west little rock.
But the big concern at the meeting on Wednesday was how to treat gambling addicition.
The state has allotted 200,000 dollars for that specific issue...
$15,000 will be used for a helpline, $18,000 will be used to train counselors, and the remaining money will go towards actual treatment.
At the meeting today...the Department of Health and Human Services said about 20 to 25 Arkansans contact the national gambling helping line a month.
It's hard to say how much that will go up once the lottery is in place.
That hotline number will be the same number as the national gambling helpline... it will just roll over to
They hope to have the hotline up and running by October first.
