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State of Play’s TL;DR
- The Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling is asking football fans to wager responsibly.
- The head of the organization urges bettors to set limits and get help if they lose control.
As college football begins and the NFL regular season nears, Nebraska’s problem gambling council is urging football fans to approach sports betting carefully.
The message is simple: Set limits before the season starts and know where to get help if betting stops feeling like entertainment.
The warning comes from Mike Sciandra, executive director of the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling, He said football season can be especially difficult for people already struggling with responsible gambling.
Sciandra highlights warning signs
Sciandra said bettors should decide in advance how much time, energy, and money they are willing to spend on gambling. He also pointed to several warning signs of problem gambling, including constantly thinking about betting, gambling more often, and trying to win back previous losses.
“If you have to bet more and more often to get that same excitement, if you’re trying to chase, the concept of chasing is that you’re trying to win back previous losses.”
He also cited anxiety, irritability, and financial or work-related problems as signs that gambling may be becoming harmful.
Recovery message comes with available Nebraska support
Sciandra said he is a problem gambler in recovery and has been bet-free for nearly six years. He said gambling’s growing normalization makes it more important to recognize warning signs in yourself and others.
“It’s really changed my whole perspective over the last six years of how I watch sports. I can actually enjoy sports now without worrying about the financial piece to it.”
Free, confidential treatment is available through the Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program. Its hotline, 1-833-BET-OVER, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For bettors heading into football season, the state council’s warning is less about avoiding sports and more about keeping gambling from taking over the experience.
Based on reporting by Johnnie Adcox for KLIN.
