At risk and affected equal the population of Lunenburg County.

According to the 2007 Nova Scotia Adult Gambling Prevalence Study, 47,000 adults in Nova Scotia are at risk, or already experience problems with their gambling. To illustrate the magnitude of the harmful effects of gambling on the province, this amount is roughly equal to the entire population of Lunenburg County in Nova Scotia, which includes, among others, the towns of Bridgewater (population 7,944), Lunenburg (population 2317,) and the Municipalities of Lunenburg (25,164) and Chester (10,741), according to 2006 Statistics Canada census.

“It’s difficult to conceptualize a number or percentage,” says Celeste Gotell, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation. “It hits home when you present the fact that in Nova Scotia we have the equivalent of the population of an entire county at risk of developing, or currently experiencing problems with their gambling.”

One-third of these adult Nova Scotians - 2.5 percent of 47,000 - scored as experiencing moderate or severe problems with their gambling, using the Problem Gambling Index during the 2007 Nova Scotia Adult Gambling Prevalence Study.

“While 2.5 percent might not seem like a daunting percentage at first glance,” continues Gotell, “when you consider that that each percentage point represents thousands of real-life individuals who have struggled, or are currently struggling to deal with the harmful effects of gambling—2.5 percent is 2.5 percent too many.” To put that in context, 2.5 percent equals 19,000 adult Nova Scotians, or roughly the population of Truro and Bridgewater combined.

In the midst of National Addictions Week in Canada, it is important to remember gambling as an important addictions issue affecting our communities. Gambling is an easier addiction to hide than drugs or alcohol, but its harmful affects are no less damaging to individuals and their families.  Gambling problems can severely impact relationships, employment, finances, and physical, social and mental health. The numbers don’t lie: 180,000 Nova Scotians report knowing someone with a gambling problem. That’s roughly half the population of the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation plays a vital role in the independent response to problem gambling in Nova Scotia. This is accomplished, in part, through funding to community groups and researchers to help address problem gambling.   In addition to funding community and research grants, the NSGF monitors local, national and international developments using multi-level communications strategies to inform and engage Nova Scotians in balanced dialogue on gambling problems.

References:

“Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions, and census subdivisions  (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses – 100% data.” Statistics Canada, 2009. Web. 18 Nov. 2009.

Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection. 2007 Nova Scotia Adult Gambling Prevalence Study. Focal Research Consultants. Halifax, Nova Scotia: HPP, 2008. Print.

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For more information contact:

Jen Wheatley
Communications & Events Coordinator
Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation
Toll Free: 1-866-424-0963
(902) 424-0963
jennifer.wheatley@gov.ns.ca