What was meant to be entertainment and a way for soldiers to relax evolved into an obstacle for Yeager that cost him his career, financial security and his family.
“At first it was like, ‘This is fun to do,’ and then I was like, ‘I have to do this.’ It became an obsession for me,” he said.
In his book, “Veterans with Gambling ProblemsYeager wrote about borrowing money from subordinates, stealing petty cash, and leaving their families in financial difficulty. Such vulnerabilities in service members could affect individual readiness and even national security if exploited by an enemy, he noted.
Dave Yeager became addicted to slot machines while deployed to Korea, and now he counsels others about gambling disorder.
CNBC
But when Yeager confessed his weakness to his superiors and advisors, no one criticized him for gambling or helped him pull himself back up.
“My pastor told me to go to Sunday bingo night, thinking I could do something,” Yeager said, “and I said, ‘I don’t think you’re getting the point here.’
As of 2017, the Department of Defense operates over 3,100 slot machines at U.S. military installations in 12 countries. Report from the Government Accountability OfficeThe machines generate more than $100 million in revenue annually and are seen as a morale booster and recreational activity for military personnel, similar to golf, libraries and other recreational activities.
In some foreign countries, military personnel who are 18 years old may be allowed to gamble.
Although slot machines are banned on military bases across the country, casinos are often found nearby. There are seven local casinos. Located less than 20 minutes from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Located in Washington state, it is one of the largest military installations in the nation.
Gambling opportunities exploded in 2018 when a Supreme Court decision paved the way for states to legalize sports betting. Now, more broadly, all but four states allow some form of gambling.
“Suddenly, we had a lot of people with gambling problems calling and asking for help, usually within a year or two of the problem escalating,” said Heather Chapman, a clinical psychologist and director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Gambling Treatment Program.
A VA study found that diagnoses of pathological gambling disorder are skyrocketing among military members and veterans, with more patients being diagnosed in the first half of 2024 than in all of 2022. 20% of these referred patients are women.
“When you have greater access or availability, you tend to see an increase in unhealthy engagement, so it’s not that surprising,” said Dominic Defilippis, deputy national mental health director for substance abuse disorders at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, here are some resources to help:
A VA study found that military members are more likely to have a gambling disorder than civilians and may be reluctant to self-report for fear of losing their security clearance or to avoid the stigma associated with a gambling problem.
According to the department, studies have shown that the prevalence of gambling addiction and gambling disorder among veterans in some parts of the country is as high as 10.7 percent, but these studies are often small and geographically limited, resulting in wide variation in results.
To address growing concerns, Chapman said the VA runs two residential treatment facilities for gambling addiction and has numerous partnerships with private facilities across the country.
“We’re kind of the mecca for gambling treatment,” she said.
The VA began treating gambling disorders in the late 1960s, about nine years after Congress banned slot machines on domestic bases.
The Pentagon declined a CNBC interview request but said in a statement that resources to combat gambling addiction have not increased across the organization. A 2018 Health-Related Behavior Survey, before the sports betting boom, found that rates of gambling addiction among military personnel were 1.6 to 1.7 percent, similar to the civilian incidence.
“DoD researchers recognize that new mobile and sports betting options will change gambling availability and will consider these variables in future studies of military gambling,” a department spokesperson said in an email.
The military New ResearchThe spokesman added that results would be available in the autumn.
The Department of Defense operates slot machines at military bases overseas.
By Brianne Doula Chawol
A provision signed by then-President Trump into the National Defense Authorization Act required service members to be screened for gambling disorders during their annual medical examinations, and the Department of Defense announced that service members with gambling problems would not be penalized if they sought treatment after being tested.
Education policies are determined primarily by individual commanders and vary widely from base to base.
Brianne Doula Shawal, wife of a Coast Guard officer and lobbyist for responsible gambling, would like to see the Defense Department implement a gambling education and treatment policy that applies to the entire military.
“These policy manuals need to be updated to deal with this addiction in the same way that they deal with addictions like alcohol. More efforts need to be made to prevent and treat this disorder,” Doula Shawal said.
“I believe that the men and women who serve in uniform every day are prepared to sacrifice everything, and I think the least we can do is to get the government to let them know that we’re rooting for you,” she said.
A spokesman for the National Council on Problem Gambling said that unlike U.S.-based casinos, the Department of Defense is not required to provide educational materials or resources on how to solve gambling problems.
“NCPG believes that those who profit from gambling, including the Department of Defense, have an ethical and economic obligation to use a portion of those profits to reduce gambling-related harms,” the group said in a statement.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said in 2018 that Gambling Addiction Prevention Act (GAP) The bill would have required the Department of Defense to track gambling disorders and implement policies and programs to treat gambling problems among military personnel, but it did not gain support.
More recently, Rep. Paul Tonko of New York proposed an amendment to the latest National Defense Authorization Act that would have restricted all gambling on military bases, but it was not included in the final bill.
“Our brave military personnel sacrifice everything to protect our nation and its freedoms. We must do all we can to support them by confronting gambling addiction head-on and ensuring that this known addictive product is treated as seriously and sensitively as any other addiction,” Tonko said in a statement to CNBC.
Around patriotic holidays like the Fourth of July, many casinos and sportsbooks send out promotions targeted to military members and veterans.
At the Palump Nugget and Lakeside Casino in Nevada, Golden Casino Group They offer “Military Mondays” where veterans and active duty military can earn free slot games by simply swiping their card.
Some casinos offer military-themed membership cards to veterans based on their military service. For example: Penn Hero Program Offer rewards and promotions to “those who give more.”
Caesars Rewards Salute Card “Saying Thank You” by Rewarding Active Duty Military Members and Veterans With credits and free play offersHowever, the company said all rewards members can convert their rewards into free play.
“We do not offer easier access or additional free play to veterans,” a company spokesperson said.
MGM Resorts We have made the decision to only offer non-gambling related promotions to military and veterans and we also support funding clinical research into gambling disorder in the military community.
BetMGM, a joint venture with Entain that has a veteran-led responsible gambling initiative, has chosen not to target any promotions at military members or veterans.
