Tovonia Thomas said every aspect of her life in Virginia was spent playing Scratch Lotto games.
Although he rarely won big jackpots, Thomas told ABC News Live that the urge to go to the convenience store for the ticket outweighed the urge to eat the meal. .
“It’s heartbreaking, but you love it,” said the recovering gambling addict. “I don’t know what lies beyond the glow under that ticket.”
Thomas is not alone. Some addiction experts say more people are fighting these extreme compulsions for scratch tickets, curbing the problem that allegedly unfairly affects minority and low-income players. state authorities need to step up to do so.
2022 National survey A study of state lotteries by the Howard Center for Investigative Reporting at the University of Maryland found that ticket outlets were disproportionately concentrated in low-income neighborhoods in nearly every state where games are played.
The Tax Foundation, a nonprofit think tank, said about 60% of state lottery revenue goes directly to winners.
Les Bernal, national director of the nonprofit Stop Predatory Gambling, told ABC News that states use proceeds from lottery sales to fund services such as education, but at the cost of low-income residents. said it was being done.
“This is definitely a form of systemic racism that has taken place,” he said. “They have kept the tax burden away from middle-class taxpayers.” [and] from property. “
Gambling counselor Billy Hoffman told ABC News that gambling addicts are tempted to try more jackpots, even if they don’t win.
“They’re trying to find a way out, but that just drives them into more and more holes,” he says.
Thomas said his addiction had become so severe that he began to think about suicide. Eventually, she secured her scholarship to an addiction recovery program at her wellness in Williamsville, Virginia.
“I felt like a breath of fresh air on the first day. I was saved from myself. I didn’t get a chance to gamble,” she said.
Critics of the lottery have accused the state of not allocating revenue to public services and programs needed to combat gambling addiction.
The Virginia Lottery, which funds public schools with game proceeds, earned a ‘D’ rating from the nonprofit Center for Education Law in 2022 for allocating funds to high-poverty neighborhoods.
In a statement to ABC News, the Virginia Lottery said it “has a track record of working to raise awareness of gambling problems and gambling addiction well beyond what is required by law.” .
“Although Virginia law requires all lottery profits to be donated to kindergarten through high school education, the lottery uses its resources and high profile to raise awareness and play responsibly. We have been repeatedly recognized as an industry leader when it comes to encouraging,” Virginia law said. said the lottery.
Hoffman said more lottery profits need to be donated to help those battling addiction.
Thomas agreed, urging people who struggle with these compulsions to seek help.
“It wasn’t about the money, it was about keeping playing and escaping and being in a dream world,” she said.
If you need help with a gambling problem, please contact 1-800-Gambler. If you are considering suicide or other mental health crisis, call or text 988.
