The Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem will open its doors on Friday, May 22, 2009 and the official Grand Opening with a series of special events is scheduled for June 9, 2009. The Sands Bethlehem's goal is to ensure a safe atmosphere for responsible adults to enjoy the entertainment value of gaming by providing education, training and public awareness that help is available for problem gamblers or compulsive gamblers. The Gaming industry is committed to having treatment programs available and their goal is that gaming be a positive experience.

          Not all people who gamble will become problem gamblers or pathological gamblers. It is estimated that 3% of the gambling population are problem gamblers and less than 1% are pathological gamblers. Problem gambling in adolescents is 4-8%, which may be associated with immature impulse control. In PA there are approximately 300,000 compulsive or problem gamblers; nationwide, an estimated 4-6 million. Gambling is not just slot machines and card games at Casinos. Gambling can be betting on horses, sports, bingo for money, playing the stock, options, and /or commodities market, lottery and paper games, and games for money (bowling, golf, and darts).

Types of Gamblers:    
• Social Gambler-Gambles occasionally, for fun, sticks to limits    
• Serious Social Gambler-Gambles regularly, hobby, avocation,
  still does not spend more time or money than can afford, sticks to limits    
• Professional Gambler-Gambles as a way of earning a living, very, very rare    
• Problem Gambler-Beginning to have problems due to gambling    
• Antisocial Gambler-Gambles as part of antisocial life style.
  May also be a pathological gambler.    
• Pathological Gambler-Major life problems due to gambling

  Defining Pathological Gambling (1994-DSM-IV):

          "The essential feature of Pathological Gambling is persistent and
recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior that disrupts personal,
family or vocational pursuits." Many problem and compulsive gamblers
have impulse control disorders. It is not that they want to gamble,
but they "need" to gamble. Most states, including PA, use the South
Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) as a valid and reliable screening tool
to detect Problem and Pathological Gambling. The SOGS can be self
administered and has been revised for use among adolescents. It consists
of 16 questions and scores of 3-4 indicate Problem Gambling and 5
or more are probable Pathological Gamblers.

          For some, gambling is a crisis of faith. The gambler is told that
gambling is wrong and yet the gambler perceives him/herself to be a
person of faith. There is a cycle for compulsive gambling and recovery.

          Downward Spiral: Winning Phase'aLosing Phase'aDesperation Phase'aHopelessness,
                    (Suicide Thoughts & Attempts, Arrests, Divorce,
                    Alcohol, Emotional Breakdown, Withdrawal Symptoms)

          Recovery: Critical Phase (Hopeful, Spiritual Needs Examined) 'aRebuilding
                    Phase'aGrowth Phase (Sacrificing for Others) 'aNew Way of Life

Signs of Potential Gambling Problems in Co-workers:    
• Borrowing money frequently    
• Continually boasting about winnings    
• Complaining about debts more than usual    
• Experiencing drastic mood swings    
• Making an unusually high number of personal phone calls    
• Allowing work performance to deteriorate, such as being distracted,
  missing deadlines and having frequent or unexplained absences    
• Exhibiting personality changes, such as being irritable, secretive or downright dishonest.