Headed to the new N.C. casino? Here's what to know before gambling becomes a problem
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The arrival of a new gambling facility could add to existing concerns over gambling addiction among adults in the state.
The Rock Hill-based Catawba Indian Nation opened the first phase of its planned $273 million Two Kings Casino Resort last week: a 500-slot machine facility in Kings Mountain which is about 35 miles west of Charlotte and about a two-hour drive from Greensboro. Up until now, the only gambling opportunities in North Carolina had been a state lottery, two Cherokee-owned casinos, and bingo halls and arcades scattered throughout the area.
Gambling at tribal casinos had a $1.76 billion economic impact in North Carolina during pandemic-stricken 2020, according to the American Gaming Association.
An estimated 172,333 North Carolina adults — about 2.2% of the state population — are believed to have a gambling problem, according to a 2016 survey prepared for the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators and the National Council on Problem Gambling. The survey also reported that state-funded, outpatient treatment for gambling problems was granted to 362 gamblers and 107 significant others. This was an increase of 295% from just four years prior.
Signs of a gambling problem
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of a compulsive gambling disorder include, but are not limited to:
