Corner quick-stop stations and grocery stores sell lottery tickets. Casinos run specials with senior citizen discount coupons. Bus trips are often free or at low cost and vouchers to gamble are supplied by the company sponsoring the bus trip. Church raffles and bingo help raise much -needed funding for church and school programs. Magazine sweepstakes received in the mail offer the chance to be a millionaire.
Older adults gamble for a variety of reasons.
At a time when there is often not a lot of excitement in an older person s life, gambling allows a person to take some risk. Seniors may be lonely or bored after the loss of a spouse or retirement. They may be looking for a way to compensate for a limited retirement income or just looking to be with peers as a social outlet. For whatever reason seniors choose to gamble, many have never gambled before or if they have, only in a limited way, and most are totally unaware of any potential for adverse consequences. Therefore, when they begin to encounter problems, they are often confused about their own behavior and are embarrassed that they cannot control the activity.