LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim March 6-12, 2011, as Problem Gambling Awareness Week in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official
weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues that
affect the lives of many citizens from the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memori-
alize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 6-12, 2011, as Problem
Gambling Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with
National Problem Gambling Awareness Week; and
WHEREAS, With this year's focus on Sports Gambling, 2011 marked the
9th Annual Problem Gambling Awareness Week Campaign, hosted by The
National Council of Problem Gambling (NCPG); the mission of this grass-
roots public awareness and outreach movement is to educate the general
public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem
gambling and raise awareness about the help that is available both
locally and nationally; and
WHEREAS, NCPG is the national advocate for programs and services to
assist problem gamblers and their families; its research finds that
2%-3% of the United States population will have a gambling problem in
any given year; that is six million to nine million Americans, yet only
a small fraction seek out services, such as treatment and self-help
recovery programs; and
WHEREAS, According to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and
Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), roughly one million New Yorkers are
dealing with problem gambling; and
WHEREAS, Gambling can be defined as any activity, such as a game of
chance or skill, where an item of value is placed at risk in an attempt
to gain something of greater value; the term problem gambling has been
used in different ways by the research community, ranging from individ-
uals who fall short of the diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling
to persons whose gambling behavior compromises, disrupts, or damages
personal, family or vocational pursuits; and
WHEREAS, According to the NCPG, this term is also used as a more
inclusive category that encompasses a continuum of gambling difficul-
ties, with pathological gambling at one end of the spectrum; a problem
gambler dedicates more time, thought and money towards gambling; patho-
logical gambling is a progressive disorder in which an individual has a
psychologically uncontrollable preoccupation with an urge to gamble,
resulting in damage to vocational, family and social interests; and
WHEREAS, It is characterized by a chronic and progressive inability to
resist the impulse to gamble; it was first diagnosed and recognized by
the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 and published in the Diag-
nostic Statistical Manual (DSM-IV); and
WHEREAS, To be diagnosed as a pathological gambler, an individual must
meet at least five out of 10 diagnostic criteria established by the
American Psychiatric Association: thinks constantly about gambling,
increases bets to sustain thrill, exhibits agitation when cutting back,
gambles as an escape, chases losses, lies to conceal activity, finances
bets through illegal acts, jeopardizes significant relationships, relies
on financial bailout, fails in effort to control or stop; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the efforts of all those who
raise awareness and educate others about the very real dangers of gambl-
ing, thereby improving the quality of life of the citizens of this great
Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 6-12, 2011, as
Problem Gambling Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York, and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Services.