Survey: 3 In 4 Massachusetts Residents Gambled In Past Year
BOSTON (AP) — A new survey says nearly three-quarters of adult Massachusetts residents reported having gambled in the past year, with men and black residents more likely to have gambling problems.
The University of Massachusetts survey of nearly 10,000 residents was released Thursday at a meeting of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. It was called the most extensive gambling survey ever conducted in the U.S.
UMass-Amherst researchers say 72 percent of respondents reported at least one gambling activity in the past year. About six in 10 played the lottery, and 22 percent visited an out-of-state casino.
Problem gambling was prevalent among an estimated 1.7 percent of the population, with an additional 7.5 percent considered at-risk of problem gambling. The study said blacks were four times more likely than whites to have a gambling problem.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports:
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