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 HONOLULU (AP) - An ocean away from the nearest casino, bingo parlor or horse track, Hawaii residents still find ways to place bets and play games of chance. And despite a ban, gambling addiction here is as widespread as other states.
Families are torn apart, causing financial ruin and spawning violent crime. Now, online gambling is only accerbating the situation, according to experts and addicts themselves.
Some say the problem in Hawaii is worse because gambling is widely and culturally accepted and laws against it are seldom enforced. Although the state spends millions annually on drug and alcohol prevention and treatment, there are no government programs dedicated to helping problem gamblers.
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