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Amid the clamor of spinning roulette wheels and chiming slot machines, a grave message was delivered at the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence conference held at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino: the rapid expansion of digital gambling is a ticking time bomb in public health, largely ignored by addiction professionals.

Substance use experts, like Andrew Schreier from Community Medical Services, has emphasized that gambling addiction is often overlooked in the realm of substance abuse treatment despite its significant overlap with opioid use disorders.

Schreier highlighted that the issue's urgency has grown with the 2018 Supreme Court decision that legalized sports betting in numerous states. This legislative shift has spurred a surge in gambling addiction, facilitated by the convenience of online platforms where nearly 1 in 5 American adults now have sports-betting accounts, STAT reported.

The alarming parallels between gambling and substance abuse are not just in behavior but also in brain activity. Experts like Petros Levounis, past president of the American Psychiatric Association, draw attention to the similar neural pathways exploited by both gambling and substance addiction. This link contributes to the concerning rise in suicidal ideation among gamblers, with documented rates significantly higher than those in the general population.

The public health community's lag in addressing gambling addiction is compounded by the absence of federal oversight and funding for gambling research, creating a "wild west" landscape as described by Rep. Paul Tonko. Tonko has called for regulatory measures to curb predatory advertising practices by the gambling industry, including a proposed ban on online sportsbook ads during sports events.

Tonko's advocacy highlights a glaring gap in the addiction treatment field: a lack of preparedness to handle gambling-related issues. Schreier's appeal for clinical responses to gambling addiction was met with silence, reflecting a widespread deficiency in resources and training among addiction professionals.

As digital sports betting continues to gain traction, the integration of gambling addiction treatment into existing substance abuse programs becomes increasingly critical. Without this, a significant and growing public health crisis remains inadequately addressed, risking further harm to vulnerable populations.

This situation demands a concerted effort from public health officials and addiction treatment providers to incorporate gambling addiction into their protocols, ensuring that those affected receive comprehensive and effective care.