LAKEWOOD, Colo. - Coloradans are betting big on sports.
Since the state first legalized sports betting more than six years ago, the state has raked in millions in tax revenue. While that number continues to climb, so do the number of calls for help.
Whether it be the Nuggets, the Avs, the Broncos, the Rockies or any of the countless other pro and college sports teams that Colorado home, there is a lot to bet on.
Winning a bet can be a thrilling experience but when losses start to mount, it can send someone into a deep spiral.
▶️ Denver7's Tyler Melito spoke with a client of one of the state's problem gambling resources to learn more about his journey to recovery and the help he received. In the video player below, learn more about available resources.
Take 36-year-old Matthew Ferraccio for example.
“This started at the age of 12," Ferraccio outlined. "I was unlucky enough to be introduced to it before things were legalized. Used to use a bookie. Had tried to stop a lot of times throughout my life and never really could get to the point where I seeked out the help that I actually needed.
Despite how many times he tried to quit, the result for Ferraccio was always the same, a relapes looming in the darkness ahead.
“At the age of 36 is when I hit a point where I knew if I didn't get help, and, you know, take things serious," Ferraccio explained. "I had run out of money, run out of resources and that’s when I really hit my rock bottom."
Since then, he has found the help he had been searching for with the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado (PGCC).
It's a lifeline he credits for saving him, as he celebrates a year and a half of recovery.
"For the first time in my life I’m saving money," Ferraccio shared. "I'm more engaged at work, more engaged with my relationships."
Jamie Glick is the President of PGCC.
He says calls for help have only increased since Colorado legalized sports betting.
“We call gambling addiction the hidden addiction," Glick said. "Last year we had 300 engagements per month. People are calling, they’re texting, they’re reaching out on our website. Just popping into the center. But engagement definitely has increased every year since 2021.
And while therapy is one method of recovery, PGCC also works to reintroduce addicts to sports in a positive way. A way they were meant to be enjoyed.
“We have these tailgating events where guys can come together and if they get triggered and are tempted to make a bet, they can just talk to the person next to them.”
Both Glick and Ferraccio say easy betting is fueling addiction and state revenue ads only make it worse.
"We are not enemies of the industry," Glick proclaimed. "We want to work together. We're actually neutral on gambling. We just want people to do it responsibly, do it healthy, and not have it lead to really negative outcomes"
“The advertisement, it disgusts me. Honestly the way it is thrown in our faces all the time.," Ferraccio said. "You can’t watch a game anymore without constantly hearing about gambling.”
There are countless other resources in Colorado for problem gambling, aside from PGCC.
To learn more, you can do so here.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.