> Muaj chaw paab, los pua yuav muaj cov tuaj txav kev twv txaj mad!
> Kev twv txaj yuam pov yog ib txuj kev ua rua tuab neeg vwm sai tshaaj
> plawg les, hab tsi khauvxwm nyaj le lawm yog koj vwm rua txuj kev twv
> txaj. Thaum nyaj poob taag ce lug nyob tsi muaj sab ua dlaab tsi les,
> tab si yog tau nkau nyaj ce rov moog twv dlua lawm xwb. Tsis muaj sab
> yuav lug paab kwv tij neej tsaa, tsi noog leej twg ha le lawm, yog vwm
> rua kev twv txaj.
>
> On Jan 24, 7:31 pm, "Noogqejqawg" yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>

>> Kev quav txaj?

>

>> nqq

>

>> Lao Assistance Center takes lead on problem gambling

>

>> By Travis Grabow

>

>> MINNEAPOLIS. The Lao Assistance Center sits in a corner of a small
>> building in Minneapolis, sharing the rest of the space with a school.
>> It has a small budget, a small staff, and an all-around small-time
>> atmosphere punctuated by ringing phones and walk-in visits. The only
>> thing that isn't small about it is the effect it has on the
>> community.

>

>> The LAC, among other things, is one of the leading organizations in
>> Minnesota when it comes to helping Asian Americans prevent and treat
>> gambling problems.

>

>> According to the LAC, the warning signs for problem gambling include
>> Increased time and money spent on gambling, spending more time gambling
>> than working or being with family, suffering from money problems due to
>> gambling using gambling as a way of coping with loneliness, anger,
>> stress, or depression, and borrowing money to gamble. Most people with
>> gambling problems are not pathological gamblers, or gamblers who
>> literally have no control over their problem. They are just people who
>> don't realize how much damage their gambling habits are causing
>> themselves and those around them.

>

>> Problem gambling is one of the biggest issues facing the Asian American
>> community, and the reasons it is so pervasive and destructive are many.
>> The overarching problem, and the one that magnifies all of the others,
>> is that gambling addiction is not something that just happens " it
>> often sneaks up on a person, slowly getting worse and worse, while the
>> person might not even be aware that they are headed for a problem.

>

>> Gambling has been taking place in Southeast Asian countries for
>> generations. In Laos, gambling is part of the culture, and has been for
>> hundreds of years. However, it is a different kind of gambling " for
>> the most part, it takes place only at celebrations and religious
>> festivals. In addition, it is often only the men who are allowed to
>> gamble. These facts help limit gambling in Southeast Asia, where
>> gambling is rarely a problem.

>

>> However, these cultural traditions produce several different results
>> when Southeast Asians arrive in the U.S. Many of them continue to
>> gamble here because they enjoy it, and they've been enjoying it for a
>> long time. In the U.S., though, they can gamble as often and as long as
>> they want. When a person doesn't realize the problems that gambling
>> can cause, this propensity to gamble can easily lead to addictions.
>> Also, women who before might not have been able to gamble may be eager
>> to exercise a new freedom and can easily begin to gamble too much.

>

>> Another group of people who can easily slip into addiction are those
>> who have experienced war-related trauma in Southeast Asia. This trauma
>> can cause post-traumatic stress and depression, and lead to chemical
>> dependency and problem gambling when the person reaches the U.S.

>

>> Many new immigrants are also drawn to gambling by the promises of
>> riches and an extravagant lifestyle. They may not have friends or
>> family in the U.S. to help them adjust to their new life, and it may
>> seem as though all of their problems can be solved if they just win a
>> little money at the casino. The longer a person gambles without winning
>> big, the more that jackpot can become an object of obsession.

>

>> Another cultural aspect is the attitude and the stigmas that many
>> Southeast Asians have towards problem gambling. If someone has a
>> gambling problem, it can be extremely embarrassing to admit. Gossip can
>> spread easily, and many Southeast Asians see problem gambling as a
>> moral failure. Many don't believe that gambling problems are
>> something that others can help with, and others are simply unaware that
>> help even exists for them.

>

>> Because of this, many problem gamblers are afraid to admit that they
>> have an issue that needs to be dealt with. Their families try to hide
>> it because they don't want neighbors, friends, and extended family to
>> know. The person is often left to help themselves instead of seeking
>> help from others. In these situations, jobs, friends, and even entire
>> families can fall apart under the stress of a gambling problem.

>

>> According to Sunny Sinh Chanthanouvong, executive director of the Lao
>> Assistance Center, another factor that contributes to the high number
>> of Asian Americans with gambling problems is the fact that casinos
>> regularly target them specifically and draw them in. The casinos know
>> that because of many of the reasons mentioned above, Southeast Asians
>> are statistically more likely to keep coming back and keep spending
>> money at their casino.

>

>> This targeting is carried out in a number of ways. Some casinos have
>> special nights where traditional Southeast Asian foods (cooked by
>> Southeast Asians to make them more authentic) are ubiquitous and
>> available at discounted prices. Others employ Southeast Asians to work
>> at the tables and on the floor to provide a more comfortable atmosphere
>> for other Asians. Some have even been known to put the nation of origin
>> on the nametags of Southeast Asians so that the staff can better cater
>> to their needs and help ensure that they return often.

>

>> All of these cultural, societal, and marketing aspects combine to
>> produce an enormous problem. Whereas gambling problems occur in roughly
>> one to two percent of the U.S. population as a whole, conservative
>> estimates show that at least six percent of Southeast Asians have some
>> type of gambling issue. These problems have resulted in untold numbers
>> of lost jobs, divorces, cases of homelessness, and even suicides.

>

>> Fortunately, there is hope and help for people with these gambling
>> issues. The Lao Assistance Center is one of several community-specific
>> organizations within the Southeast Asian Problem Gambling Consortium.
>> Each organization is dedicated to helping Lao, Hmong, Vietnamese, or
>> Cambodian people with various problems, including gambling problems.

>

>> The LAC devotes much of its budget to helping people with these issues.
>> The organization helps them first of all to recognize that they have a
>> problem, and then connects them with specialists and licensed
>> psychologists who are experienced with helping people overcome these
>> issues.

>

>> Over the many years Devich has been working at the LAC, he's seen and
>> helped countless people admit to their problem and turn their lives
>> around. However, one of the biggest barriers to helping people is the
>> limited financial status of the organizations in the Southeast Asian
>> Problem Gambling Consortium. Devich thinks that that is an issue that
>> can, and should, be easily solved.

>

>> My mother, and just about every mother, has told us as children to
>> clean up after ourselves. The same is true for the gaming industry.
>> They directly benefit from the activity and have a moral responsibility
>> to respond to the needs of those who get into trouble.While many
>> casinos do give money to organizations like the LAC, he believes that
>> it is not nearly enough to help all those who have been negatively
>> affected by gambling. Minnesota casinos and lotteries pulled in over $1
>> billion in profits last year, compared to their donations to treatment
>> programs, which totaled $3 million.

>

>> More importantly, Devich believes that the real problem is not just a
>> lack of funding for treatment, but also a lack of funding for education
>> about gambling problems. The total dollars that go into prevention and
>> treatment of problem and compulsive gamblers is about $3 million for
>> treatment and zero for prevention says Devich. This need to educate,
>> and not just treat, is one of the driving forces behind the member
>> organizations of the Southeast Asian Problem Gambling Consortium.

>

>> The LAC and other members of the SAPGC have made a concerted effort
>> over the last several years to further this education. The offices of
>> the LAC are bombarded with phone calls and personal visits everyday
>> from people who are looking for help with everything from learning
>> English to fixing their gambling problems. The organization has served
>> over 2,400 people since its inception in 1981.- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -