Helpline calls spike with Virginia gambling expansion 

By Kaitlyn McMahon, Capital News Service; Video by Mario Navarro, VCU InSight

RICHMOND, Va. -- More money is being funneled into Virginia's problem gambling services, but advocates say increased gambling demands more resources for help. 

Virginia ranked near the bottom of all states in the amount of money directed toward problem gambling before casino and sports betting were legalized. The Problem Gambling Treatment and Support fund was created in 2020 when gambling expanded in Virginia. Collection of revenues into the fund began in January 2021. 

Before 2021, the Virginia Lottery directed approximately $75,000 annually to the fund, according to VPM. Casinos are now required to put .8% of a statutory tax into casino adjusted gross revenue, the money left after winning bets are paid, into the gambling help fund. Sports wagering sends 2.5% of taxed AGR to the fund. 

Fifteen states increased their budget 5% or more between 2021 and 2022, according to the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services. 

Virginia significantly bumped up its support in 2022, and gave around $2 million to problem gambling services, according to numbers from NAADGS.

A report prepared for the General Assembly in 2019 estimated that effective problem gambling prevention and treatment could cost $2 million to $6 million annually.

Sports bettors are setting record breaking amounts of wagers. The state is collecting more tax revenue than was forecast four years ago, according to the Virginia Mercury. 

Bettors used mobile apps to wager $565.56 million on sports in October, according to the most recent Virginia Lottery report. They wagered over $5.78 million through a casino sportsbook. 

That left $56.36 million combined sports betting AGR for the state to tax. 

The taxable amount from slots and table games at all three casinos combined in October was $49.56 million.

The AGR is similar but sports wagering sends more money to the problem gambling fund. Casino play contributed $72,887 toward the fund in October and sports betting contributed $213,754.

The majority of gamblers are not using casinos to access Virginia's 16 legal sports books.

Caesars Casino in Danville holds the highest share of casino sports betting at almost 6.5%. FanDuel is the state's No. 1 sportsbook with 40% of the market share, according to the state lottery October gaming compliance report. DraftKings is No. 2 with 28%.

Views on sports betting

Northern Virginia resident Cristian Lazo, age 21, began sports betting in May. He places weekly bets using DraftKings. Lazo uses online sports betting as opposed to in-person due to convenience. 

Lazo was already a sports fan, and decided to earn some money.

"Betting on it can make watching the sport better sometimes," Lazo said.

Sports betting isn't uncommon among Lazo's friends. He mostly bets on football and soccer games, and he's won "a good amount of bets."

"I think the total amount of money I've won is somewhere around $350 to $400," Lazo said.

Lazo said he "technically" hasn't lost any money because of the rewards program that he takes advantage of. He puts some of his winnings toward other wagers. 

Brendan Dwyer is the director of research and distance learning at the Center for Sports Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University. An associate professor, he has degrees in economics and sports administration.

"Sports betting is something that makes the sports industry more attractive," Dwyer said. "It's better for games and it's better for the consumer."

About 19% of Americans, or 1 in 5, reported sports betting in a 12-month period, the Pew Research Center reported last year. That includes online, with a friend or at a casino. Most people who bet are under the age of 50. 

A majority see sports gambling as neither bad nor good for society. Only 8% saw it as a good thing for society, and a slightly higher amount saw it as good for sports. 

About a third of people surveyed view gambling as bad for society and sports. 

There are more positives than negatives, according to Dwyer, who does not think sports betting is going away "any time soon." 

"As long as we identify who the major groups are that need to be aware of the challenges, I think it is something that should be supported by the leagues, the teams, by state legislatures because of the revenue that they get from it," Dwyer said. 

Sports betting shifts younger

Gambling age demographics have shifted nationwide due to the recent legalization in many states. 

Lia Nower is director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University.

"Overall, men have the highest rates of gambling problems as well as emerging adults, ages 21 to 25, followed by ages 26 to 44," stated Nower.

In-person gambling trends older while online casinos and sports betting trends younger, according to Nower. 

The state helpline has seen a shift in the age of callers, which used to be older individuals who had been gambling for years before developing a problem, according to Carolyn Hawley.

Hawley works with the Virginia Lottery-funded problem gambling helpline as president of the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling. She is also an associate professor in the department of rehabilitation counseling at VCU.

"We've seen a huge shift, and this has been seen nationwide with also the onset of sports betting legalization, is a much younger demographic," Hawley said. "People who are starting to develop problems really quick ... it's that speed, that repetitive nature, that works with dopamine and just you know, accelerates that addictive process."

 Roughly 2% of Virginia's population could be impacted by problem gambling, the state's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services commissioner said earlier this year. 

Substance use disorders in the U.S. are 3.8 times more common than gambling disorders, according to the VCPG. But public funding for substance abuse treatment is about 334 times greater than public funding for all problem gambling services, or $24.4 billion versus $73 million, respectively, according to the VCPG.

Spike in helpline calls

The state problem gambling helpline has seen a 788% increase in total calls between 2019 and 2022, in part due to increased advertising of the services, according to Hawley. 

"Since launching treatment and recovery services for Virginians last year, the need for these services is outpacing our resources," Hawley said. 

Helpline operations are covered by Virginia Lottery funds. But the education, prevention and other activities of the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling are covered by membership fees, according to Hawley, and are not guaranteed from year to year. 

Virginia used to be a "conservative" gambling state, Hawley said.

"We had our three main forms of gambling which was lottery, horse wagering and charitable, and since 2019 we just exploded with the forms of gambling that are now available and legal," Hawley said.

Substance abuse disorder and gambling disorder share a lot of the same characteristics, according to Hawley.

"Gambling can often be more insidious because you can't smell it, you can't see it, people are very good at hiding it," Hawley said.

There are also high rates of suicide among people with a gambling addiction, according ot Hawley. 

Problem gambling has the highest rate of suicide among addiction disorders, with 1 in 5 attempting suicide, according to the nonprofit Health Resources in Action. A very high number of people with problem gambling meet criteria for other mental illnesses.

How to get started with help

Some signs that could indicate an individual has a gambling addiction, according to Hawley:

• Gambling is interfering with life and causing problems.

• A lot of time is spent thinking about gambling and planning the next gambling activity.

• More time spent gambling than other activities the individual used to enjoy. 

• It takes more to get that same level of excitement.

• It is hard to cut back or stop.

The VCPG helpline 1-888-532-3500.

VCU InSight journalist Mario Navarro contributed to this report.

By Kaitlyn McMahon, Capital News Service

RICHMOND, Va. -- Terms like volley llamas, flabjacks and dillballs sound like a bad joke, but are actually terms used in pickleball, a sport that's a smash hit in Virginia.

In fact, there are three upcoming pickleball tournaments in October alone and new facilities opening.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport across the nation as of 2022, according to the national governing authority, USA Pickleball. The sport has taken hold in the South Atlantic region, which includes Virginia.

Virginia ranks No. 10 in the nation for pickleball courts, as determined by the Pickleheads website. The site reports 428 pickleball courts in Virginia. The website is a 101-level sport resource and a hub for finding players, courts and groups.

The sport is a hybrid of badminton, tennis and Ping-Pong that can be played on an indoor or outdoor court.

Bangers and Dinks recreational pickleball facility opened in Chesterfield County in July. Nicole Thompson and husband Jack are co-owners. The spot, named after two of the sport's terms, is central Virginia's first indoor pickleball facility, according to Nicole Thompson.

The facility offers floors with Pro-Cushion surfacing, specialized lighting, changing rooms and drink and snack options.

"I think pickleball is popular because it's easy to learn but hard to master," Thompson said.

Competitive camaraderie is a part of the game, according to Thompson. The pickleball culture encourages laughter and fun when playing.

Bangers and Dinks host college athletic teams, corporate team building events, holiday and birthday parties. There are single, dual and family memberships available, or drop-in play for a daily fee of $12.

Performance Pickleball RVA will open in Henrico County on Dec. 1. The facility plans to be the largest indoor pickleball space in the region, according to chief operating officer Jon Laaser. There are 18 total courts; 12 indoor courts and six outdoor courts.

Laaser wound up falling in love with pickleball, despite his initial indifference. He and his wife joined the Western Henrico Pickleball group shortly after. His background in tennis and Ping-Pong helped him learn the game quickly.

"I think there's kind of a misconceptions because of the name, that it's, you know, a goofy sport," Laaser said.

Pickleball is a sport for all ages, cultures and backgrounds, Laaser said. The sport offers people the chance to connect with strangers.

"The game has really skewed younger, and the older players that loved it in the beginning are still playing, but you really see it run the gamut age wise," Laaser said.

Laaser's soon-to-open facility was inspired from feedback after he hosted a few pickleball tournaments with his wife. This year they hosted two pickleball tournaments; Ladybug Classic and Body Armor 804. Ladybug Classic had 300 participants and Body Armor 804 offered approximately $10,000 in prize money.

Performance Pickleball RVA will host a grand opening celebration, The Pickle Ball, on Dec. 20. Riley and Lindsey Newman, ranked No. 2 and No. 9 respectively in mixed doubles in the Professional Pickleball Association tour, will attend.

Jonathan Medina Alvarez, a Richmond-area pickleball player, will be the club's resident professional, according to Laaser. Alvarez is the No. 3 ranked singles player in the Association of Pickleball Players. The association is officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball, which formed in 2005. Alvarez will lead instruction, clinics and crossfit training.

Other pickleball courts throughout Virginia, private and public, can be tracked on the pickleheads website.

It feels like pickleball just arrived, but this year marks the 58th anniversary of the sport, according to USA Pickleball. Three men created the game in 1965, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. The oft-repeated origin story is that they wanted to play badminton but had to use Ping-Pong paddles instead.

The number of pickleball players increased 159% in the last three years, according to USA Pickleball. There are approximately 70,000 official members and an estimated 4.8 million players in the U.S. The largest total demographic for pickleball players is ages 18-34.

There are over 44,000 courts. The governing association estimated that 130 new locations open per month.

Upcoming pickleball tournaments in Virginia include the Legends Championships in Wintergreen on Oct. 6; Upshot Pickleballs' Hustle and BUSTle Open in Fredericksburg on Oct. 13; and Pickleboo in Henrico County on Oct. 27.

Tournaments all over the world can be found on the Pickleball Brackets website.

Terms to know:

    Fault: Any rules violation that stops play. If fault is a result of the receiving team, the serving team gets a point.

    Line-call: When a ball in a play does not land in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is "out."

    Two-Bounce Rule: Each side must make one groundstroke after the serve, prior to volleying the ball.

    Non-volley zone: The area within 7 feet on both sides of the net. No volleying or smashing in this zone. Commonly called "the kitchen."

    Volley: During a rally, a strike of the ball out of the air before the ball has bounced.

Overview of how to play doubles pickleball, per the official USA Pickleball Rulebook:

    To begin the game the score must be called aloud. The server calls the serving team's score first, then the receiving team's score, lastly the server's number. The first call will always be "zero-zero-two," as the original server is referred to as the second server.

    A serve is underhanded, and cannot be above the waist. A serve is made diagonally crosscourt. At the start of the game the server is awarded only one serve.For the remainder of the game, if the serving side faults then their partner has one more opportunity to serve.

    Volleys are initiated outside of the non-volley zone. A player can be in the non-volley zone as long as their opponent is not volleying the ball. A player can stay inside the non-volley zone before or after returning a bounced ball.

    The receiving team must let the ball bounce once after a serve. After the initial serve, the receiving side can hit the ball out of the air or choose to allow it to bounce.

    The ball cannot bounce twice. If it does it is considered a "fault," any faults in the game means the opponents gain possession of the serve. Until another fault occurs and then the possession of the serve is switched again.

    If the serving side holds serve (serving players continue gaining points), after each point the server will alternate serving from the left to right side.

    When the servers advantage is even numbers they will serve on the right side, when the servers advantage is odd numbers they will serve on the left side. The receiving team returns the ball in the diagonal court of the server.

    Similar to tennis, the ball must stay inside of the lines. The opponent can call "out," if they believe the ball from their opponent is out of bounds.

    The most commonly used scoring option is best 2 of 3 games to 11 points. Players must win by 2 points.

    After each game, players switch sides.

By Kaitlyn McMahon, Capital News Service

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia hotel employees are being trained how to recognize and report the signs of human trafficking in an effort to reduce the number of victims.

The 30-minute, online training program officially launched this year. Current employees had to complete the course by the end of June. The General Assembly passed and funded a bill last year allowing the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to create the online course. 

Del. Shelly A. Simonds, D-Newport News, sponsored the measure.

The course is free to employees and must be completed after six months of employment and every two years. There are over 115,000 hotel employees that would be required to take the course, according to figures provided by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

The VDCJS was "fully dedicated to this issue," Simonds said.

State leaders budgeted nearly $466,000 in the biennial budget for the state agency to provide the online course. The training is necessary because sex and labor trafficking occur frequently in hotels, according to Simonds.

"Law enforcement can only do so much, they need citizens to be involved and knowing the signs that human trafficking might be going on," Simonds said.

Virginia hotels supported the training. Hotel brands like Hilton and Marriott even had their own online course before it was mandated, according to Simonds. 

Brands without their own training must complete the state-required course.

"Now this law requires that everyone does it, including smaller operators, smaller motel chains," Simonds said." I think it's really going to lift up the standards for everyone."

The Virginia Department of Health enforces hotel employees to have their human trafficking training certificate on file, according to Simonds. This certification is transferable to other Virginia hotel chains.

"There's a lot of support across Virginia for cracking down on human trafficking," Simonds said. "And whether it be from the hotel industry, tourism industry, the legislature, the Virginia State Police — we're all working together to find solutions."

Human trafficking affects at least 150 to 300 victims per year in Virginia, according to the Human Trafficking Courts' website. 

Specific data is unknown due to underreporting from survivors. In 2019, 370 victims were identified in Virginia by the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This number does not represent the full scope of victims due to potential lack of knowledge surrounding trafficking or resources such as the National Hotline, according to the organization's website.

Tommy Herbert is the director of government affairs for Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, a trade organization that works to inform its members of law requirements and available training. Its website provides legislative information, bill tracking and multiple training programs.

The organization does not perform the training, but offers training resources to companies and their employees, according to Herbert. 

"VRLTA looks forward to a future of advocating on behalf of Virginia's restaurant, travel, and hotel lodging industries as well as working with Virginia government stakeholders to enhance Virginia tourism," Herbert stated. 

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in an executive order on his first day in office, pledged his administration's commitment to help combat human trafficking and provide support to survivors.

State Attorney General Jason Miyares led a two-day Virginia human trafficking Call to Action summit in Richmond at the end of August. The summit covered trends and solutions to the state's human trafficking problem, according to a statement from his office.

Miyares works with local, state, and federal entities to prosecute traffickers and support victims, according to his spokeswoman Chloe Smith.

Miyares supported state legislation that also required first-year public university students to complete an online human trafficking training course during their school's orientation, according to Smith. 

The attorney general also helped prosecute four individuals last month connected to a large-scale human trafficking ring which operated out of a Williamsburg laundry facility. Over 100 survivors were reported in connection to the ring, according to Smith.