A former addict's mission to combat problem gambling
Craig Carton was arrested in 2017 and charged with fraud for his role in a concert ticket resale scheme. He resigned from the No. 1 sports-talk show in New York City, "Boomer & Cartons," on Sept. 13, 2017. Carten was convicted of fraud in the spring of 2019 and sentenced to 3½ years in prison. He was released from prison in June 2020 and back on the air with WFAN four months later. Today, he's the face of FanDuel's efforts to combat problem gambling. His show is called "Carton and Roberts" and he is still brash.
March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Craig Carton used to gamble regularly. He was arrested in September 2017 and brought back to WFAN. He is now trying to help other problem gamblers. The majority of sports betting is taking place online. Billions of dollars are flowing from bettors to bookmakers every month. Problem gambers are more likely to attempt suicide or have suicidal thoughts. They are also more prone to develop gambling disorders. Cartons used the show Boomer & Carto to talk about his gambling addiction. It was a success. His co-host, Boomers Esiason, was surprised when he was brought to the station after his arrest.
Gambling addiction is the only addiction where people use the word degenerate to describe them.
Carton is an ambassador for FanDuel's responsible gambling initiatives. He works directly with the sportsbook to help identify warning signs and to talk to employees about problem gambling. Adam Warrington is the vice president of responsible gaming at Fanduel. He hopes modern technology will help destigmatize problem gamblers. Some states do not dedicate any tax revenue to problem gaming services. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, funding for problem casinos is dwarfed by that dedicated to drug and alcohol addiction.
Carton is a former addict who has been sober for four years. He borrowed more than $30 million to gamble. Carton's story is reflective of the challenge the American betting market faces with problem gambling. Some people are skeptical about his sincerity. Others see value in his voice. It's hard for some people to believe he is remorseful and thoughtful about tackling problem betting. it's difficult for the general public to think bookmakers are serious about preventing people from betting more. than they should. The problem is real. There are solutions. They are available. For more information, visit the website of Gambling Helping People.
