SPOTLIGHT: The Foolishness of Gambling

Written by David E. Smith

March Madness is in full swing. By this time next week, the NCAA will have crowned the national champion for the 2020-2021 college basketball season. Also, by this time next week, tens of thousands of people will have lost a staggering amount of money due to legalized, online sports betting in our and other states across the nation – and, if Illinois residents had legally been able to bet on college teams located within our state, the losses surely would have been substantially higher.

In part two of our conversation on the expansion of legalized gambling, Jerry Prosapio, a former compulsive gambler, joins us to talk about the increase in gambling among young adults and women and the resulting growth in Gamblers Anonymous and other gaming addiction support groups in the greater Chicago area. Jerry shares his story of decades of addiction, culminating in a mafia loan shark threatening his wife and infant son due to his gambling debts. He also describes how crucial the work of the Holy Spirit has been and continues to be in his recovery and in the messages of hope and encouragement he shares with others.

Jerry Prosapio and his co-founder of Gambling Exposed, Ken Darnell, are available to speak to churches, youth groups, and neighborhood and community groups as well. If you would like to help Jerry and Ken’s message reach people who are struggling with addiction or prevent people, especially youth, from taking that first step into the destructive world of gambling, contact them at Gambling Exposed (708) 389-1127.

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