Gambling – The “Secret” Addiction: The Impact of Internet and Sports Betting in the Post-COVID World

In 2018, the United States Supreme Court, in Murphy vs. NCAA, held that sports gambling was legal in all of the United States. By 2019, many states had added sports gambling accessible by cell phone, computer and tablets, thus becoming one of the country’s largest gambling revenue producing sources. With it came the compulsive gambler.

 

Then the whole world seemed to stop with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the world of the compulsive gambler simply moved on to other forms of seeking “action” - via the internet. By the time sports resumed, a new breed of addicted gamblers was anxiously waiting. now ready, willing and extremely more able to utilize electronic devices as their preferred gambling format. 

 

This program will explore not only gambling disorder, but also the connection between gambling and the more well -known forms of impairment and why lawyers are at higher risk to develop problems. This problem has only been exacerbated by the stress, anxiety and isolation caused by COVID-19. The results are startling.

 

Mr. Quinn will discuss:

 

1. The early warning signs of impairment and how they relate to gambling disorders. Special attention will be given to the connection between COVID-19 and it’s impact on social isolation, stress, anxiety, depression and gambling disorders.

2. The impact of the internet, sports betting and “in game” betting on the problem gambler.

3. The free services that Lawyers Assistance Programs provide to lawyers, judges, their family members and law students.

4. A close look at existing barriers that prevent lawyers from seeking the help they need will be provided and the role that education plays in breaking the stigma and fear associated with addiction and mental illness in the legal profession.

5. Ethical considerations unique to the lawyer who suffers from a Gambling Disorder.

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Brian S. Quinn is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania who currently serves as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc., a Lawyers Assistance Program established in 1988 for the purpose of helping lawyers, judges and law students recover from alcoholism, drug addiction and mental health disorders.
 
Mr. Quinn obtained his undergraduate degree in 1970, his law degree in 1973 and a certificate in drug and alcohol counseling in 2012, from Villanova University.  A member of the Pennsylvania and Delaware County Bar Associations, he has been a private practitioner for over 45 years, having litigated both civil and criminal matters during his career.
 
Mr. Quinn also worked in the field of alcohol and drug counseling in suburban Philadelphia from 2011 to 2017, allowing him to gain both practical and clinical experience with individuals suffering from alcohol, substance use and mental health disorders.
 
Mr. Quinn is a past member of the board of directors of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania and served as a peer volunteer for over six years prior to accepting his current role as the organization's Educator in 2017. He has written articles and made presentations on many lawyer wellness topics to law firms, bar associations, professional organizations and legal education providers on a state, national and international level.