The second weekend of the college basketball tournaments is underway and for Iowans with a gambling addiction, it can be a true challenge to avoid the urge to place a bet.

Andrew Gerodias, an official with Iowa’s largest addiction treatment provider, says there are warning signs to watch for in yourself and in your loved ones that may indicate a problem is looming.

Andrew Gerodias (Rosecrance photo)

“Often what ends up happening is individuals start to isolate more,” Gerodias says. “They may start putting aside some of their responsibilities or their hobbies, things that they enjoy, and more of their time becomes focused on getting money for gambling or going and gambling.”

Gerodias is outpatient supervisor for the Rosecrance Jackson Center in Sioux City. For Iowans who think they may have a gambling problem, he says there’s plenty of help available.

“That can be done without any sort of cost to them through interacting with local support groups like GA, Gamblers Anonymous,” Gerodias says. “There may be in-person meetings, there may be online meetings, whatever they feel most comfortable with. You can initially get started through making those phone calls to 1-800-BETS OFF.”

For someone with a more serious problem, Gerodias says an evaluation at a treatment center may be needed.

“There is also the ability to self-exclude at casinos, where you go in and you say, ‘I can no longer be here. I want to be put onto a list,’ and then you are no longer allowed to come onto that property,” Gerodias says. “It can give some of that extra incentive not to take part in the gambling on those sites.”

Gerodias says Rosecrance facilities in Iowa help more than 7,000 teens and adults every year at outpatient treatment clinics in Sioux City, Cherokee, Davenport, Le Mars, Spencer and Sheldon.