Michigan Woman’s $2M Online Gambling Loss Warns Ohio

As Ohio is busy debating whether to legalize online casinos and introduce video lottery terminals to bars and restaurants, a Michigan woman’s cautionary tale emphasizes the potential dangers brought on by the extra convenience of being able to gamble on your phone.

“Wow, Online Gambling. I’ll Give It a Try.” 

The woman spoke openly with News 5, sharing how a promising construction business and family life unraveled after she lost $2 million in just six months playing online blackjack.

“I owned a very large construction company, and our lumber costs skyrocketed from COVID-19,” she explained. 

“I had ten homes going, and I thought, ‘Wow, online gambling. I’ll give it a try, and maybe it will help.” 

What started with a $1,000 bet and a sign-up bonus quickly spiraled out of control after initial wins. “Within six months, I lost $2 million — our home, my business, our cars, our retirement.”

“You Can Do It In the Bathroom”

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, pointed out how online gambling’s nonstop availability made it nearly impossible to stop. 

“You can do it driving down the road, you can do it in the bathroom,” she said. “We would go to a [brick-and-mortar] casino every now and then, and it wouldn’t be a problem. But once this started, it was extremely difficult to stop.”

She added that some casinos cut her off quickly, but others kept sending her money to keep playing. “If I missed days, they would send me thousands of dollars.” 

It wasn’t until her husband confronted her about unpaid bills that she finally stopped.

“It Can’t Be Any Easier Than the Palm of Your Hand 24/7.”

Ohio isn’t the only state wrestling with this issue. Since Michigan launched online casinos in 2021, neighboring states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia have followed. 

However, problem gambling is rising. Tamera Hunter of Kent’s Townhall II reports a 25-30% increase in gambling addiction screenings since sports betting became legal in Ohio, leading to a longer list of big losses. 

“There’s a real concern about keeping up with the demand for help,” said Hunter. Derek Longmeier from the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio emphasized the unique risk online casinos bring: “It can’t be any easier than the palm of your hand 24/7.”

Longmeier questioned whether the promised tax revenue is worth the social costs: “Where are those millions coming from? Not going to movies or dinners — it’s impacting families.”This July, Ohio will host the National Conference on Gambling Addiction, putting the spotlight on how to balance economic benefits with protecting vulnerable citizens.