Eileen Chaffee, 81, regularly boards the Brandon Woods Retirement Community van that takes her to a casino so she can play the nickel slot machines.

But the Lawrence woman doesn’t consider herself much of a gambler.

Casino-goers wait on a bus Wednesday at the Tanger Outlet Mall waiting to head for Harrah's Casino north of Topeka. For many, gambling is an innocent pastime, but for a growing number of elderly Americans, the pastime has become a dangerous addiction.

“The obsessive quality for some of the people — I just don’t understand it,” she said. “And then you see some of them become sort of frantic about the whole thing. I just hope I don’t look like that when I’m pushing the button on a machine.”

Gambling has become an increasingly popular pastime for senior citizens. But there is growing concern about the consequences for the elderly because most live on a fixed income and have a lot of free time; also, it is common for them to be dealing with the loss of their friends, family and independence. Experts say that makes them more vulnerable to gambling addictions or otherwise squandering their money on games of chance.

“These are people who are dealing with a lot of change,” said Jean Holthaus, director of the Senior Prevention, Intervention, Counseling Education program in Topeka.

Chaffee said she traveled to the casino mostly because she liked to go along for the drive. She said she never played with more than $10. When she’s tired or has tapped out her budget, she watches other people play.

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But not all elderly gamblers are as disciplined.

In 1999, the federal National Gambling Impact Study Commission reported that in 1998, 50 percent of seniors in the United States had gambled. That was a substantial increase from the 20 percent of senior citizens gambling in 1974.

A recent study by the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania found that of 843 senior citizens randomly surveyed, 70 percent had participated in some gambling activity in the past year. Of those, about 11 percent could be considered at-risk gamblers, which means they put down more than $100 on a single bet, bet more than they could afford to lose, or both.

“These seniors who are at-risk may not be ready for Gamblers Anonymous, but many of them don’t have a lot of money and spending on gambling could mean that they won’t have anything left to buy medicines,” said David Oslin, a doctor at the University of Pennsylvania and lead author of the study.

A significant percentage of older Americans may be at-risk gamblers, according to a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. The sign above advertises the Golden Eagle Casino north of Holton.

Trying to help

Golden Eagle Casino Marketing Director Dave Jones said casino workers closely watched patrons. He said if people approached the workers with concerns that they had a gambling problem, they were put in touch with a support group. Workers also provide them the option of having themselves banned from the casino.

“We want to help people, and we want to be a responsible gaming establishment,” Jones said. “We know people have problems, and we want a positive image.”

But if people don’t come forward on their own, it can be difficult to know when an elderly person is having problems. In general, about 4 percent of people who gamble will form some type of addiction to it, Holthaus said.

That percentage may be higher yet undetected or reported among the elderly, said Duane Olberding, a counselor at St. Francis Health Center in Topeka.

“We don’t have the numbers, but my sense is the number of people over 65 and addicted to gambling is a huge problem,” he said. “But few come in for help.”

Places to play

According to the University of Pennsylvania study, the most popular choices for those who specified a gambling preference were lotteries, playing machines and going to casinos.

It’s not uncommon to walk into a casino and see a sea of gray hair. That was the case on a recent Thursday morning at the Golden Eagle Casino.

Gaming at the Golden Eagle was slightly up that day by 60 to 80 people. Two buses parked outside the facility likely were the reason why, Jones said.

A patron enters the Golden Eagle Casino north of Holton on Friday.

Several seniors, including Evelyn “Dixie” Leggett, could be seen sidling up to stools by slot machines. Leggett and her husband, Charles, drove to Horton from Platte City, Mo., to play the slot machines and to cash in on a buy-one-get-one-free meal coupon they received in the mail.

Leggett, 71, said she and her husband hit the casinos about 200 times a year. For them, it’s an opportunity to get out of the house.

“It’s just fun for me,” Leggett said.

Holthaus said it’s easy to see the attraction for senior citizens.

“It’s an opportunity to be around other people,” Holthaus said. “You’re treated well. The parking lots are well lit. The marketing is very friendly to seniors. The people at the casino learn and call you by name. It can be a nice feeling.”

Casino-goers load a bus to go to Harrah's Casino north of Topeka on Wednesday at the Tanger Outlet Mall.

She said many places didn’t make seniors feel nearly so welcome.

Holthaus said seniors often used gambling as an escape. People may start by going in a group.

“That’s a good safeguard,” she said. “But for those who are prone to become problem gamblers, they start going alone and going over their limit, betting-wise.”

Patrons leave the Golden Eagle Casino north of Holton on Friday.

When seniors start getting into trouble, they often begin lying to cover up the problems, writing bad checks, and getting on the calling lists of collection agencies, Holthaus said.

“We try to stay real neutral in terms of gambling,” Holthaus said. “We’re not anti-gambling. It brings a lot of revenue to the state. What we’re really concerned about is that 4 percent who can get into gambling and the effects of it will be absolutely devastating.”