Leaders of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling say a challenging economy is partly to blame for an almost 7 percent increase in calls to its helpline last year. The Green Bay-based helpline answered 14,464 calls and emails in 2012, compared with 13,528 in 2011, the council’s annual report shows. The increase in calls is consistent with national trends, said Keith Whyte, the executive director for the National Council on Problem Gambling. The national helpline handled more than 300,000 calls last year, which was about 12,000 more than 2011, Whyte said.
