No matter how the world is going, money runs everything. And when winning seems so easy – perhaps because of one good hand or one lucky card – gambling can fall into the wrong hands. There is no exception for Loomis students. Having experienced the darkness of addiction himself, Craig Carton, radio host and father, shared his unique stance on gambling, mental health, and even his time in prison, all while cracking jokes about his own decisions at convocation.
After wagering millions and millions of dollars and losing it all, Mr. Carton has seen firsthand what it’s like to have a real gambling problem.
Abdoulaye Sow ‘26, prefect of Carter Hall, shared that it was Mr. Carton’s realistic story and unique stance that made it personal. “It really opened my eyes to how much gambling affects lives. It wasn’t him telling us what to do, it was him telling us his experience.”
Dean Matzkin, Dean of Student Life, shared a similar sentiment. “Mr. Carton was really authentic. I think he told HIS story…a real life example of what can happen with addiction.”
A large part of Mr. Carton’s story was about understanding gambling as a disease – one “hidden in plain sight”, one that naturally places a burden upon the beholder to seek help and increase awareness. By recognizing and seeking help from his own support systems, such as his wife, he was able to seek aid even in the lowest of lows.
“Most people deny, deny, deny, deny. There’s a lot of denial before you either hit rock bottom or you’re able to get help,” Dean Matzkin shared.
Connecting to the sense of denial, Mr. Carton spoke about how himself, many others, and future gamblers, will never realize they have a problem until it’s too late. In his case, that point came right before prison.
“At the time he didn’t believe it was a problem, and for a lot of people here, it might become a problem. As of right now, they’re probably in the same boat that he’s in.” Abdoulaye said.
Yet as money and material possession hit rock bottom, mental health also plummets. Mr. Carton is also no stranger, sharing his heartfelt story of near-suicide and pushing others to realize that there will always be somebody to help recognize and recover from these issues.
“The kid who’s got the problem, their personalities are going to change. You’ll find them being less social, less likely to share things with you, not happy as much as they used to be, totally distracted.” Mr. Carton said.
As Mr. Carton’s addiction started to spiral out of control, he started to lose track of priorities, eventually losing sight of the value of money.
“I was playing just to play and it was my happy place. Anything else in my life that was troublesome or bothersome no longer mattered.”
But amidst addiction, it remains crucial for friends to be strong pillars of supportmembers and to take action, especially when they notice that something is off.
“If you had a problem, you would hope somebody who cares about you would reach out to help you,” Mr. Carton said.
The overall theme in Mr. Carton’s convocation lies in humanization, understanding that these people are not alone and that problems can happen to anybody.
“No one ever plans to be addicted.” Dean Matzkin said.
Ms. Hathorn, Associate Dean of Students and Dorm Head at Carter Hall gave a precise overview of what gambling addiction is like.
“Anything that is addictive and designed to keep you coming back, it’s a slippery slope. It’s not just thinking you have it under control, but also making sure you’re being honest with your friends and family.”