In his heyday, Billy Morgan was the affable Capitol police chief who was known personally by governors and respected by top legislators as a consummate law enforcement professional.
But Morgan stunned lawmakers recently when he returned to the state Capitol 13 years after retiring to testify that he is a gambling addict.
He warned legislators to be careful about expanding gambling in a wide variety of ways that include proposals for sports betting, Internet gambling, and a potential waterfront casino and hotel complex in Bridgeport.
“People think if we’re going to do this, it’s going to be roses and sunshine,” Morgan told The Courant in an interview. “They need to know the social costs. There’s no free lunch. Every action has a consequence, and that consequence can be devastating.”
After leaving the Capitol in late 2006 after more than six years as chief, Morgan said he eventually turned to gambling.
“I lost my Mom,” Morgan said. “One of my triggers was stress and loneliness. I made bad choices, and now I made the choice not to do those things.”
During that time, Morgan made frequent trips to the Mohegan Sun casino in southeastern Connecticut. He declined to reveal the amount of money that he lost but said it was a “significant” sum when compared to his total assets.
“I knew people at the casino by first name because I was there that often,” Morgan said. “I was a casino and scratch-off [lottery] guy. I thought I had luck on my side because I hadn’t really thought about the odds.”
Morgan says he made his last bet back on November 14, 2015 and told legislators on the public safety committee that he wanted to speak out about his recovery. With training by the Council on Problem Gambling, Morgan is now a recovery coach. He specifically wants the legislature to support a bill calling for more funding for treatment and rehabilitation of compulsive gambling.
He knew he had a problem when he was prepared to bet $612 on a single play in a weekend card game – when his friend stopped him.
“The money is not the drive,” said Morgan, who studied for a law degree while serving with the Capitol police and has since taught criminal justice classes. “It’s the action. It’s the adrenaline flow.”
Deputy House Speaker Pro Tem Robert Godfrey, who has known Morgan for years, said he was stunned by the former chief’s testimony. But he said that Morgan’s relationships with veteran legislators made his testimony more powerful and effective because they know him personally.
Morgan is fully aware that the legislature is trying to close a projected state budget gap of $1.55 billion in the next fiscal year and that the state has multiple problems as it seeks money from a variety of sources – including potentially new revenues from various forms of gambling.
“The ugly truth is there’s no easy outs here,” Morgan said. “There’s no winning lottery ticket.”
