Arnie Wexler: Expert Insights

A recent study found 60 percent to 80 percent of kids aged 13 to 17 admitted to gambling at least once in the last year.

We never saw a woman come into Gamblers Anonymous meetings under the age of 50 until four years ago. Now, with internet gambling, we are seeing young teen girls seeking help for gambling addiction

As online gambling surges in popularity, research shows more children are subverting age verification safeguards and getting hooked. The calls are coming in like crazy from parents of young kids who are getting addicted to gambling. Kids are doing it in elementary school today. We have an epidemic of teen and pre-teen gambling today in our schools; it is out of control.

Compulsive gambling is a progressive disease, much like an addiction to alcohol or drugs. In many cases, the gambling addiction is hidden until the gambler becomes unable to function without gambling, and he or she begins to exclude all other activities from their lives.

The inability to stop gambling often results in financial devastation, broken homes, employment problems, criminal acts, and suicide attempts. The gambler is eventually able to remove himself/herself from reality, to the point of being totally obsessed with gambling.

Eventually, they will do anything and everything to get the money they need so they can stay in “action.” They will spend all their time and energy developing schemes in order to get money to continue their gambling. Lying becomes a way of life for the gambler. They will try to convince others and themselves that their lies are actually truths, and they will eventually believe their own lies.

Some gamblers will hit their bottom, and when they do, they know they will need to get help to stop their gambling. At this point, they want to stop, but they can’t do it alone. Many will keep gambling. Some will end up in jail, some will attempt suicide, and some will die from their addiction because they haven’t taken care of their health. For others, the stress can kill them. And then there is a small group of addicted gamblers who will seek and find help. There are Gamblers Anonymous groups that can help the gambler find recovery—real recovery, not just abstinence.

By the time the gambler comes for help, they have broken brains (meaning, their brains don’t work like they used to when they were not in their addiction). To get real recovery, the gambler needs to work on himself/herself one day at a time and get someone—a sponsor—who has been in recovery for a significant amount of time, who can help them learn how to think normally again.

After some time in recovery, their brains will begin to return to normal, and they will once again become productive at their job and resume being the father, mother, wife, or husband, son, or daughter they were before their addiction to gambling took over.

Recovery is a process, and it takes a lot of work to change, as well as making a moral and financial inventory. But people can and do recover.

Family involvement is crucial and will enhance the treatment process. Family members need to understand that bailouts are detrimental to the gambler’s recovery. There is a group called Gam-Anon, with meetings held throughout the United States. Gam-Anon can help them understand the financial and emotional effects of living with a gambler.

Compulsive gamblers and family members can find recovery from this devastating addiction, but it is a process that takes time and effort. During and after treatment, the gambler needs to continue attending GA meetings, get a sponsor, have a pressure relief meeting to aid in financial recovery, and continue to learn and live the 12-steps of recovery.

Many people who go into treatment for drugs or drinking also have a gambling problem, but it is rarely addressed in treatment centers. In most cases, treatment centers don’t have someone on staff who understands gambling addiction.

When the client goes home and starts to gamble again, many of the old behaviors return. Hopefully, if the treatment center has someone on staff who understands gambling, the client can be assessed for a gambling addiction as well, and will be able to be treated for all addictions.

The only people who keep up their recovery are people who help other gamblers. We need not let our addiction define us; instead, let our recovery define us.

Arnie and Sheila Wexler have presented at educational workshops nationally and internationally, and have trained treatment centers opening up gambling treatment programs. They have provided expert witness testimony. They have trained over 40,000 casino employees and executives and have worked with gaming companies to help formulate responsible gaming programs. In addition, Arnie has conducted training sessions for Fortune 500 corporations, the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), legislative bodies, and on college campuses. If you need help for a gambling addiction or know someone who does, contact them at www.aswexler.com or aswexler@aol.com 954-501-5270. Arnie Wexler is the author of All Bets Are Off: Losers, Liars, and Recovery from Gambling Addiction, which is available wherever you secure books.