Celebrating National Recovery Month: Treatment is Available for Gambling Addiction
National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that treatment services can enable those with mental health and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives. Our goal is to provide hope and help to the individuals who want to get started on the path to recovery from problem gambling. As problem gambling is known as a hidden addiction, learning the signs is a huge step forward. Striving towards the next few steps, such as contacting our 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine, is what can get you or a loved one into recovery.
In this pandemic, online gambling expanded unlike ever before. Due to temporary casino closures and a rise in the adoption of smartphones, improvement in internet infrastructure, and easy accessibility to casino gaming platforms has driven the market demand [1]. Although Florida legislation has not legalized online gambling, including mobile sports betting and desktop websites, individuals can still gamble through offshore casinos, posing a risk in developing a gambling disorder where few, if any, protections are in place for those suffering from problem gambling. The celebration of recovery from problem gambling includes telling the stories of brave individuals who took steps towards gaining independence from this hidden addiction. Gambling disorder does not discriminate., and gambling opportunities are more diverse and accessible than ever before, including anything from slot machines in casinos to loot boxes in video games to lottery tickets in convenience stores. The most important thing to know is that anyone can also recover, if they recognize the signs of a problem and choose to seek help.
“That 888-ADMIT-IT number became my lifeline”…
“This is the first time I’ve said out loud what I’ve had to do to gamble”…
“They let me know that I was not alone, and gave me the resources for therapists that I continue to see”…
These are the words of actual stories of individuals who decided to call the HelpLine and change their lives around. Listening to these stories and empathizing with these individuals helps us understand why we celebrate National Recovery Month. Many of the signs include spending more money than you can afford, gambling on borrowed money, and chasing your losses. When gambling is no longer a game, the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine is available.
Our 24-hour confidential and multilingual HelpLine can be reached by calling 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), texting (321) 978-0555, emailing fccg@gamblinghelp.org, initiating a live chat at gamblinghelp.org, or by reaching out to us on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.
[1] Wadhwani, P., & Gankar, S. (2020). Online Gambling Market Size & Share: Global Statistics Report 2026. Retrieved August 28, 2020, from https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/online-gambling-market
