Gambling Addiction Treatment Blog

Although the holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, for some, it can be the most difficult time of the year. Instead of being a time of happiness and togetherness, it can be a time of loneliness and longing for things to be better than how they are. 

Even when spent with family and friends, the holidays can be a stressful time, which can cause people to revert to their old destructive habits. Addiction can cause broken relationships and a lot of hurt between family members, which can make family gatherings difficult.

Whether your loved one is currently in recovery, or is needing to begin their recovery, here are some ways in which you can support them during this season. 

For many Americans, watching football games on Thanksgiving is a big tradition. In fact, Thanksgiving is the biggest sports betting week of the year in the US, making it the holiday that is the most consumed by sports and sports betting. 

However, just because sports betting is now legal in many states, doesn’t mean that you should participate in it this holiday season.

With sports betting now legal in many states, it’s now becoming even more common to bet on sports games.

FanDuel and DraftKings, two of the biggest online sportsbooks in the United States, make it very easy for users to place bets through their websites and mobile apps. 

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to avoid gambling ads, especially when watching sports. Many sports teams are sponsored by gambling companies, which means that players will wear their logo on their jerseys. 

The U.K. is currently undergoing a government review of the Gambling Act 2005, which removed all gambling advertising restrictions. This review may result in changes to gambling advertising, including potentially banning betting company logos on Premier League football jerseys.

Many people don’t realize that a gambling disorder and a substance use disorder have some notable similarities, and it is common for these two disorders to go hand in hand. Typically, if a person has a compulsive gambling disorder, they are more likely to develop an alcohol or substance use disorder, and vice versa.

All Bets Are Off is a gambling addiction recovery podcast created by three gambling addicts in recovery, along with a passionate researcher whose father struggled with a gambling addiction. 

Recently, Ryan of All Bets Are Off sat down with Algamus founder, Rick Benson, to discuss Rick's past with gambling, and how he started Algamus Gambling Treatment Center. 

Listen to the full podcast here. 

Gambling is very normalized in our culture, with approximately 85% of American adults having gambled at least once in their lives, and 65% within the last year. Although many people can gamble without becoming addicted, there are many risks involved when it comes to wagering any amount of money.

In order to help a family member who may be struggling with gambling, or to avoid developing a compulsive gambling disorder yourself, it’s important to be aware of the signs of each stage of a gambling disorder.

Sports betting is a common, casual activity that sports fans like to engage in as they watch games, but is it as harmless as it seems? With the NFL starting next week, and the NHL and NBA starting shortly after, it’s the perfect time to educate yourself about sports betting before placing bets on these games. 

Everyone has different coping mechanisms, and for some, it’s gambling. A gambling addiction seems easy to hide at first, but many who suffer from gambling addiction often suffer silently. Different subtypes of gambling disorder, such as action or escape gambling, use gambling habits to suppress distress, which brings up a range of issues particular to each group. 

Gambling addictions are not as black and white as they may seem, and quitting is not as simple as “just stopping.” By learning the differences between these subtypes of gambling disorder, gamblers can learn how to avoid hurtful habits. 

Losing a large bet would seemingly be a sign to stop gambling right then and there. But if this is the case, why do gamblers continue to bet even after they’ve lost? The issue is that problem gamblers don’t know when to stop gambling, even when they’ve set a budget and time limit. It’s the rush to keep gambling that fuels more spending, and then the inevitable happens.

What happens to gamblers when they start losing money?

Gamblers don’t just gamble for the sake of winning money. Compulsive gambling is a behavioral disorder that alters the structure of the brain, and there may be many motivations to gamble.

For many, gambling is a pleasant activity that serves as a distraction to the stresses of their daily lives, and they aren’t too focused on whether they win or lose. The action of gambling is what’s exciting, and winning just funds the gambler so that they are able to continue gambling.