Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems

Youth gambling is a growing but often overlooked issue with potentially serious consequences. With easy online access, gambling-like features in video games, and an explosion of advertisements for sports betting, young people are exposed to and getting involved with gambling - often without realizing the risks.

Listen to this episode of Fold em to hear:

• How youth are gambling - even when they aren't legally of age
• Why young brains are particularly vulnerable to gambling getting out of control
• How to recognize warning signs of a gambling problem
• Safeguards to protect youth and emerging adults from gambling harms

You hear from three guests. First, Meghan, talks about her own experiences with compulsive gambling and how, as part of her recovery, she's been advocating for more to be done to protect youth and the next generation from gambling harms. Then, you get to hear from two Canadian experts on gambling and the brain. Deirdre Querney, MSW, has worked as a problem gambling counsellor in Ontario for the past twenty-five years. She's joined by Dr. Iris Balodis, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University where she has a research lab focused on gambling disorder and the brain. Together, Deirdre and Iris developed BrainConnections.ca to share information about how problem gambling affects the brain.

To read a summary of this episode go to the episode 92 blog at gamblingproblemhelp.ca You can also learn more about young brains and video games at BrainConnections.ca. Iris and Deirdre have developed videos and free, downloadable materials.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome your feedback.

Fold em is taking a break from releasing further episodes. However, the library of past episodes will continue to be available on all podcast apps as well as on the Fold em website www.problemgamblinghelp.ca.

Thank you for listening and for those of you connected with us and joined an episode.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Gambling addiction is often seen as an individual problem, but its effects ripple far beyond the person placing the bets. For families, it can lead to financial instability, emotional distress, and fractured relationships. In this episode, Katie shares her personal journey of discovering her husband's gambling problem and how she and her children moved forward.

Speaking as a parent and a teacher with twenty years of experience, Katie argues that more recognition is needed about how gambling problems impact families, especially young people. Noting a lack of resources and supports for children experiencing gambling harms, she developed a workbook. It's a tool for parents, family members, teachers and counsellors to help children understand and cope when compulsive gambling disrupts their lives. Katie's workbook is available on Amazon and is called All Bets Are Off: Hope and Healing When a Loved One's Gambling Addiction is Destroying Everything.

Listen to this impactful interview with Katie and hear:

• What spouses and family members can do when a loved one isn't ready to stop gambling
• How to support children when a parent's gambling is negatively impacting the family
• What help is available for spouses, family members and chldren experiencing gambling harms

To read a summary of this episode go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. You can also hear more from Katie on a podcast that she and a friend from Gam-Anon produce and host - Making Bets in a Burning House. It provides insight and support for families, friends and spouses impacted by gambling addiction.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Most of the Fold em episodes have been for those of you who decided to stop gambling. We've been helping you stop and stay stopped.

This episode is different. It's for those of you are currently gambling or know someone who is. We explore the fine line between recreational gambling and losing control. Our hope is that you better understand the risks when gambling and that some of us are more vulnerable to gambling harm. We share information, strategies and tools to help you keep gambling in control, recognize warning signs of problem gambling, and know where to turn for help.

We're joined by two experts, Luke Clark (Director, Centre for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia) and Ryan McCarthy (Director, Player Health, British Columbia Lottery Corporation). They share the latest research and concrete strategies. They also discuss how the gambling industry and government can do more to reduce gambling harm.

Listen to episode 90 and learn:

• Are you at risk for gambling getting out of control?
• How to recognize warning signs of a gambling problem
• Tools and strategies to help keep gambling in check
• What steps to take when gambling isn't fun anymore

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. For more information on how gambling games work as well as tools and supports, visit BCLC's GameSense. If you live in British Columbia, you can reach out to a GameSense Advisor at 1-866-815-0222 ext 3, via Live Chat, or by visiting a GameSense Info Centre at a casino.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

There are an increasing number of people speaking up about gambling related harm and the need to better address this. One of these people is Anna Martin from Australia.

In this episode of Fold em, hear Anna's inspiring journey from gambling addiction to recovery. She tells us how she has been speaking up in the media and to politicians about the negative impacts of gambling, the need to better regulate the gambling industry and advertising, and to improve services for those struggling with gambling, particularly women. In response to this, Anna founded The Untangle Project to help women find support and resources for gambling problems.

Listen now and hear:

• How Anna overcame a twenty year gambling problem
• Why women are particularly vulnerable to gambling problems
• What resources and supports are available to help women struggling with their own or someone else's gambling

To read the blog for this episode, visit www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. To learn more about The Untangle Project, go to www.theuntangleprojectaus.net OR on Instagram @TheUntangleProjectAUS.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

When gambling gets out of control it is a challenging and deeply isolating struggle. However, it is absolutely possible to get through this with shifting your mindset and accessing support and tools. One of the most crucial steps in overcoming this challenge is acceptance - acknowledging the realities of your situation and taking responsibility for change.

In this episode of Fold em, we provide practical tips and an inspiring personal story about how acceptance can help you get unstuck from problem gambling.

You get to benefit from the experience and wisdom of two guests. Jen Gregg has been a counsellor with Gambling Support BC for more than twenty years and has great insight into what is needed to overcome gambling problems. She's joined by Adam, a former poker player, who knows first hand how gambling can get out of hand when you least expect it to happen to you. He tells us about the bumpy road of fully accepting he had a gambling problem and how he was able to rebuild his life after being honest with himself and others.

Listen now and hear:

• That it's common to be struggling with gambling, and despite this, not want to let it go
• That facing the facts about your gambling is a crucial steps towards changing it
• Practical tips for getting unstuck from gambling problems through acceptance

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog for episode 88 at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

With easy access to sports betting, many people are finding it has become a daily habit. Over time, it can take up more time, focus and money and stall your life.

In this episode of Fold em, hear from James, a passionate traveller and podcaster, who was swept into this world but has since reclaimed his life. We delve into the impact of sports betting on him, his decision to step back from it, and how he has rediscovered other passions.

Listen to episode 87 and hear about:

• Taking an honest look at the time, energy and money going into sports betting
• Strategies for pulling back
• What to say to friends, when you decrease or stop betting
• How to handle free time and boredom when you're gambling less

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog for episode 87 at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca. Reach out to James at the Winging it Travel Podcast.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

In this insightful episode, Regina, a seasoned member of Gam-Anon with nearly 50 years of experience, discusses three vital themes for those impacted by a loved one's gambling problem. Regina talks about the difference between support and enabling, and how to detach with love. She also helps listeners recognize common emotional games that show up with gambling problems.

Listen to episode 86 and learn:

• How gambling problems impact those closest to the gambler
• How to support rather than enable
• How to pull away from the emotional games that come up in relationships impacted by gambling problems
• How to keep yourself grounded, even if the gambler isn't ready to stop

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. You can also learn more from reading the literature written by members of Gam-Anon. It is available in print or e-book format and can be purchased on the Gam-Anon website or through Amazon.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can send us an email to [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Has gambling got you down? You're not the only one. Tune in to this episode and learn what you can do about it.

Hear from Chris about how gambling was the norm with his group of friends during their twenties. When he started online gambling, it became more and more consuming. He started gambling by himself, the bets came faster, and he gambled for longer periods of time.

Chris talks about the bumpy road of stopping gambling. He had been able to stop drinking and drugs cold turkey and on his own. This didn't work with gambling. He shares what helped him to stop and turn his life around. Chris brings a lot of wisdom to this conversation - from his four years of being bet free, as a long-time participant and host of online meetings, and from doing his own research and studies on addiction and the brain.

Listen now and learn:

• Why gambling gets out of control
• What helped Chris to pull back from gambling and stay away
• How to connect with Chris and others who understand gambling problems and are willing to help

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.

Chris says he has connected with many compulsive gamblers around the world via email. He shared his email address for anyone who would like to write him - [email protected]

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also reach out through [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

With cigarettes and alcohol, we take steps to protect those who use these products AND society in general from related harms. For example, there are age requirements to buy alcohol. We also see images and warnings of disease caused by smoking on a pack of cigarettes.

Many say that more needs to be done to limit gambling-related harms, particularly for people who are most vulnerable to this.

In this episode, you get to hear from Dr. Nigel Turner, a Scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto. He has a talent for speaking in a really simple, clear and engaging way about gambling issues. It's a great interview.

Listen now to hear about:

• What do we know about gambling harms? Who is most vulnerable?
• To protect myself from gambling harms, what do I need to know about the house edge and gambling odds?
• What is being done around the world to reduce gambling harms?
• What more could be done by the gambling industry, public health and individual gamblers to reduce gambling harms?

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog for episode 84 at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca You can also read the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's recent Gambling Policy Framework.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us through Facebook or Instagram Find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also email at [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Hear a personal story of working through the Twelve Steps of Recovery and how it helped Georgete break free of a recurring and destructive gambling problem. Learn what's involved with each step and how you can access this recovery program.

Georgete shares how working through the Twelve Steps with a sponsor and attending online meetings through Recovery Road Online helped her to reach one year gambling free. She shares how the Twelve Steps taught her important skills for living a better life.

Listen now and get answers to these questions:

• What are the Twelve Steps? How can this program help someone who has struggled with gambling?
• What's involved with each of the Twelve Steps?
• Will working through the Twelve Steps benefit me if I'm unsure about connecting with a Higher Power?

Share this episode with someone who will find it helpful. Our hope at Fold em is to help people struggling with gambling to connect with support.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services. Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada: click here

United States: National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom: GamCare

Australia: Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with a Twelve Step Recovery program, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

To connect with other supports for gambling problems, here's more options:

The Broke Girl Society

GamTalk

SMART Recovery

To read a summary of this podcast, check out the blog at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast. You can also email us at [email protected]. We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.