Welcome to Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life. I’m your host, Jimmy M.

Today’s episode is one of truth, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to begin again.

My guest, Brian R is here to share the history of his gambling, his personal admission of powerlessness and the unmanageability that followed. This is more than a list of consequences. This is a look inside the life of someone who spent decades chasing bets, hiding lies, and losing pieces of himself along the way.

Brian’s story began when he was just eight years old, betting on fantasy football with his Father. From scratch-off tickets in high school to online sports betting as an adult, the progression was steady, and dangerous. Gambling became his escape, his obsession, and eventually, his secret. He lost trust. He lost his marriage. He lost himself.

And he lost time with the people who mattered most, his children. Even when he was physically present, he wasn’t really there. Gambling consumed his thoughts, his emotions, his energy. It robbed him of being the father he wanted to be.

But then came one moment. One phone call. To his sister.

That call changed everything. It cracked the shell of silence that addiction thrives in. It was the first real act of surrender, the moment he said, I can’t do this anymore. And from that phone call, recovery began.

And today, recovery has given Brian something he never thought was possible: a real connection with his kids. One built on presence, honesty, and love.

This episode isn’t about shame, it’s about truth. It’s about the raw courage it takes to say, my life is out of control, and I can’t do this on my own anymore. I need help. It’s about finding the strength to walk away from destruction and take a step toward healing.