Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems

Most of us encounter gambling daily in our communities.  There's scratch and lottery tickets at the gas station, sports pools at work, and bingo down the road.  In addition, there's all the gambling we encounter in fundraising - the 50/50 draws at local sporting events as well as raffles and community bingo.  Do you think of all of these as gambling?  Do you ever have conversations with family, fr...

After finding out that your spouse has a gambling problem or has had a relapse, it's understandable that you feel like your life has been turned upside down.  You likely are feeling shock, anger and hurt because of the secrecy that typically comes with gambling problems.  Stress and anxiety are also high because your financial security and trust with your spouse is on shaky ground. In this episode...

When you have concerns about someone's gambling, it's not easy to talk about.  It's often challenging to prevent these conversations from going off the rails. In this episode, we offer guidance for these tricky conversations.  Spouses, family members and friends will hear strategies to use when first talking about gambling or if you suspect there has been a relapse.  If you are someone who gambles...

When dealing with gambling problems, many people worry about switching to another bad habit or addiction.  It's important to pay attention to this because switching or substituting addictions (also called cross addiction) can be frustrating, de-moralizing and really dammaging to a person's life. In this episode of Fold em, we tell you what you need to know about switching addictions so you are mor...

Saul grew up betting on fantasy baseball.   He says it was "a part of my life" and "what tied my group of friends together."  In college, when a friend suggested they bet on sports with a bookie he didn't think much about it before saying "I'm in."  Saul's experience is pretty typical.  According to the National Council on Problem Gambling , about 67% of college students bet on sports.  They also...

Lots of people are playing fantasy sports.  For some, particularly when you play daily or with multiple lineups, it can take up increasing amounts of time, focus and money.  Steve Delaney joins us to share his experiences with this and how, for him, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) turned into something that was stressful, costly and all-consuming.   Listen now to this episode and hear about: The tricky...

When spouses and family members learn about a loved one's gambling problem, money issues come into the open.  Usually this involves debt and it feels overwhelming and emotional.  Typically, people don't know what to do.  There is often a reflex to step in and pay things off quickly. In this episode of Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems, we offer guidance for spouses, family members and the person...

It's not easy to talk openly about gambling issues.  Nor is it easy to talk about living with mental health issues.  In this episode, hear an open, thoughtful and inspiring conversation about one man's experiences with Bipolar Disorder and how this contributed to drinking, gambling and gaming getting out of hand for him.  Hear how he is now free of gambling and living well.  He teaches us about ho...

It can be frustrating if you've promised yourself to pull back from gambling and then find you're back at it again.  Sometimes this happens the next day.  Sometimes after a month, year or more.   It's not easy or simple to stay away from gambling when you're really hooked in to it.  But as difficult as setbacks are, it's an opportunity to see more clearly what you need to do differently going forw...

John Woods knows a lot about gambling addiction.  He gambled for 30 years and tried it all - slots, horse races, online poker and sports betting.  John knows about hitting rock bottom because of gambling, the promises you make to yourself to stop, and the tricky ways it pulls you back in.  But most importantly, he has first hand experience with overcoming a gambling addiction and is six years from...

Gambling problems put a huge strain on relationships and finances.  It's hard to know what to do and where to turn for help. Listen to this episode to hear from someone who gets it and got through it.  Jane talks openly about how her marriage and family were impacted by her husband's gambling, what she learned from relapses, and what helped to stabilize their finances and rebuild the relationship...

When gambling becomes a habit, you likely are not even aware of having urges and cravings to gamble.  You just do it automatically.  When you decide to pull back or stop gambling, then you might notice that it's hard to resist urges to gamble. In this episode, we help you to slow things down and notice gambling triggers, urges and cravings.  We also offer strategies for riding through these, so yo...

As you gamble more, it's common to notice more urges and impulses to gamble.  These cravings can lead to gambling becoming a habit.  They also can make it hard to decrease or stop gambling. In this episode, I'm joined by Kari Olson , who is a counsellor with Gambling Support BC who specializing in gambling problems, substance addiction and trauma.  She helps us to understand why cravings happen an...

The expansion of sports betting in North America had a headstart in the United Kingdom.  In this episode, hear from James who lived through this in Britain.  He talks about the impact on him of increased online access to sports betting and betting groups.  And how what was once a Saturday afternoon trip to the betting shop to wager on a football game shifted into a daily habit on his phone. Listen...

I'm joined by SIX people who host and produce podcasts about gambling problems.  They all have personal experience with this issue and have done a lot of work to address it, so don't miss this conversation.  Hear about all of their podcasts and what each can offer you.  For those making New Year's resolutions listen to a great discussion about how to kick start doing things differently with gambli...

The holiday season can bring more exposure to gambling - through gifting scratch and lottery products, invitations to meet at the casino, or family and friends placing a bet on a card game or sporting event. In this episode, Tracy Tsui , who provides gambling outreach support joins me.  We talk about why it is important to pay attention to gambling over the holidays, especially with young people. ...

As people face gambling problems, it's common to feel low, stressed and anxious.  You may feel relief from opening up about this issue but find that feelings of shame and guilt are hard to shake.  As you return to activities that used to be enjoyable, or do things to help yourself feel better, it feels flat. In this episode of Fold em, our brain experts return to help us make sense of this.  Deird...

There is no question that gambling problems are stressful and difficult.  But, can good things emerge from these problems for you and your life? In this episode, hear from Julie who recently marked three years without gambling.  She is joined by her counsellor, Allison Rice .  They talk about all the ways that life has changed for the better for Julie and what has contributed to this, as well as t...

Problem gambling leads people to do things they wouldn't normally do.  For some, this includes committing a financial crime, such as forgery, embezzlement and theft.  These crimes come about as a way to deal with debt and to get money to gamble.  Facing a gambling problem is hard enough, but when it also involves dealing with charges and the court system, it is really hard.   Hear from Brian who s...

In this episode, hear from Marcia about how she not only stopped gambling, but also made changes to how she and her partner handle money.  Almost two-years in, she tell us "It feels amazing to not be worried about money.  Having that security also helps my gambling recovery." Amanda Martin, from the Credit Counselling Society , also returns to Fold em and offers tips for taking charge of your mone...

For some, gambling leads to a situation where you can't pay your bills and debts when they are due.  This is incredibly stressful.  Listen now to hear about two options for addressing insolvency: a consumer proposal and personal bankruptcy. Blair Mantin , a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and President of Sands and Associates, joins me in this episode.  He answers common questions about insolvency pro...

With gambling debt, it can feel like you're backed into a corner.  But, there are options for moving forward besides hoping for a big win. In this episode, hear Adrian share his story of stopping gambling and getting out of a tough cycle with payday loan companies and living pay cheque to pay cheque.  Amanda Martin , a Financial Educator with the Credit Counselling Society , shares essential tips...

The ads with celebrity endorsements and incentives to give sports betting a try are everywhere.  Hear from Joel Soper , a compulsive gambler who knows the industry well, about the risks and downsides of sports betting. Listen now to this episode and learn about: Joel's personal experience with sports gambling Why it's hard to pull away from sports betting once you're in action Ideas for decreasing...

It's common to get caught up in the emotions of gambling.  Who hasn't had thoughts such as, "I'm on a lucky streak!" or "I'm due for a win anytime." In this episode, we share examples of how our thinking gets off track because of the emotions of gambling.  We present some facts to help you think straight and keep gambling in control. Learn about: how the random number generators in slot machines w...

How do you know if gambling is a problem?  In this episode we help you to recognize the warning signs of a gambling problem.  We also offer guidance on next steps to take if you or a loved one have concerns about gambling. Listen now to learn about: seven warning signs of a gambling problem what to do if you notice signs of a gambling problem in yourself or someone you care about where to get supp...