Hotlines Crisis Lines & Social Services Emergency Assistance The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc

• Check your health insurance list of behavioral healthcare providers to see if any specialize in gambling or other addictions. A yes answer to any of the three questions means that it might be helpful to see a healthcare provider for further assessment. Keep in mind that most people with a gambling problem have another psychiatric problem that needs to be addressed along with the excessive gambling.

Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may be effective for someone with a gambling addiction. While peer support can be a valuable component of recovery, professional treatment may also be necessary. Problem gambling can have serious financial, emotional and psychological consequences, and some individuals may require professional treatment to effectively address these concerns. Peer support can complement formal treatment options and help individuals stay connected in their recovery journey. State-specific helplines are beneficial in gathering data in relation to gambling addiction in states where sports betting has been legalized.

Best of all, your contact to the HelpLine is completely free and confidential. An online support forum for individuals dealing with problem gambling or gambling addiction. It provides a platform for people to share their experiences, offer support to one another and seek advice on how to overcome gambling-related challenges. SMART Recovery is a science-based, self-help organization and support group program designed to assist individuals in overcoming addiction and addictive behaviors.

If you feel the need for further assessment or want to talk to a healthcare provider, there are various ways to find help. If that is the case, consider using two free, online, confidential resources. Understand how addictive behaviours develop and learn practical management strategies that can lead to better mental health and a more balanced, fulfilling life.

About the National Problem Gambling Helpline

Lifeline’s Service Finder is an online directory of free or low-cost health and community services in Australia. BetStop is the National Self-Exclusion Register that lets you exclude yourself from all Australian licensed online and phone wagering services. “Our greatest fear is that people in crisis will pick up the phone, or send a text, and find no one on the other end,” said Jaime Costello, director of programs at NCPG. The NCPG collects and analyzes data from problem gambling calls, often to illustrate the danger of addiction to betting. But not every state that uses GAMBLER shares its statistics with the national council. Del Orbe told CNBC his organization felt NCPG was “weaponizing the number,” demanding data on problem gambling from local councils and threatening to bar them from the hotline if they refused.

The Florida gambling hotline saw an 88% increase in calls related to gambling addiction support in 2024. In 2023 Florida received 34,000 calls for support with problem gambling, which increased to 61,000 in 2024. Birches Health focuses specifically on offering specialized, virtual counseling for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. Birches provides direct access to a care team of problem gambling-certified counselors, with the virtual treatment allowing it from the comfort of one’s own home to remove the logistical barriers of travel and schedule changes. Birches also accepts most major insurance plans to help keep care affordable for those who need it.

The acronym “SMART” stands for “Self-Management and Recovery Training,” which reflects the program’s emphasis on empowering individuals to take control of their recovery journey. SMART Recovery is popular among those who may not resonate with the spiritual or 12-step aspects of traditional recovery programs. It is worth mentioning that in the fragmented system of some states having their own numbers, the National Problem Gambling Helpline can also route individuals directly to their local state hotline number. The NCPG is also actively working with contact centers to obtain permission to use data from hotline calls, chats and texts to gain better insight into problem gambling trends.

• With 27 contact centers operating around the clock and serving all 50 states, the National Problem Gambling Helpline can help.
• The FCCG also provides access to emergency supports through a wide range of vital social services referrals.
• Gam-Anon is a large network of support groups for individuals affected by someone else’s gambling addiction.
• The organization works to improve health and wellness by reducing the personal, social and economic costs of problem gambling.
• • Check your health insurance list of behavioral healthcare providers to see if any specialize in gambling or other addictions.

Is contacting 1-800-522-4700 confidential?

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a fellowship of men and women who have come together to help themselves and others recover from a gambling problem. GA meetings provide a safe and confidential space for individuals to share their experiences, strengths and hope. Members support each other in their efforts to quit gambling and stay abstinent. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) was formed in 1972 as a response to a need for the development of policies and programs for those affected by problem gambling. In 2021, a modernization project was launched in an effort to make access to gambling resources more comprehensive and user friendly, starting with a central number that could be used across all 50 states in the country. • Finally, you can call the free, confidential helpline number — GAMBLER coordinated by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

Finding the right treatment program involves careful consideration of such things as the setting, length of care, philosophical approach and your or your loved one’s needs. Use the Lifeline Service Finder to search for more local and national services available to help support you. “Thousands of individuals and families could suddenly find themselves without access to the only national lifeline for problem gambling,” said Amanda Szmuc, an attorney with Offit Kurman. Problem gambling is a brutal, progressive disorder that sees affected individuals unable to stop betting, even in the face of losses.

• You can consult your state’s department of health to find out about licensed healthcare providers such as psychologists, social workers, or counselors. Check to see if the state certifies specialists in gambling disorder or if there are free treatment resources available. Many of the public health departments in the states operate a helpline for this purpose. The Mental Health Hotline is a national number you can call for help with any mental disorder, including a gambling https://gullybetofficial.com/ addiction. When you need support for a gambling addiction, the counselors who take your call can connect you with local mental health providers to give you access to ongoing treatment.

This compulsive need to bet frequently, or to bet increasing sums of money, destroys both lives and relationships. Whether it’s sports-betting, casino games, lottery tickets or online poker, gambling continues to grow in popularity and has become more easily accessible than ever before. For many, gambling is a harmless form of entertainment, but for some, it becomes a crippling disorder that can destroy lives and families. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is the only national nonprofit organization that seeks to mitigate gambling-related harm. The organization works to improve health and wellness by reducing the personal, social and economic costs of problem gambling.

How do calls to 1-800-522-4700 get routed?

Answer each question honestly by choosing ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to understand if it’s time to consider changes or seek support for your behavior. Second, if you are thinking about changing your gambling behavior, click on this link for Your First Step to Change – Gambling. It might help you decide if you need to change your gambling or seek outside help. On Monday, the New Jersey Supreme Court denied NCPG’s request for an emergency stay, a last ditch effort to keep the number from reverting to the local council. And it prompted a brief but intense legal battle over who has the right or the moral imperative to operate the closest thing the U.S. has to a national gambling hotline. The booming business of betting across America has led to soaring concerns over problem gambling.

This data can help drive policy and advocacy moving forward as the fight against gambling addiction continues. With 27 contact centers operating around the clock and serving all 50 states, the National Problem Gambling Helpline can help. You can call, text or chat with a trained counselor who can provide information about self-assessments and local resources for treatment. New Jersey experienced a 277% increase to their state specific gambling hotline since the state legalized online sports betting in 2018.

New Jersey also reported that 100% of recent calls to the hotline were from males under the age of 25 that were struggling with behaviors related to sports betting. Ultimately, anytime someone can’t stop when they’ve reached their financial limit, it’s time to call a hotline for compulsive gambling. With the right support and treatment, many people can leave gambling in the past.

Get free, confidential referral services through the SAMHSA National Helpline. Volunteer counselors lend an empathetic ear and provide information about local support groups, community-based services and treatment facilities to get you started on a gambling-free lifestyle. The first step to getting help for gambling issues is to acknowledge the problem and reach out. There are many national and local resources available to help you or a loved one connect with treatment. Treatment typically involves therapy and support groups and may include medications to help.

The NCPG website also has a list of state councils on problem gambling that might be able to connect you to treatment services in your area. While most other problem gambling support options focus on the people dealing with the addiction, Gam-Anon specializes in helping those impacted by others’ gambling-related challenges. Those impacts can be significant in many cases, so the support offered by Gam-Anon is critical and highly commendable. Gambling is a fun leisure activity for many, but sometimes, the rush of winning can make it difficult to stop.

If you’re hoping to learn more about problem gambling — what it is, who’s at risk, how it develops, and more — this list of FAQs is the right place to begin.

The FCCG also provides access to emergency supports through a wide range of vital social services referrals. These are places where individuals in need can find immediate supports for food, housing, clothing and possible financial assistance with rent and utility payments. Although social services are not a therapeutic resource, they are sometimes necessary to address immediate needs in critical areas of life that may have been damaged by the gambling addiction.

These support options can be valuable in the recovery process as they provide a sense of connection, empathy and shared experience. Gam-Anon is a large network of support groups for individuals affected by someone else’s gambling addiction. Gam-Anon follows a 12-step self-help model that encourages fellowship, guidance and mutual support through shared experiences. In addition to meetings, Gam-Anon offers literature and info on their website as well. It can be overwhelming to know where to start with problem gambling resources. Contact the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine today, and speak to a Specialist who will listen to your situation and connect you with the best resources for gambling addiction, whether you are worried about your own gambling or that of a loved one.

Someone who starts gambling for fun might not be able to walk away from the tables when their finances can’t support the next bet. Instead of taking the loss and walking away, someone with a gambling disorder might reach for a credit card or take out a loan to keep playing. A gambling disorder helpline might be the best help you can give in these situations. The National Debt Helpline provides free, independent and confidential financial counselling with a qualified professional via phone or live chat Monday to Friday. Del Orbe of the New Jersey organization said his staff is prepared for an increase in calls. When calls come into his office after-hours, they’re forwarded to a 24-hour call center in Louisiana — the same one that services many states and local jurisdictions that funnel through GAMBLER, he said.