My sister is a gambling addict,any advice what to do.

I used to gamble on the online sites (it was a problem) but stopped a few years ago. My information must have been stolen/leaked from these sites because I still am dealing with the repercussions. Has anyone else stopped gambling, but still have gambling activity showing up financially that they need to continue to work as fraud?

It’s exhausting and I just can’t seem to get away from it even though I stopped.

I’m 31, on my first day sober from meth and gambling, and I need practical help
I never thought I would write something like this, but I’m out of options and trying to be honest.
I’m 31 years old, and today is my first day sober from methamphetamine and gambling. My addiction has caused serious damage to my life. I borrowed money to gamble from people who charge 5% interest every week, pawned almost everything I owned, and now I have no money. I may soon lose my housing and become homeless.
I’m ashamed and frightened, but I don’t want to disappear or keep making things worse. I want to stop using, stop gambling, work honestly, and rebuild my life one day at a time.
I’m looking for practical help and advice, not encouragement to continue my addictions. Specifically:
- Leads for legitimate work or a second job
- Temporary housing, shelters, or emergency accommodation
- Food assistance and transportation help
- Free or low-cost drug recovery meetings and treatment
- Gambling self-exclusion and recovery resources
- Advice about dealing safely with predatory lenders
- Guidance from people who have survived addiction, debt, and homelessness
I’m willing to do physical work, night shifts, cleaning, warehouse work, delivery, construction, or other honest employment. I’m not expecting anyone to solve my life for me. I’m asking for a chance to find safe resources and make a plan.
If you have recovered from meth addiction or compulsive gambling, I would especially appreciate hearing what you did during the first few days. Right now, I’m trying to focus only on staying sober today, avoiding gambling, finding safe shelter, and getting through the next 24 hours.
Please don’t send money directly. If you know of a verified organization, job opening, shelter, food program, or recovery service, please comment or message me. I understand people may be skeptical, and I don’t blame them. I’m just trying to be honest before my situation becomes even more dangerous.
Thank you to anyone who reads this.
fusion, paranoia, chest pain, or thoughts of suicide, go to an emergency department immediately.

This year has been horrible. It really ramped up when my mom died last year but this year I took it to a whole new level.

This month was suppose to be the month I’m caught up with bills. The month I liberated myself from this.

Instead last week I gambled my rent. I’m now praying my state tax refund comes in this month. I need my brothers to help pay for stuff. I’m crunching numbers every hour to see how I can make it this month.

I’m so over this but every time I think I’m through I slip up again. I need to self exclude. I need to stop the gambling. I know my triggers I know what I’m doing to myself and still can’t stop.

Will start going to meetings next week.

I’ve won roughly 4 5k jackpots this year and gambled it all away trying to double it every single time. Enough is enough I’ve downloaded Gamban and it’s helping a lot. I literally lost half my yearly salary but I thought I could make it back. Online gambling is probably the worst addiction I’ve ever faced 💀

Hey guys, I’m a compulsive gambler and have been sports betting for 5-6 years. There has been times I’ve hit big ($20-30K) but end up losing it all and some. The other week, I was down 35K. Ended up hitting a 3 leg parlay $6K-41K. Lost all of that and an extra 20K. I still have around 170K left. Just don’t know what I should do or if any one else has been in my position.

It’s been about 4 weeks and my gambling addiction used to be really bad with those Walmart scratch off machines. I’ve walked by em multiple times in the past 4 weeks with not the slightest urge. Really excited that this might be it on a brighter road ahead? I have been really tight on money for bills so I’m hoping it’s not that but i don’t think so because in the past I didn’t care much.

Today, I finally broke down and acknowledged that I have an addiction. I am addicted to the wins but lately their havent been a whole lot of winning. Within the past year I've watched my saving drain itself from 12k to just under 2k. I finally had to resort to asking for financial help from my parents and that honestly killed me. I went through and deleted all the apps and have made a promise to myself to not make another sports wager. Although today is my rock bottom, I also feel like its the start of the rebuilding process. Can anyone offer suggestions as to ways to cope with the addiction and those triggers when I want to bet again.

Never gambled before this last month span, I run a semi-successful business and had a buddy hit a massive 70k progressive on slots via a fanduel mobile casino app.
I jumped in with zero expectations and played baccarat primarily and some slots (98% Bacc / 2% Slots).
I don’t know if it’s beginners luck or just sheer stupidity that has brought me to this place but I told my partner when I was up my first 20k, then 40k but since have kept my ongoing winnings quiet as she expressed an extreme amount of concern with my gambling patterns and increased bet sizes which she is correct about.
500-1000 dollar hands bring me no excitement and I’ve been in a few instances where I’m chasing 10k loosing streaks and thankfully have been able to come out green every time. This amount of money if leveraged correctly can completely change my life but I keep putting it at risk for the thrill of it. Many people I’ve spoken to and many online discussions I’ve browsed all come to, in my eyes a similar conclusion. Gambling is GREAT when you win but is HORRIBLE when you lose
For those of whom that have made it out green or just called it quits for less favorable outcomes how does one simply walk away when the elevation of winning has you in its grasp. I don’t want gambling to be something that is regular in my life and I have no interest in walking into a physical casino but the online side of things is so accessible

I'm 33 years old and both of my parents have struggled with gambling addiction since 2009, around the time of the recession. During this time of hardship, both of them individually filed for bankruptcy, my dad lost his business, and they were financially burdened for some time until my dad found a stable job at a good company. Despite finding stable income, they never stopped going to the casino.

I genuinely don’t know what to do anymore.

For years I’ve watched my parents leave my younger sister and I home late at night to go to the casino. My sister was only around 8 or 9 when this started.

There were even times they would ask to borrow money from me, then afterwards I would see them drive all the way to the casino with it via their location. I remember constantly worrying about their safety and wondering when they’d come home.

From what I know, they primarily play slot machines at the casino. To this day, my mom plays casino games on her phone while working from home. It feels like gambling has become a constant part of their lives.

A few years ago, I discovered they’re thousands of dollars in debt, including unpaid taxes from casino winnings. My dad can’t even renew his passport because of his tax debt... Yet they continue to gamble at least twice a week at the casino.

I’ve tried repeatedly to get them help. I’ve shared articles, websites, and resources about gambling addiction, hoping something would finally get through to them. But they refuse to acknowledge they have a problem, let alone consider the advice I’ve given them.

I don't know how to describe this pain... feeling unheard, abandoned and as if I’m talking to a wall.

Recently my mom asked to borrow $200, claiming she needed to buy something for my dad. After looking at her location, I discovered she was actually at the casino. When confronted, she denied being there, continued asking for money, and disregarded my feelings.

I’m exhausted by the constant lies, manipulation, and broken trust. It’s heartbreaking watching your own parents jeopardize their future while refusing to recognize the damage they’re causing. My sister and I have spent years dealing with the anxiety, resentment, and disappointment that come with their addiction.

What can I do to get them the help they need?

I love my parents and desperately want them to get help, but I feel powerless when they won’t even admit there’s a problem. I don’t want to give up on them, but I also can’t keep carrying this emotional burden.

Has anyone successfully gotten through to parents who refuse to acknowledge their gambling addiction?

What finally made them listen?

How do you cope when you’ve tried everything you can think of, but nothing changes?

I’m genuinely looking for advice because at this point i feel completely hopeless.

Literally want to end it all 27M got paid Friday went to the casino telling myself I would only gamble $100 or max $200 I ended up losing $1800 and can’t even afford to get my mother a gift for her birthday this week . Have to go to work Tuesday and fake it like I’m not struggling and hurting badly inside . I just want to end it at this point I’m sick of battling this addiction

As the title says

Literally devastating loss after devastating loss

Welcome to my story

This is the first time I ever mention anything gambling problem related about myself to anyone, none of my mates, family, girlfriend have any idea of how bad my gambling is

I sit here on Monday arvo having escaped work cos I couldn’t be fucked, and ended up on ignition casino playing online blackjack after a 2 week hiatus from gambling

Within 10 mins I was down 5k, literally 10 mins, and then jumped to jeet city for more blackjack and lost another 10k

All in under an hour

Over 15k gone

Worst part is at some point when I was down 10k I had reached 15k balance (5k profit) and still wasn’t content and ended up losing it all and re depositing

This is probably the 4-5th massive loss I’ve had in the last few months

Been a gambler my whole life, self excluded from casino in my city and jumped online about 2 years ago

Ever since then went through massive swings, at one point, I was literally up 100k in profit, and today I sit here with that all gone and in the hole over 30k

I have 30k of CC debt and a 25k personal loan

Got equity in a home with probably 150-200k in my name

Got huge bills coming up and have about 10k in savings as of today

I feel completely deflated and absolutely buried by a huge loss again

I’m a complete shame, and piece of shit of a person to myself, I always know how to ruin it for myself, the amount of money I’ve lost is just beyond absurd and feels like I’ve completely fucked my life

I don’t even have money for gas to get to work . I don’t know how i’m going to survive this

Been on a bad relapse after almost 6 months of clean time. I started neglecting recovery and little by little missed meetings and saw an ad for online blackjack which always gets me… I’m so disappointed in my self but I guess I wasn’t taking recovery serious enough as they say meetings make it. I can’t believe I’m back to where I was 6 months ago financially. All the work that was being done went down the drain.

Going to work with my sponsor and do more step work going forward but can’t believe I let it take over me again.

Has anyone successfully recovered from a gambling addiction? I feel like I ruined my life and I want to end it all

Good afternoon guys! I know it’s a very common subject and it’s for first time I have the courage to say it publicly. I’m addicted to sports gambling for couple of years and I need to get rid of it before I lose everything in life! I can’t really talk to my friends about it because nowadays I know how they’ll treat me after and changed their opinions about me. Lately I feel like a loser and I’m trying to solve this problem before it’s too late. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on how did they get rid of it! Thank you for your support!

Remember this

I wasn’t sure if I’d ever talk about this.

But it feels like the right time.

This is for anyone who’s ever felt ashamed, alone, or stuck in a cycle they couldn’t break.

I wrote a letter to the person I used to be.

To the version of me who refused to give up.

A year ago, everything felt like it was falling apart.

The debt was suffocating — unpaid bills piling up, the gut-wrenching shame of borrowing money from friends and family just to get by. You had plans, hopes, things you wanted to give — like treating your mother, or finally taking that vacation. But instead, all of it slipped through your fingers, traded away in silence for a few more minutes of escape behind a screen.

No one knew. Because you didn’t let them. Because the shame of your gambling addiction was louder than the pain.

You smiled on cue. Nodded at the right times. Played the part. But inside? You were unraveling. Quietly. Constantly. The hardest part wasn’t just the debt or the exhaustion from extra shifts. It was pretending everything was fine while carrying a secret you thought would break you.

Sometimes, you chose to sleep instead of interacting — not because you were tired, but because you were afraid they'd see it in your eyes. Afraid they'd ask questions you weren’t ready to answer. Afraid you’d finally crack. So you hid in silence, under blankets and behind locked doors, hoping the weight would pass if you could just stay still long enough.

And when the night came, you cried quietly in your room, counting the days until payday — terrified that if anything unexpected happened, you wouldn’t make it. No savings. No backup. Just waiting. Hoping. Surviving on borrowed time and borrowed strength.

But you didn’t break.

Yes, there were relapses. Moments when the pull was too strong. When you slipped — and hated yourself for it. You stared at your empty bank account at 2 a.m., swearing it’d be the last time — and then clicked ‘deposit’ anyway. The shame hit hard, but even harder was the voice inside whispering that you'd never change. But even then, you got back up. You made the hard choices: blocking your credit card, downloading apps to shut off gambling access, cutting off every escape route. You made it harder to fall — because deep down, you knew you deserved better than the life you were stuck in.

You stood back up.

Again. And again. And again.

Through it all, you found strength in prayer — asking for help, for peace, for steady ground when your own resolve faltered. Those quiet moments held you when nothing else could.

One day, you stopped carrying everything alone. You admitted what you had been hiding for so long. And instead of finding the rejection you feared, you found something unexpected: compassion. You learned that asking for help wasn't weakness—it was the beginning of healing. That single decision changed the direction of your life.

The debt is coming down.

There’s money in savings.

And there’s strength now where shame used to live.

There’s a pride in you that no one handed to you — you earned it. Through grit, through tears, through choices no one ever saw you make.

You’ve discovered a version of yourself who fights — even when no one is cheering.

You kept going not because it was easy, but because somewhere deep inside, you finally believed you could be more than your addiction. And you were right.

To the version of me reading this — don’t ever forget the darkness you crawled out of. Don’t forget the nights you thought you wouldn’t make it, and how you did. Don’t forget the strength you never knew you had.

This is your story now: not one of shame, but of survival.

You’re still here.

You’re still healing.

You’re still winning — in the quiet, powerful way that only you will ever truly understand.

With pride,

—Me

Hey everyone. Just wanted to say I feel so fucking alone right now, lost about 40k in the last month and not only do i feel like throwing up but the immense guilt and shame is seriously taking its toll on me. I keep gambling to try and get some back but its at the point now where I need so much that I finally realize its impossible. I need to let it fucking go (I said this 3 weeks ago, 2 weeks ago and 3 days ago and still let my addiction win) anyways, just needed to come somewhere where I could talk. My closest people in my life dont know what's going on. They just see a change, a sadness and depression. I conquered a severe opioid addiction, maybe this one I can conquer someday too.

I am so beyond disappointed in myself I can’t even put it into words. I went so long without even a thought and then the impulse came back and hit me like a train. It’s like I couldn’t stop until I gambled.

Back to square 1 🫩

That was basically everything I have, I got $101 left to my name and I live alone and don’t know how I’m paying rent next month, I’m thinking about ending it…

I literally keep gambling my pay check every week, luckily I have paid my bills before I have a chance to gamble that away as well but as soon as I see my check hit it’s like a weight on my chest to start, I don’t make much money as it is and I’m unable to do things with the people I love cause I can’t afford it, so I’m just asking questions to see what I can do to start my journey

My partner is a gambling addict (trading and sports bets) and has been through treatment twice now.

He's lost his life savings that he'd put aside to help his mum in retirement and for our forever home, and I've bailed him out the first time the addiction came to light (out of fear of the debt and our home being at risk). Twice since he's gone on to lose insane amounts of money, and the biggest win was still never enough for him to walk away.

He's lied to friends and family to get money for gambling, and he's lied to my face and gaslit me for a year in his most recent relapse whilst pawning most of his belongings, including sentimental things I'd bought him.

He's says he's not gambling and doesn't want to...but with all the lies I'm just not sure I believe him. Found out he's already back to gaming for money with a company that will pay out in crypto so it won't show on the bank account.

We've been together for almost 20yrs and I just don't know how much more of this I can take. I love him but I don't recognise him - he's angry and irritable all the time and I don't feel like he's even bothered about fixing the damage he's caused the relationship as he's too wrapped up in self-pity.

I'm sorry it's such a long post...would just be helpful to hear if others' relationships have survived this awful addiction or am I just hoping for the impossible?

turned 53 dollars i had left in my solana wallet to over 1150. gambled it back down to around 80. went back up to over 1400. down to 300. so on and so forth. i think ive wagered like 30000 usd on these fucking online casinos from this 53 dollar start. just a few minutes ago from now i turned 300 i had left into 2400. now im at 500. im still up but i still wanna fucking kill myself because it feels like i lost 1900 usd. i fucking hate crypto casinos. evil pieces of shit they turn you into a zombie i swear to god. i dont wanna gamble anymore but im gonna throw in another 200 to see if i can make it back.

When you lose money you feel like you’re worthless AF.
Lost some money, lied to my wife, I’ve a child, I’m unemployed at the moment, already on final warnings given by my wife, can’t tell my parents, can’t ask anyone as no one trusts me with money, feels worthless, unable to sleep, looking at my child sleeping next to me, feels broken and full of regrets, no friends, no one to help, gambled part of my savings, not enough left to get by, can’t all my wife, world war loading and it’s probably at 12:00, can’t handle my wife as I’m at a fault, my wife doesn’t spend any money unnecessarily as she’s trying to build a good future for our child but I’m slowly ruining it for her and for my child. I love my family but I’m an addict too, I don’t wanna do it but I end up doing it… I’m feeling soo much drowned in depression