The Gambling Addiction Program is a community-based program designed to serve individuals and family members who are experiencing problems as a result of compulsive or pathological gambling.

About the Program
Compulsive gambling is not a problem for most people. For others, gambling can become a real-life tragedy—devastating families, careers, friendships, goals, finances and may even lead to suicide. In Minnesota, compulsive gambling problems have been identified and treated in teens, adults and seniors.

Gambling Addiction Program services include:

• evaluation
• assessment
• treatment
• aftercare
• family therapy
• family education
• one-to-one therapy

Getting Help
We recognize that compulsive gambling is a chronic and progressive disease and we encourage the concerned persons to become involved in program education, family therapy and one-to-one counseling as needed.

The length of the program is open-ended and dependent on the progress of each individual. Gamblers Anonymous' (GA) 12-step program of recovery is utilized in our treatment approach.

Warning Signs

• Preoccupation with gambling
• Gambling more often with increased amounts of money
• Being dishonest and sensitive about amount of money spent on gambling
• Gambling interfering with family responsibilities
• The need to gamble more to "make up" for losses
• Gambling interfering with job responsibilities
• Involvement in illegal activities due to gambling debt/spending
• Gambling used to find relief from feelings (hurt, anger, depression, boredom)
• Inability to control gambling despite consequences
• Gambling negatively affects every part of life

Program Staff
Our professional counseling staff trained in gambling assessment includes:

• program director
• counselor/case managers
• psychotherapists
• family counselors
• school consultants
• licensed psychologists.

Program Fees
Funding through the State of Minnesota may be available for treatment and individual therapy when reimbursement from third-party payors is unavailable.

Facts About Gambling Addiction

• In Minnesota, 7% of adults have been identified as problem/compulsive gamblers.
• In 1999, Minnesotans spent $5.9 billion on gambling activities (up $37 million from 1998). It is estimated that an additional $1 billion was spent on illegal gambling in the state.
• Gambling problems cross all social-economic levels, cultures, races, ages and genders.
• There are more than 13,000 treatment programs for the chemically dependent in the United States, but there are fewer than 100 treatment programs for problem gamblers.
• A compulsive gambler is a person who is chronically and progressively preoccupied with gambling and with the urge to gamble and whose gambling behavior compromises, disrupts or damages personal, family or vocational interests.
• One million people in the United States meet the criteria for pathological gambling.
• Compulsive gambling in at-risk populations—teens and older adults—is on the rise.
• Gambling is any betting or wagering for self or others, whether for money or not, no matter how slight or insignificant, where the outcome is uncertain or depends on "skill or chance."
• Alcohol abuse and depression are common in conjunction with pathological gambling.

Helpful Resources

• Gamblers Anonymous
• GamAnon.org