Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life
by Jimmy Morris
Host Jimmy M. sits down with gamblers in recovery, their families and spouses, as well as journalists and therapists, to share honest stories of struggle, hope, and resilience amid the rise of gambling addiction, and the journey to reclaiming their lives.
Episodes
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#42- The Hidden Addiction: From Drugs to Gambling
What happens when you overcome one addiction, only to find yourself battling another? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Danielle Taylor, a woman whose journey through drug addiction, mental health struggles, and compulsive gambling is a testament to resilience, honesty, and the power of...
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#41-More Than a Gambling Problem: Shame, Culture & Recovery
What happens when gambling addiction collides with family expectations, cultural stigma, and the pressure to succeed? In this powerful and honest conversation, Lincoln B shares his personal journey with gambling addiction and the challenges of facing it within the South Asian community. We…
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#40- Behind the Collar. Faith, Gambling Addiction & the Road to Recovery
What happens when someone who has dedicated his life to serving others finds himself struggling with an addiction he never expected? In this episode I welcome George back for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about his journey through gambling addiction, arrest, and recovery. George…
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#39 Gambling Recovery: Rebuilding the Person Behind the Addiction | Dr. Mike Zhang
This episode got personal in a way I didn’t expect. I sat down with Dr. Michael Zhang, psychologist and founder of Incumental, to explore the voice that kept telling me to keep gambling, and the recovery that helped me stop listening. Michael guided me through exercises using my own story. We...
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#38 -One Last Chance: Rob's Journey Through Addiction to a life worth living
Gambling. Drugs. Alcohol. For Rob, addiction started young and grew into years of lying, chasing losses, broken trust, and escaping the pain he carried inside. In this episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life, Rob shares how childhood insecurity and trauma shaped his journey, and how…
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#37- The Gambler, His Wife & Their Recovery | Bob & Karen's Story
Bob had a successful career, a wife, and a family—but behind it all was a gambling addiction that nearly cost him everything. Years of chasing wins, hiding losses, and keeping secrets eventually brought him to his knees in a hotel room in Cleveland. His wife, Karen, lived through that same...
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#36-From Gambling Addiction to Jail: My journey to Recovery and Redemption
I grew up in the Little Italy neighborhood of Chicago, where sports, competition, and betting were part of everyday life. As a kid, there were parlay cards, survival pools, and pitching quarters. By high school, I had a bookie. What seemed like fun became years of debt, broken trust, and an...
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A New Chapter for Gambling Recovery | First Video Episode September 29 + a 13-City Podcast Tour
I’ve been quiet for the past two weeks because I’ve been working on something I’m excited to share with you. I’m building an in-person podcast studio in Chicago, and the first video episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life launches Tuesday, September 29, at 6:00 a.m. Central. You’ll…
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#35 – What Gambling Addiction Takes From Us and the People We Love | Craig Dempsey (UK)
Craig Dempsey joins the podcast from the United Kingdom to share his lived experience with gambling addiction, recovery, and rebuilding his life. Craig is the founder and host of The Calm & Steady Show, where he uses his experience to raise awareness around gambling harm and mental health. In…
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#34- The Hidden Gambling Crisis in Uganda: When Help Is Almost Nonexistent | Pierre Ntango
Today, we’re taking the conversation to Uganda, Africa where I’m joined by Pierre Ntango, Pierre shares his personal experience with gambling addiction in a place where awareness, treatment, and recovery support are extremely limited. His story highlights the isolation many gamblers face when…
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#33- From Gambling to Compulsive Collecting: One Man’s Recovery: Alyxander Effron
Today I’m joined by Alex Effron, founder of Collectors MD. Alex has lived through the devastating effects of gambling addiction, compulsive collecting, and overspending, and has turned that experience into a mission to help others. Through Collectors MD, he’s bringing awareness to the hidden...
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#32- From War Survivor to Casino Bank Robber | The Story of Adnan Alisic
In this episode, Adnan Alisic shares the choices, consequences, and turning points that shaped his life. We talk about how gambling addiction slowly changed the way he thought, the warning signs he missed, and how it ultimately led him to commit one of the most infamous casino bank robberies in...
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#31 – From His Own Rock Bottom to Helping the World Recover | Daniel Bullen
This week, I’m joined by Daniel Bullen, host of The Addicted Recovery Show, a podcast reaching people across the globe with honest conversations about gambling addiction, recovery, relapse, and rebuilding life after gambling. Daniel’s story is one of strength and perseverance. Along with…
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#30 – Running From Himself: Tom Jenkins, The Drunk Gambler
What happens when a man spends years chasing the next high, the next bet, the next escape, only to realize he’s really been running from himself? Today’s guest, Tom Jenkins, knows that story all too well. His journey has taken him from gambling and alcohol addiction to a relentless search for...
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#29 Turning Pain Into Purpose | Saul Malek on Recovery and Prevention
Today’s guest is someone who has become one of the leading voices in gambling addiction awareness and prevention, especially when it comes to young adults and sports betting culture. Saul Malek grew up in Houston, Texas, in a loving family. What started as a fun way to connect with friends...
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#28-The Person in the Mirror Was a Stranger: Mickie’s Story of Trauma, Grief, Gambling and Recovery
For a long time, gambling felt harmless to Mickie. It was exciting. Social. Fun. A way to escape reality for a little while. It started with casinos, scratch off tickets, laughter with friends, and moments that felt alive. But over time, the excitement slowly turned into secrecy, obsession,...
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#27- The Life No One Saw: Mary D’s Journey from Childhood Pain to Gambling Addiction and Recovery
Some addictions are easy for the world to recognize. Others hide behind success, routines, and a smile. From the outside, Mary D. looked like she had built a beautiful life, a thriving career, a family, stability, and everything many people spend years chasing. But behind closed doors, she was...
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#26- More Than a Mother: A Life of Loyalty, Laughter, and Love. My Mom
Some people are remembered for what they had. Others are remembered for what they achieved. My mom is remembered for how she made people feel, loved, welcomed, laughed with, and never forgotten. In this episode, I share the story of Carmella, a woman raised in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood...
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#25- Everybody Needs Somebody: The Role of Family in Recovery — Renée Siegel, Gambling Addiction & Enneagram Specialist
Renée Siegel has spent over 40 years helping people heal, grow, and better understand themselves. As a mental health counselor and Enneagram coach, she also works closely with individuals and families impacted by gambling addiction. In this episode, Renée shares how the Enneagram became a…
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#24 -Defeat and Surrender: Reeve L’s Journey Through Gambling Addiction
In this episode, I sit down with Reeve L., whose story didn’t start with gambling, but with growing up in it. He watched it tear his family apart and swore he would never become that person. But years later, during a battle with cancer, gambling became his escape… and slowly turned into the very...
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#23- Xavier S :The Hidden Cost of the Next Hand — The Quiet Descent from Thrill to Addiction… and the Road to Recovery
Every person who develops a gambling addiction has a beginning. For many of us, it doesn’t start in a casino. It doesn’t start with massive losses or life falling apart. It often starts with something that looks harmless… a card game with friends, a March Madness bracket, a trip to the race…
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#22 -A Greek Orthodox Priest’s Journey Through Gambling Addiction, Recovery, and Forgiving Himself
Father George A. spent his life guiding others through faith, offering strength, hope, and spiritual direction to those in need. But behind the collar and the calling, he was quietly fighting a battle of his own. What began as a harmless escape slowly became something far more powerful, an...
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#21 Gambling Addiction in Plain Sight: What Recovery Can Look Like in Seven Months. The Story of Mason B.
Today’s episode is an honest look at gambling addiction and recovery. Mason B. shares how gambling quietly took over his time, his work, his relationships, and his mental health, all while appearing functional on the outside. He opens up about secrecy, shame, bipolar disorder, and the constant…
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Season 2- #20 The Human Cost of Gambling, and the journey to Healing with Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC, IGDC, PC
My guest is Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC, IGDC, PC — a clinician, educator, and advocate who has spent her life standing at the intersection of addiction, mental health, and human suffering. As the CEO of The Better Institute, Jody works daily with individuals and families whose lives have been...
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#19 Season 1 Recap – Returning for Season 2 February 3rd
Thank you to every single person who has listened, shared, and supported this podcast. Whether you’ve been here since episode one or you tuned in for just a single conversation, thank you. Your presence matters more than you know. As we close out Season 1, this recap isn’t just about numbers or...
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#18 Massachusetts State Senator John F. Keenan and the Bettor Health Act: A call to help save lives from Gambling
Today’s guest is someone who chose integrity over silence. Massachusetts State Senator John F. Keenan, who represents the Norfolk and Plymouth District, has emerged as one of the most courageous voices in America calling out sports betting for what it has become: a growing public-health crisis....
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#17 The Wife of a Gambler: Karen S.’s Story of Love, Empathy, and Accountability
You heard Bob S. share the night his gambling addiction finally brought him to his knees in episode 2, along with the years of secrets, anxiety, and quiet unraveling that led him there. Today, we’re turning toward the other side of that story. Karen, Bob’s wife, lived through every part of this...
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#16 A Father’s Reckoning: The War Within, and the Love & Empathy That Pulled Him Back
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dane L, someone who’s lived through many painful layers of gambling addiction: the rush, the secrets, the chaos, and the fallout that touches every corner of life. Dane talks about burning through jobs, lying to family, and sinking deep into debt ,...
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#15 - Casinos in Our Pockets - How Legalized Gambling is taking over sports & our lives!
In this episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life, im going to take you inside one of the fastest growing addictions in American sports gambling. A mental health emergency What started as a game has become a business built on human weakness and temptation. Once about heart, competition,...
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#14 Thirty Years Free. Allen H.’s Journey of Service and Gratitude
Today’s episode features Allen H., a man whose story of recovery spans more than thirty years. Even after more than three decades free from gambling, Allen remains deeply committed to his recovery , still attending three to four GA meetings each week and giving back through service. He’s a living...
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#13 Hope, Healing, and Redemption The Story of Steve Kapela
Today I sit down with Steve Kapela, a man whose life is proof that recovery can take you further than you ever imagined. Steve has been free from gambling, alcohol, and drugs since May 12, 2008, and in the years since, he’s not only rebuilt his own life but dedicated himself to helping others do...
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#12 Teddy S had a choice-Get Help or Lose It All . The Moment That Saved a Marriage and a Life
At 23 years old, Teddy S. first walked into the rooms of Gamblers Anonymous with his mother by his side. He wouldn’t see the inside of another GA room until the age of 45. And by then, the addiction had only grown darker and more destructive. When Teddy finally made the decision to take recovery...
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#11 Adam H stood on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, ready to let go. Despair turned into a return to life, faith, and purpose.
Sometimes in recovery, you meet someone whose story feels less like coincidence and more like destiny. That was the case when I first heard Adam H share his journey. On an ordinary Saturday morning, while celebrating 15 years free from gambling, Adam spoke with a depth and honesty that felt like…
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#10 This episode is for my parents , the ones who stood in the storm of my addiction and taught me what love really means
This episode is for my parents, and my brother Today, I’m doing something I’ve been carrying in my heart since the day I entered recovery. This episode is for my parents ,the two people who stood in the storm of my addiction long before I ever saw it for what it was. My mom passed two years ago.…
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#9 Sometimes the right person enters your life exactly when you need direction. For me, that person was Sam Sherman ,and this episode brings everything full circle
Today’s guest is a special one, and not just because of what he does, but because of how our paths crossed. Sam Sherman isn’t just someone I admire in the mental health space, he’s the reason this podcast exists. Years ago, I met a man named Teddy in a Gamblers anonymous room who made a lasting...
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#8 Brian R lost his marriage, his trust, and himself . but one phone call became the turning point. From addiction to surrender
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…
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#7 Jordan S. believed he could manage it ,one more bet, one more chance. But the truth was always there: gambling was in control, not him.
From innocent March Madness brackets with his brothers to secret loans, mounting debts, and gambling away life’s biggest milestones. Jordan’s addiction didn’t explode overnight. It crept in quietly, tightening its grip until his world began to fall apart. For over two decades, he lived in the...
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#6 When Desperation Meets Community , Parents of a Gambler: A Journey from Heartbreak to Hope
In this deeply personal episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life, I sit down with Mark and Julie, two parents whose story echoes the pain, fear, and hope that so many families experience when a loved one is battling gambling addiction. Their 27-year-old son, Joey, had just entered an...
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#5 Gambling consumed everything Jason S cared about. His story is one of addiction, identity, and the courage to break through silence and shame.
Today, we have a powerful and deeply personal story to share. My guest, Jason S, knows firsthand how gambling can take hold of a person’s life. How what starts as a thrill, a side hustle, or even just a way to pass the time can spiral into something that consumes everything: work, relationships,...
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#4 Australian journalist Aaron Timms exposes the machine driving America’s betting obsession, and the warning signs we can’t afford to ignore.
Today’s guest, Aaron Timms, is a freelance journalist from Australia, now living in New York, who has written for The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Guardian, and more. Back in 2021, he wrote a powerful article for The Guardian about the rise of legalized sports betting in the U.S. and…
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#3 Martin S Lived a Double Life , Until Gambling Almost Took His Last Breath
Today’s guest is someone who spent 25 years living a double life, gambling from the moment he woke up until he went to bed, lying, deceiving, and destroying everything in his path, his marriage, his family, his finances, and, ultimately, himself. He was an action gambler, a stock market addict, a...
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#2 Bob S had success , a family, and a hidden addiction that almost cost him everything.
Today, we’re stepping into the life of Bob S., a man whose journey with gambling addiction took him from the thrill of dominoes with his grandparents to a hotel room in Cleveland. A night where he hit his own rock bottom. At 37, with a new promotion in hand and a family waiting back home, Bob…
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#1 Gambling took my freedom, my family, and myself — but it couldn’t break my spirit.
This is the story of my darkest days of my gambling addiction—a time when my choices weren’t just destroying my life, but my family’s too. I’ll share the raw truth about hitting my own rock bottom, including my three-month stay in county jail, and the journey that led to 13 years of sobriety. How…
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About this show
Host Jimmy M. sits down with gamblers in recovery, their families and spouses, as well as journalists and therapists, to share honest stories of struggle, hope, and resilience amid the rise of gambling addiction, and the journey to reclaiming their lives.
Hosted by
Jimmy Morris
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