Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life

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 recovery. Danielle opens up about growing up in poverty, her early exposure to gambling, and how what started as a way to make money eventually became another addiction. She shares the reality of living with multiple addictions, the shame and secrecy surrounding gambling, the impact it had on her family, and the difficult road toward finding help. Now working as a Problem Gambling Coordinator, Danielle uses her personal experiences to help others struggling with gambling addiction. She discusses why gambling can be such a dangerous hidden addiction, how easily people can fall into its grip, and why recovery requires more than simply putting down one addiction. This conversation is about second chances, family, accountability, and turning your darkest experiences into something that can help someone else.

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 discuss the shame and secrecy surrounding addiction, the pressure to make family proud, the emotional struggles that can fuel compulsive gambling, and the difficulty of asking for help. He also opens up about discovering Gamblers Anonymous, finding a community that understands his struggle, and rebuilding his life through recovery, spirituality, and daily commitment. This episode is a reminder that addiction does not discriminate, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and no one has to fight this battle alone. 🔔Real stories. Honest conversations. Recovery is possible. 🎙️Conversations with gamblers in recovery, their loved ones, and professionals—bringing hope to those struggling and helping families and friends better understand the reality of gambling addiction. ℹ️The stories and perspectives shared on this podcast are for awareness and support and do not replace professional advice or treatment. Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life is independently produced and has no official affiliation with Gamblers Anonymous. 📲FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gamblingrecoverypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gamblingrecoverypodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592716285224 🎤 SHARE YOUR STORY Interested in being a guest? Visit: https://www.gamblingrecoverypodcast.com/be-a-guest #gamblingrecovery #takebackyourlife #recoveryispossible #breakthestigma #anonymous #hope

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 grew up in Pittsburgh in a close-knit Greek Orthodox community and went on to become a priest. But during the isolation of COVID, as he faced immense personal and professional challenges, gambling began to take hold of his life. George opens up about how his gambling progressed, how addiction affected his relationships, his faith, and his ability to be truly present in his own life. He also discusses the consequences of his actions, including his arrest and the legal process that followed. He speaks honestly about facing those consequences, the shame and guilt that came with them, and the difficult work of rebuilding his life through recovery. Most importantly, George shares how recovery has changed his perspective on life, relationships, and being present for the people around him. His story is a reminder that gambling addiction can affect anyone, regardless of their background, career, or faith, and that the consequences can reach far beyond money. This is an honest conversation about addiction, accountability, and the courage it takes to face the truth, ask for help, and begin moving forward. Recovery takes time, but even after serious consequences, healing and change are possible.  

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 revisited the shame, the lies, and the pain I caused my family. Even after more than 14 years without a bet, there were emotions waiting to come out. This is an honest look at the hold gambling can have on us, and the hope, connection, and work that help us take our lives back.

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 his addictions fed off one another. From arrests and overwhelming debt to nearly losing his marriage, he opens up about the moment he finally surrendered and accepted help. We talk about stopping versus staying stopped, working the 12 steps, making amends, and rebuilding trust through action. We also discuss addiction’s impact on families and warning signs loved ones can look for. This episode hits deeper for me. Rob and I share lived experience and a passion for helping others. We both went through our own personal hell, and today we use those experiences to give someone else hope. Rob also shares how that mission led him to build Right Choice Recovery. After visiting the facility, I felt the family he’s created there. Our partnership means a lot because we believe in each other and our work.

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 addiction from a different side: the confusion, the half-truths, the broken trust, and the fear of what it meant for her family. Today, Bob and Karen join me together to share both sides of their story—and the work it took to begin healing. From facing the truth to setting boundaries and rebuilding trust, their journey shows how deeply gambling addiction affects an entire family, and why each person’s recovery matters. This is a conversation about love, accountability, and finding hope after years of pain. Welcome to Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life.  

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 addiction I could not control. Gambling changed my character. It turned me into someone my parents didn’t raise me to be. I had a big ego. I became a master manipulator and a liar, and I hurt the people who cared about me most. In this first video episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life, I share my story—from asking my mother to cover a gambling loss, to going in and out of Gamblers Anonymous, to serving time in jail and gambling again after I got out. My last bet was February 9, 2012. Recovery began when I finally accepted that stopping for a while wasn’t enough. I had to change how I lived. I’m sharing this for the person who feels trapped by gambling and for the family trying to understand it. You are not alone, and change is possible. If you need guidance on where to start, email me at [email protected]. Follow Gambling Recovery:
Instagram: @gamblingrecoverypod
Facebook: Jimmy Morris — Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life
LinkedIn: Jimmy Morris — Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life
Website: https://gamblingrecoverypodcast.com # TikTok: @gamblingrecoverypodcast #GamblingRecovery #TakingBackYourLife #GamblingAddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #YouAreNotAlone

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 find it on YouTube at Gambling Recovery with Jimmy Morris. I’m also taking the podcast on the road to 13 cities over the next three months. If you believe your story could help someone, email me at mailto:[email protected]. To everyone who has listened, shared an episode, or supported this mission: thank you. We do this together. ❤️

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 this conversation, Craig opens up about addiction, family, fatherhood, and the people affected beyond the gambler.

An emotional and vulnerable conversation about gambling, recovery, and what matters most when rebuilding your life.

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 they don’t even have the language or resources to ask for help. This is a powerful conversation about gambling harm, shame, and why people everywhere need to know that recovery is possible.