Questions and Answers About the Problem of Compulsive
Gambling and the Bettors Anonymous Program

Isn't compulsive gambling basically a financial problem?

No, compulsive gambling is an emotional problem. A person in the grip of this illness creates mountains of apparently insolvable problems. Of course, financial problems are created, but they also find themselves facing marital, employment, or legal problems. Compulsive gamblers find friends have been lost and relatives have rejected them. Of the many serious difficulties created, the financial problems seem the easiest to solve. When a compulsive gambler enters Bettors Anonymous and quits gambling, income is usually increased and there is no longer the financial drain that was caused by gambling, and very shortly, the financial pressures begin to be relieved. Bettors Anonymous members have found that the best road to financial recovery is through hard work and repayment of our debts. Borrowing and/or lending of money (bail outs) in Bettors Anonymous is detrimental to our recovery and is therefore discouraged.

The most difficult and time consuming problem with which they will be faced is that of bringing about a character change within themselves. Most Bettors Anonymous members look upon this as their greatest challenge, which should be worked on immediately and continued throughout their lives.

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