The Gambling Still Sucks Podcast

In this episode, I answer questions submitted on Twitter from former guest Steve (@gambling_free). You can listen to Steve's full story of gambling and recovery by listening to Episode 41.

With COVID-19 casino shutdowns, many gambling that was taking place at casinos and other retail locations have now shifted online. A listener of the podcast (Melanie) reached out with her concerns for not only problem gamblers, but also casual gamblers that might shift their gambling online as a result of quarantine. In this episode, we'll cover 9 key differences that make online gambling unique and that could increase the chance for increasing gambling harm.

In this episode, I reflect on the five big things that have been working for me thus far as we have been quarantined at home due to COVID-19.

I was scrolling through Twitter when I came across this Tweet by @birthofclarity (an awesome Twitter follow). Rather than try to answer with 30 Tweets, I recorded this episode.  

In this episode, I share a few ideas to get your days off to a great start using a morning routine. The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod https://amzn.to/39U3Hj2

It's awesome when people agree with us. It makes us feel smart and is nice to know that others share the same point of view. But does it help us grow? I'll tackle that question, whether to recline your seat on an airplane, and gambling terms in everyday life on this Valentine's Day episode of The After Gambling Podcast.

This past week, executives from several of the largest gambling firms in the UK were called in to discuss VIP programs with Parliament. In this episode, I discuss what I think represents a massive opportunity for change within the industry. VIDEO https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/ecb79c87-d947-4005-a214-1f0f8d034457

In this episode, we cover the 7 Stage of Grief and how they relate to life as a problem gambler as well as in recovery.    https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-grief#7-stages Mark Manson https://twitter.com/iammarkmanson

Here we go with Season 4! The Before Gamling Project The Before Gambling Project is an independent effort to reduce problem gambling and gambling harm through public awareness and improvements across the industry from operators to treatment facilities. The project is driven by relentless internal curiosity and belief in an open sharing of best practices to most quickly and efficiently address problem gambling and gambling harm.  https://beforegambling.com/ Follow on Twitter Dyve Agency Providing stakeholders of the global gaming industry with insight into how to best position their brand to address and manage risks around problem gambling and other related social issues. https://dyveagency.com/ Follow on Twitter

After a long hiatus, I'm back to celebrate nine years free from my gambling addiction and also to share an update on what to expect in the future.

Can personality test help us to learn & grow? I think the answer is yes. I recently participated in a study on recovery from compulsive gambling and it was a very positive experience. The second half of the study was self-guided completion of various questions similar to those found on a personality test. As I answered the questions, several things jumped out and I'll be using what I learned to improve going forward. The Jordan Harbinger Show https://www.jordanharbinger.com/

If we are going to discuss gambling as a form of entertainment, then we need to separate it into two parts: A) entertainment derived from the game B) entertainment derived from the wager size/risk taken. If the entertainment level DOES NOT change with wager size/risk taken, then entertainment is from the game itself. but... If the entertainment level DOES change wager size/risk taken, then entertainment is from the risk-taking.

I'm a firm believer that addiction is strengthened by isolation. Removing the isolation through communication weakens the addiction and allows us to begin a path of recovery. In this episode, I share my thoughts on how over-communicating is key for both the addicted and their support system in order to find success.

In this episode, I'm joined by Tom Brew. Tom is celebrating 25 years clean from gambling with the release of his latest novel Darkness that highlights the mind and struggles of a problem gambler. Darkness is a follow-up to Tom's first novel The Ties That Bind. Tom and I discuss many different topics including how quickly the frequency and sizes of his wagers increased, the impact gambling had on his professional and personal life, and how diving headfirst into recovery helped him become a better person. Check out Tom's Books https://hilltop30.com/ The Ties That Bind Check it out on Amazon Darkness Check it out on Amazon

In this episode, I dive into game theory (finite vs infinite games) and discuss why it's literally impossible to win at the game of gambling. Simon Sinek https://startwithwhy.com/  

In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on using self-exclusion as a part of your recovery plan when quitting gambling.

With a new year comes New Year's Resolutions. In this episode, I discuss New Year's Resolutions and other big proclamations that we often make when attempting to quit gambling. I also suggest an alternative approach which has been much more successful in my life.

Are we being curious enough? In this episode, I dive into why I encourage everyone to be more curious when it comes to problem gambling, regardless of your position or views. 

In this episode, I answer the Gamblers Anonymous 20 Questions and share thoughts and reflections on each question and how my life was impacted by my gambling. Gamblers Anonymous 20 Questions http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

We often view recovery as a straight line of perfect performance. However, the reality is that recovery is messy and sometimes results in relapse. In this episode, I discuss what relapse tells us and how we can avoid relapses through education and actions.