Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling - www.MdProblemGambling.com Helpline - 1-800-522-4700 Family Peer Support Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling (MARG) - Voluntary Exclusion Program/Problem Gambling Treatment Counselors. Support groups can be found in big cities, small towns, and even rural areas, dealing with anything from substance abuse and gambling addiction to surviving domestic violence to gender issues. If your group or initiative does service work with people who might benefit from talking to others who have similar experiences to their own, perhaps you. Nonsmokers organization calls on AGA for casino support. 4 December 2020. Peer-to-peer sports gambling exchange eyes US launch this year.

Supporting You Through Shared Experience

A growing method of treatment is peer support. With the advancement of online gambling, many gamblers experiencing issues use various online peer-support groups to aid their recovery. This protects their anonymity while allowing them to attempt recovery on their own, often without having to disclose their issues to loved ones. Peer Aid is designed, developed and delivered by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms. The service will be able to provide both one to one and group support to complement the support and treatment you receive with GamCare.

Peer Support Gambling Definition

GamCare and Betknowmore UK are piloting a new peer support service for those affected by gambling harms across London and the South East. This service is called Peer Aid.

Gambling problems and dependency can create challenging and complex issues in someone’s life – you may experience relationship issues, impacts on your finances and on your mental and physical health.

Many clients have fed back to GamCare that a key part of their journey of recovery is connecting with others in similar situations in order to share experiences and support one another.

Peer Aid is designed, developed and delivered by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms. The service will be able to provide both one to one and group support to complement the support and treatment you receive with GamCare.

The Peer Aid team are on hand to make sure you get the most from your treatment plan, have the chance to address your specific concerns, and build a strong foundation for recovery going forward. Peer Aid is focused on inspiring hope for those starting their journey of recovery.

Support will be offered before, during and after treatment through GamCare services in London and we hope to offer this service in other areas soon. Get in touch with the team to register for support now: 020 7801 7008 or [email protected]

You can also register for face to face treatment in London here.

Hear from Tony, a member of the Peer Aid Team:

Members of our online peer support community have collated a list of strategies they recommend to help you take control of your gambling. We've collected a selection of their tips below.

Our community is made up of almost 9500 Australians. The My Story area is a space for those concerned about their own gambling to share stories, experiences and support. It’s made up of people with different personal goals, from cutting down, completing 100 days gamble-free, to quitting gambling altogether. Our members are all at different stages of their journey — from people who feel strong after years of not gambling to those who are beginning to recognise an issue, and everywhere in between.

Together, they have created the following list of their own tried and tested tips to make change.

Forgive yourself

Take it a day a time.

Getting through an urge

Count backwards from 300. “It sounds really simple and probably a bit unlikely... But it really worked... It's surprising.”

Protect your money

• Open up another bank account and only put a limited amount in it; or
• Give someone control of your money: “Having someone manage ALL my money has been my saving grace. There have been lots of times I've wanted to gamble but with super strict access to money it was not an option.

Try new hobbies

“It doesn’t sound like much and really takes a lot of effort to get motivated till it becomes second nature”, “definitely taking up new or old hobbies is a must.”

Get in the kitchen

Buy ingredients you’ve never bought before and try new recipes.

Spend time in the garden

Buy yourself some plants and keep busy with them.

Peer Support Gambling Support

Read

“I read and read and read in my first 8-9 months gamble free. I think I read something like 40 books or more.”

Spend time with your loved ones

“I robbed my family of time spent gambling so I've been paying them back by spending much more valuable time with them”.

Know your triggers

Peer Support Gambling Addiction

For example, if you're into sports betting, be cautious of visiting websites ‘just to look at odds’, and consider cutting back on watching sports.

Gambling Peer Support

If you're thinking about making steps to change your gambling, you can read more about Change strategies or join the community today.