Worried about your gambling habits? Maryhaven is here for youMaryhaven

Struggling With Gambling?

Gambling addiction, a chronic, relapsing disease, changes brain chemistry and processes just like alcohol or drugs.

The most recent statewide study found that the percentage of people who had slipped into pathological gambling increased to 2.8%. That is more than 250,000 individuals, with an additional 17% (or 1.5 million people across Ohio) at low or moderate risk for problem gambling.

Don’t wait to seek treatment. Pathological gamblers experience higher rates of bankruptcy and divorce and are often prone to criminal behavior. An estimated one in five attempt suicide.

*Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Statewide Survey, 2022-23.

Help for Gamblers

What is Problem Gambling?

Every gambling addiction is different. For most people, gambling is entertainment. They know they will likely lose and only bet what they can afford. Problem gamblers, however, cannot control their gambling and will continue to gamble no matter their losses.

Problem gambling is any type of gambling that disrupts other areas of your life, or the lives of the people around you. This includes work or school, relationships with family or friends, or your own physical and mental health. Problem gamblers often need to bet more and more to feel the same thrill, and continue to gamble despite serious negative consequences.

Where to Get Help

Let Maryhaven help you (for FREE) by calling 614-324-5425 (9:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday) or Ohio’s 24-hour Gambling Helpline 1-800-589-9966. You can also request an appointment using our online tool here. Thanks to funding from Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Service and the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, Maryhaven’s Gambling Intervention Program offers counseling and prevention services for problem gamblers and their families throughout Central Ohio. We can create a plan just for you:

Individual and Family Counseling
Outpatient Group Therapy
Prevention Talks for Teens and Young Adults
Intervention and Screening to Know if You’re at Risk

Our team can also offer referrals to additional services (such as financial help) and support groups (like GA & GamAnon). Maryhaven’s own group is available by calling 614-324-5425 or completing this form to connect with a specialist.

Gambling Impacts Everyone

Research shows that a majority of young people have gambled before their 18th birthday, and that children may be more likely to develop problems related to gambling than adults. In fact, problem gambling rates among teens and young adults in Ohio are two-to-four times that of adults.

Research also suggests that lonely, depressed individuals are at higher risk of developing a gambling problem, as are those already addicted to alcohol or drugs. A statewide survey by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services released in 2023 estimated that as many as 1.5 million Ohioans could face a gambling problem. Those considered at-risk for a gambling disorder nearly doubled twice, from 5.7% in 2012 to 10.3% in 2017 to almost 20% in 2022/23.