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FREE help is available for gamblers AND loved ones. Call MARYHAVEN now. 614-324-5425

Resources

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
  • Prevention Talks for Teens and Young Adults
  • Intervention and Screening to Know if You’re an Addict

Our team can also offer referrals to additional services (such as financial help) and support groups (like GA & GamAnon).

Additional Help

We’ve pulled together these local and national resources to help you learn more about problem gambling and to know that help is available.

Gamblers Anonymous
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Gam-Anon (for families and friends of problem gamblers)
www.gam-anon.org

Local Gamblers Anonymous & Gam-Anon schedule
Find a meeting near you

Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline
1-800-589-9966

National Problem Gambling Helpline
1-800-522-4700

National Council on Problem Gambling
www.ncpgambling.org

College Gambling Help Center
www.collegegambling.org

National Center for Responsible Gaming
www.ncrg.org

Problem Gambling Network of Ohio
www.pgnohio.org

Pause Before You Play
www.pausebeforeyouplay.org

Outside of Central Ohio Treatment
www.gamblinghelpohio.org

Mental Health/Suicide Helpline
988

Alternative to traditional 12-step program
Smart Recovery

Faith-centered 12-step recovery program
Celebrate Recovery

Public discussion forum/online communities
GamTalk
QuitGamble

Support for video game addiction
Game Quitters

Credit Problems

If you’re behind on credit card bills, you may face higher interest rates, late fees and even collection calls, wage garnishment and a ruined credit rating. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies can connect you to a counselor who can negotiate on your behalf with credit card companies. One local resource we offer free referrals to, thanks to the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, is Apprisen Credit Counseling.

BE CAREFUL: Unscrupulous credit counseling companies advertise frequently and can scam you. Remember, federal law prohibits debt settlement companies from collecting fees before settling or reducing someone’s credit card debt.

Bankruptcy

Filing bankruptcy can discharge debt or establish a plan to repay affordably. Federal courts  handle all bankruptcy cases. They will require financial counseling. The U.S. Trustee’s Office lists nonprofit budget and credit counseling agencies.

A qualified bankruptcy lawyer can be helpful with all the above issues and more. Check the Columbus Bar AssociatIon for guidance. Legal Aid attorneys also provide free civil legal counsel to qualifying low-income Ohioans.

A Special Note about Domestic Violence

Numerous research studies document higher rates of domestic violence when gambling addiction is present. Don’t wait to get help. If at immediate risk of violence, call 911 or the CHOICES 24-hour crisis line at 614 224-4663. Or seek more information through Choices or the Center for Family Safety and Healing.

Want to know more?

There are a number of resources available to problem gamblers AND their loved ones. We’ve also created a video seminar with even more information.

One of only six recognized gambling addiction treatment centers in Ohio, Maryhaven treats gambling addiction and educates and counsels family members and loved ones, helping them to achieve greater financial and emotional stability.

Services to loved ones are highly confidential and, thanks to the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, offered for FREE, including expert financial coaching.

Use our confidential online form to request an appointment or, for answers to your specific questions, call us at 614-324-5425.

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