Treatment for individuals

Problem gambling is a treatable addiction.

Problems with gambling can affect many areas of a person’s life, but it’s important to know that recovery is possible. Anyone can overcome this devastating addiction and experience sustained recovery and success.

What happens when someone calls the problem gambling helpline?

When you call, a certified gambling addiction counselor will listen, answer questions, and provide information. The counselor may ask questions to help determine the most appropriate resources for the caller’s situation. The counselor will then give the caller information on how to access resources and support in their area. Everything discussed is confidential, and the call and treatment and recovery options are free.

Concerned about your gambling?

It only takes a few minutes to learn more about your gambling behavior.

Avg. time to complete: ~ 5 mins

Take the quiz

Gamban

Gamban is a software that blocks gambling sites and applications and can be used on computers, laptops, tablets and mobile devices. It is free for residents of North Carolina and can be a powerful tool to aid in strengthening willpower and reducing risk of returning to gambling.

Visit the Gamban site >

Clinical Counseling

The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) helpline counselors can connect both adolescents and adults to a trained and licensed professional clinician in your community. NCPGP has more than 80 trained providers throughout the state of North Carolina available to provide face-to-face and remote counseling sessions at no cost.

Additional clinical treatment is available for those who may not wish to see someone in their community through the phone counseling program – Call 2 Change.

Call the helpline >

Chat now >

Text morethanagame to 53342 >

Financial Counseling

While clinicians can help address the mental and psychological challenges of gambling addiction, financial counselors and other experts offer additional support for money management.

Financial counselors can help with debt consolidation, assist in obtaining lower interest rates, educate about debt settlement, aid family members whose money may have been stolen, protect spouses by helping open separate accounts, create budgets or develop a Power of Attorney (POA) to help a gambler control the disbursement of funds.

Ideally, financial counseling, when necessary, takes place at the same time as treatment for gambling addiction.

American Credit Counseling Services are available to anyone. Visit the ACCS.org site >

Recovery and Peer Support

NCPGP offers Peer Recovery Support services to help individuals seeking to limit, control or stop their gambling. Peers help seekers with the most useful resources in their communities so they continue to work toward their goals in dealing with any issues surrounding problematic gambling through recovery coaching and peer support.

This support can include:

  • Helping a person form a plan of action
  • Directing that person to the right resources
  • Helping them navigate the recovery system
  • Providing accountability and support
  • Offering guidance in developing new behavior patterns
  • Helping them view their progress objectively
  • Assisting in harm reduction for addictive behaviors

In other words, peer and recovery support specialists help people with the gritty, day-to-day process of overcoming addiction. Recovery coaches are the “boots on the ground” within a support team.