Gamblers Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous is a nonprofit organization that aims to help people with gambling problems through a twelve-step program targeted at helping people overcome their gambling addiction.

Gamblers Anonymous was created in 1957 as a result of a chance encounter between two men that have suffered greatly from the pitfalls of problem gambling and decided to meet regularly and share their problems.

Very quickly the men realized that they are no longer being tempted by gambling and offer each other the support they need that helps them avoid falling back onto addictive gambling behavior.

The men applied principals that had some basis in spirituality and methods of fighting compulsive addictions to create a program that will help people combat gambling addiction.

That same year, after some favorable mentioning by a famous reporter, the first open meeting of Gamblers Anonymous took place in Los Angeles, and over the years branches of Gamblers Anonymous have sprung all over the world, providing people with a support network to help them combat gambling addiction.

Anyone can be a join Gamblers Anonymous, with the only prerequisite being the desire to abstain from gambling.

In addition support groups have sprung for spouses and children of problematic gamblers, offering them tools to understand, deal and support their loved ones through the process of controlling their gambling.