IS A GAMBLING PROBLEM AFFECTING YOUR LIFE?
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Welcome to the official website of the Gam-Anon® International Service Office, Inc., serving the community of international meetings of the Gam-Anon Family Groups. Gam-Anon has created this website to provide information for the general public and professional community about problem ( compulsive ) gambling.
WHAT IS COMPULSIVE GAMBLING?
In Gam-Anon we also use the term "compulsive gambling." It is the same term used by Gamblers Anonymous. We believe that compulsive gambling is an illness that causes the gambler to experience irresistable urges to gamble. Compulsive gamblers escape the frustrations of day to day living by building a fantasy life filled with dreams of what they will buy or possess when there are enough winnings. Pathetically, there never seems to be enough of these winnings to make even the smallest dream come true and gambling compounds the frustrations rather than minimizing them. In the gamblers' world monies won are sacred and to be used only to gamble more in the hopes of winning even more.
In spite of the financial losses and escalating emotional turmoil, the problem gambler continues to believe that he or she can control or moderate the gambling activities at will, at any time. However, our experience confirms that the gambler cannot do any of these things.
When the compulsive gamblers reach the point where they are willing to admit loss of control over gambling and the complete unmanageability of their lives, they may finally be ready to accept help. This help can be found in Gamblers Anonymous.
To contact Gamblers Anonymous write to:
Gamblers Anonymous International Service Office
PO Box 17173
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: 626-960-3500
Fax: 626-960-3501
Website: www.gamblersanonymous.org
E-mail: isomain@gamblersanonymous.org
