FMIA Guest: Gamblers Anonymous Member On Dangers Of NFL Betting

Peter King is on vacation until July 18, and he lined up some guest writers to fill his Monday spot on Football Morning in America. Today’s guest is Doc G. (a pseudonym), a compulsive gambler and member of Gamblers Anonymous.

The moment 20 years ago is etched in my mind. I had a great job and an office with a dream view. The phone rang, and when I picked up, I heard a hysterical cry on the other end. “What have you done?” my wife shrieked. She discovered that I cleared out an entire investment account of thousands of dollars.

She was beyond disbelief when she discovered the facts. My emotions overflowed. I knew my gambling was wrong and out of control. Even worse, we had been through this before. I was mortified at being caught, embarrassing my wife and family. Still, despite the pain, the remorse, the self-loathing, there was also relief. 

I had an addiction. I was sick. I needed help. I led a secret life, dishonest, self-centered, manipulative. It took time, but I began to see that if I could stop gambling, become transparent about my actions, start doing the right things, my life, our lives, could be saved and healed.

I’m not proud of my actions, but I’m pleased about the path I’ve taken to recovery. If one person finds these stories helpful, sharing my story will be worth it. 

So what does this have to do with the NFL? Why did Peter King give me this space to tell my story and the stories of others close to me? When I turn on the TV today and see wall-to-wall ads urging people to gamble on sports, I think about the major influence the commercials are having. I think about the thousands, perhaps millions, of people who are likely to start betting on sports. The league, team and betting company commercials—luring