Arizona has awarded its first peer support and recovery contract for help with gambling addiction, and confidential services will be offered at no cost.
The state’s Department of Gaming announced on Jan. 12 that it awarded Phoenix-based Dezerve Counseling LLC with the contract following a competitive process.
Dezerve will develop, launch, and manage Arizona’s first problem gambling peer support and recovery program. The state expects the program to launch in spring 2026.
The program is separate from the state’s subsidized treatment program, which includes over 20 Arizona providers for gambling addiction help.
Elise Mikkelsen, Director, Division of Problem Gambling, said the peer program is about “creating an additional pathway to recovery for Arizona community members negatively impacted by problem gambling.”
“We believe, just as the Division does, that recovery begins with a single step forward,” said Darfetta Muhammad, Chief Administrative Officer at Dezerve Counseling.
How the AZ Peer Gambling Program Works
The program will pair each client with a Peer Support and Recovery Specialist, a person who has lived experience with gambling addiction. Arizona’s mission is to help people quit gambling and remain in recovery.
Specialists receive training in peer support practice. “With first-hand, lived experience in addiction, specialists can provide a non-clinician point of view with real-time, confidential advice and support,” the Division said in a statement.
Peer support will be available statewide and offered in-person, virtually, and by phone, and will be provided in one-on-one and group settings.
There will be no fee for participants and no requirement that the participant have insurance.
Arizonans who want to inquire about problem gambling services should text NEXTSTEP to 53342 or call 1-800-NEXT-STEP.
Arizona Gambling Help: Self-Exclusion
The state offers another way to help people quit gambling and remain in recovery. The Arizona Department of Gaming provides two types of self-exclusion:
- Casino self-exclusion: You can choose to exclude yourself from all Arizona casinos.
- Online sports betting self-exclusion: You can exclude yourself from Event Wagering & Fantasy Sports (EWFS) Contests.
Arizona self-exclusion is a help tool that allows a person to ban themselves from gambling. GamblingHarm.org recommends self-exclusion if you are having issues with your play. It is never too early to self-exclude.
Both exclusions provide that a person on the self-exclusion list will be prohibited from collecting any winnings or recovering any losses.
The time period options available to Arizonans are 1-, 5-, or 10-year exclusions.
You can’t complete self-exclusion online through the state’s website. People struggling with gambling must mail a completed self-exclusion form to the state or physically go to a casino. You can also go to the Arizona Department of Gaming’s main office in Phoenix to self-exclude.
For questions regarding Arizona gambling help, call 602-771-4263 and ask to speak to someone about self-exclusions. You may also email publicaffairs@azgaming.gov.
