Gambling Coach: Prevention, Recovery, Education, And Awareness

Gambling has never been more accessible and widespread. As a result, many people develop a problem with gambling.

The main components of a gambling problem are chasing losses, gambling more often and for larger amounts of money, and gambling that disrupts your life in some way.

Who Can I Talk to About My Gambling Problem?

Fortunately, there are numerous options to begin addressing a gambling problem. You can talk to:

• Friends or family you trust
• A gambling helpline, which allows you to remain anonymous
• A gambling therapist or counselor
• A gambling coach

This article will cover what you need to know about a gambling coach for prevention and/or recovery. You can also contact brian@gamblingharm.org to obtain more information confidentially.

What Is a Gambling Coach?

A gambling coach can have several meanings. It can refer to someone who:

• Teaches you how to gamble
• Educates you on the risks of gambling (i.e., harm prevention)
• Helps in your recovery from a gambling addiction

A gambling coach can meet with you in person or remotely online. Coaching sessions can be one-on-one or group sessions.

Benefits of a Gambling Coach

The benefits depend on the type of gambling coach and what you’re looking for.

We recommend avoiding coaches who claim to teach you how to gamble or how to be a “better” gambler. Studies show that gambling, especially online, is highly addictive. Nearly all online gamblers lose in the long run.

It’s better to have a coach who tells you the truth about gambling and dispels common gambling myths and fallacies.

A gambling prevention coach can help you minimize the risks of gambling. However, it’s tough for anyone but yourself to ultimately prevent a gambling problem.

A gambling recovery coach can help you remain in recovery after you’ve decided that quitting gambling was right for you. It’s important to know that a relapse is common. You should also seek help from a licensed medical professional for counseling and, if needed, medication. A recovery coach can’t diagnose or treat an addiction.

What to Look For In a Coach?

You want someone with knowledge about specific gambling products and games. You also want someone with industry-level expertise and experience to give you context and perspective on how the industry targets people.

A gambling coach must have no professional relationship with the gambling industry or its partners. This is crucial to avoid a conflict of interest.

Ideally, you also want someone with lived experience of problem gambling.

Is a Coach Right For You?

A prevention coach can help everyone who doesn’t have a gambling problem. This is because anyone can develop a gambling addiction.

Problem gambling can impact people from all walks of life. People of all ages, genders, ethnicities, professions, and income levels can be affected by this mental health condition.

A prevention coach can be especially valuable for adolescents and young adults, as these individuals are more susceptible to problem gambling, according to numerous studies. The reason is simple: the brain is still developing and more vulnerable to addictive behaviors.

A recovery coach is a bit more complicated, as this type of coach should only be used in tandem with a licensed medical professional. A recovery coach can be as helpful as a licensed professional, but it’s safest to receive treatment from a licensed provider.

Gambling addiction carries a heightened risk of suicidal thoughts, so you should always consult with someone trained and licensed by a reputable authority to treat you. A recovery coach can be a great supplement to your treatment and a bridge post-treatment.

If you are in the U.S. and need immediate assistance, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Finding a Gambling Coach

GamblingHarm.org’s founder, Brian Pempus, provides coaching for both prevention and recovery. He has 15+ years of experience researching and writing about the gambling industry, and he has lived experience.

Brian first became involved with gambling as a junior in high school by watching poker on ESPN and playing it with his friends. He later enrolled at Penn State University to study journalism. At Penn State’s student newspaper, Brian covered sports and gambling, and their impact on students in the late 2000s.

Brian later took a job as a journalist at Card Player Magazine, the largest card game magazine in the United States. He lived and worked in Las Vegas, and it was then that Brian began to develop a problem with poker.

To address the issue, Brian received crucial mental health treatment and eventually left Las Vegas. He continued to cover the vast gambling industry as a journalist.

Since quitting poker over 10 years ago, Brian has covered consumer protection and mental health as it relates to numerous forms of gambling, in particular sports betting, poker, cryptocurrency, online casino, prediction markets, and video games involving gambling components such as loot boxes.

Brian has held senior roles at numerous publications, most recently as a managing editor at Forbes. Brian left Forbes in early 2025 to start GamblingHarm.org and combat the growing addiction epidemic.

He can help you, your family member/friend, or your kids learn about and potentially avoid or minimize gambling-related harm. Please reach out to Brian at brian@gamblingharm.org for more information.

Gambling Coach FAQ

Can ChatGPT or AI be a gambling coach?

No, it’s generally a bad idea to use ChatGPT or any other AI-powered chatbot for gambling information. A 2025 study found that A.I. chatbots can actually exhibit their own version of gambling addiction. Do not trust what these products tell you about gambling.

Is a coach a therapist?

No, a gambling coach is different from a therapist. A therapist must receive a degree and certification to treat a gambling addiction. A gambling coach, which can also be highly helpful, does not need to meet the same standards as a therapist. A coach cannot diagnose or treat any mental health condition.

Is a gambling coach like a life coach?

Yes, a gambling coach can be similar to a life coach. It depends on the type of coaching. If the gambling coach helps you in other facets of your life, including rebuilding your life after gambling, the relationship could be considered a life coach.

A gambling coach can help you find other activities to fill the void after gambling.

What will a gambling coach do for me?

A gambling coach can help you in numerous ways, including quitting or stopping gambling, staying away from gambling, or just learning about the risks and harms associated with gambling. Ultimately, it depends on your goals for your work with a coach.

At what age should I get a gambling coach for my son or daughter?

Gambling problems can begin in childhood or adolescence. It’s tough to know precisely when a coach could be beneficial. However, when your child starts playing video games with gambling components, it could be time to consider a prevention coach.

Is a gambling coach a good investment?

You shouldn’t think of a gambling coach as an investment per se. You aren’t trying to make money through a gambling prevention or recovery coach. A gambling coach can save you money (i.e., help reduce the chances you suffer financial losses), but that’s different from the definition of an investment. Still, if you think of saving money as making money, then the investment framing could make sense.

Please note that information on this page should not be used to diagnose or treat a gambling problem. Please call 1-800-GAMBLER for immediate assistance.