Gambling is often a fun activity for most. Unfortunately, some gamblers can overdo and push beyond their limits.
Problem gambling costs its sufferers in both money they can’t afford to lose and time they can’t ever recover. However, there are resources in Michigan that can help both problem gamblers and their families begin on the road to recovery.
The Michigan Association on Problem Gambling (MAPG) is Michigan’s affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling. This nonprofit organization’s sole mission is to assist problem gamblers to a healthier and addiction-free life.
The program offers connections to treatment resources and training for counselors and other caregivers who may encounter problem gamblers. The MAPG is an excellent source for information about how to break the cycle of addiction in Michigan’s casinos and other gambling facilities.
One resource that has helped many problem gamblers are the two main support groups for problem gambling. Both Gamblers Anonymous and GAM-ANON have weekly meetings in multiple locations throughout Michigan.
Michigan gamblers can also visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for other treatment options. Notably, the MDHHS maintains a list of approved gambling treatment providers on a county-by-county basis so that problem gamblers who want help can find it close to their homes.
Additionally, the MDHHS maintains the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117. The call is toll-free, and counselors are available 24 hours a day.
Finally, for those who wish to walk away from gambling but cannot, the Michigan Gaming Control Board maintains the Michigan Disassociated Persons List. This list, also known in other states as the self-exclusion list, is a registry of those who have self-barred themselves from gambling in the state.
Those who choose to enroll on this list will be prohibited from entering any casinos throughout the state for a specified length of time. That length of time is up to and including a permanent ban. However, for those who cannot stop, such drastic measures may be necessary to keep them on the path to recovery.