The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a Problem Gambling Toolkit, which offers the following advice for family members of problem gamblers:
- Take the gambler's name off all credit cards.
- Deposit the gambler's paycheck into an account in your name only, and agree to a weekly cash budget.
- Call creditors, explain the gambler's problem, and promise to provide a restitution plan within 45 days.
If gambling continues:
- Take your name off any joint credit cards and bank accounts.
- Alert all creditors and ask them not to extend any more credit to the gambler.
- Assume payment of household bills, if possible.
- Open a separate safe-deposit box to store valuables that the gambler might sell for cash.
- Identify income and assets, establish a spending plan, and shift control of the finances to a nongambler.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
offers a Problem Gambling Toolkit, which offers the following
advice for family members of problem gamblers: Take the gambler's
name off all credit cards. Deposit the gambler's...
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Dr. Howard Shaffer answered:The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a Problem Gambling Toolkit, which offers the following advice for family members of problem gamblers: