Gamblers Anonymous

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Gamblers Anonymous is an international organization of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other to solve their common problem of gambling and help others to recover. The only requirement for GA membership is a desire to stop gambling.

The Gamblers Anonymous group is based on the Alcoholics Anonymous model which brings together people with similar addictive behaviors. It uses its Recovery and Unity Programs as a structure. These are extremely similar to AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

Successful recovery from compulsive gambling seems to depend on the following variables:

1. The degree of hopelessness a new member feels when he arrives at a meeting. Open-mindedness to the GA program of recovery is often proportional to the desperation experienced by the new member. The compulsion to gamble is a powerful urge and has a life of its own. The gambler often tried using willpower to control the gambling compulsion but is usually unsuccessful. If a person was unsuccessful at other methods of controlling his or her gambling, he or she is more apt to listen to the GA method.

2. A willingness to be honest about their gambling. Compulsive gamblers usually minimize the damage gambling has caused to themselves, their families and associates. This is a strategy used to deal with their problem, as the reality is often too horrible to contemplate. But members can face the pain their gambling created, they have increased motivation to find recovery.

3. Identification with other members. Members relate stories about the damage gambling did in their lives and how they stopped gambling. The new member can relate the stories to their own situation and draw the conclusion others overcame their gambling problem using GA and they could do the same. The new member feels hope for tyhe first time that they can recover.

4. Acceptance of the spiritual component and willingness to follow the advice the program and the experience, strength and hope that other members provide. The GA program acknowledges that gambling cannot be controlled by a compulsive gambler. This is the ultimate goal of the Twelve Steps. GA does not offer a "religious solution" but yet asks members to formulate a personal spirituality and belief in a higher power. With successful GA members, they have found a source of strength beyond their own unaided wills that has enabled them to stop gambling.

5. Successful members often adopt the following components of the GA program:

  a. Regular attendance at meetings, 
  b. Communication with other members (Telephone lists, meals, conclaves, etc)
  c. Adoption of and following the 12 steps of Gamblers Anonymous
  d. Finding a sponsor within the GA program

Differences between AA and GA.

1. While AA mentions God six times in its 12 steps and frequently in AA literature, Gamblers Anonymous removed the word GOD from most of its 12 steps and stresses a higher power concept instead. Members are encouraged to define their higher power as they desire. However, most successful GA members, define their higher power as God.

2. AA literature defines the alcoholic addiction as insanity and basically acknowledges that an alcoholic is insane, (when in the grip of alcoholism). GA removed insanity from the 12 steps and implies that compulsive gambling is a problem.

3. AA states there are some people physically incapable of following their program. GA removed that statement from its literature.