One of the most supportive things you can do for your child is help them connect with resources and tools that promote recovery. This might include counseling, support groups, self-exclusion programs, or educational materials about gambling and its effects. Offering these options shows your child that help is available and that they don’t have to face the struggle alone.
It’s normal for parents to feel scared, out of control, or desperate to fix the problem—but keeping yourself calm, informed, and supported is essential. Taking care of your own well-being helps you respond with clarity and compassion.
It’s natural to want to rescue your child from the pain and consequences of gambling, but when parents cover losses or fix problems, it can unintentionally protect the gambling behavior instead of encouraging change. The most loving thing you can do is set clear boundaries while offering emotional support and guidance toward help.
Your role isn’t to solve the problem for your child, but to guide them toward the support that can empower them to take control of their own recovery. Taking the first step may feel daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone — Parents Standing Together is here to guide you, support you, and walk beside you as you and your child find a path toward healing.
Bailing out your child from the consequences of gambling only strengthens the addiction. Covering losses, paying debts, or rescuing them from school or work trouble prevents them from learning accountability and facing the reality of their choices. Addiction thrives when consequences are avoided—it’s part of why the disease is so persistent.
The most loving thing you can do is set firm boundaries, maintain financial control if needed, and let them experience the natural consequences of their actions while offering support and guidance in recovery. Protecting them from harm doesn’t mean fixing the problem for them—it means helping them build the skills to manage it themselves.
These choices are never easy. As a parent, you’ll face moments that feel impossible—when every option seems to hurt. The truth is, there’s no perfect response, only the next right action you can take and still feel at peace with. Do what you can live with, guided by both love and limits. You don’t have to face it alone. Support groups like Gam-Anon can help you find strength, perspective, and connection with others who truly understand.
Understanding your child’s gambling disorder starts with learning about the disease itself and is the first step toward helping them. Educating yourself about gambling addiction—its signs, risks, behaviors, and treatment options—empowers you to respond effectively and support your child with knowledge and confidence. These are some resources we have found helpful, along with attending support group meetings for ourselves.
Our Parents Standing Together community is a private space where parents of children struggling with gambling can ask questions, share what’s working (and what isn’t), and be with people who understand.
No advice from people who’ve never been through it. No judgment. Just parents who understand.
Books:
Educational Series: Mind Matters: Youth Gambling Series
Evive is an app created by a gambler in recovery to support those who want to stop or cut back on their gambling (as well as for those affected by someone else’s gambling). You can find education, reflection tools, community support, and more on the app. Membership is free.
Gamban and BetBlocker are applications that can be installed on your gambler’s devices to block tens of thousands of gambling sites and apps worldwide. Using blocking software can provide a roadblock for your gambler if they feel weak and try to return to gambling.
True Link is a prepaid debit card used by many people in recovery. For gambling addicts, money is the drug, and having limited access to money is helpful for many. The Card Admin, often the parent, can set times of day in which the card will not work and receive alerts for every purchase. The card also has the ability to be “turned off” for certain sites (like gambling websites) and activities (like withdrawing cash).
GamFin is an organization that provides financial counseling to individuals and families experiencing gambling-related financial stress in select states. Visit their website to see if their services are available in your area.
Our Parents Standing Together community is a private space where parents of children struggling with gambling can ask questions, share what’s working (and what isn’t), and be with people who understand.
No advice from people who’ve never been through it. No judgment. Just parents who understand.
