“Please take a minute and introduce yourself to the person directly to your left and right.” 

This was one of the first things I was asked to do once arriving at a treatment facility in the summer of 2022, in another attempt to get my alcoholism under control. I had been part of this type of exercise before at conferences and industry events, so it didn’t seem like an odd request. In a moment, the task was complete. 

What the counsellor said next wasn’t what followed in those past experiences. 

“Five years from today, assuming this group follows the statistical norm for our programs, only 1 in 3 of you will be alive. So, take another look around and decide if you plan to be an outlier.” 

Only one year prior, I had checked into another treatment facility just down the road but had been asked to leave after four days. A blood test indicated that my liver was failing quickly, and I likely had only days to live. The staff viewed me as a liability and discharged me that afternoon. Somehow my body did recover after being discharged but now, a year later, following another year of excessive daily drinking, I wasn’t very optimistic I would be one of those outliers. 

I’m not sharing this story to shock you. And I’m not sharing it as a badge of honour. I’m keenly aware that the stigma around addiction means this article could close many doors for me in my career, as being open about my recovery has already cost me a lot in my personal and professional life for the same reasons. 

I’m sharing this because, while all of this was happening, the people closest to me and the colleagues I worked beside every day had no idea what I was going through. And in all likelihood, there are people in your organisation today with similar stories who feel just as terrified, empty and alone as I did that day. 

The industry’s hidden crisis 

Research conducted by Bupa Group reveals the scope of what we’re dealing with: 51% of people surveyed believe stigma prevents people from seeking help at work. Nearly 6 in 10 employees (57%) admit to having struggled with some form of addiction. And 71% of employers report being concerned about addiction-related issues in the workplace. 

These numbers are climbing. 

The gambling industry is fuelled by high energy, brilliant minds and intense pressure. We celebrate wins, chase growth and operate in an environment where the stakes, both professional and personal, are always high. But we’ve been missing something critical; a safety net for the people who power this dynamic world. 

That’s why we created Recovery in Gaming. 

Building the industry’s safety net 

Recovery in Gaming is a network of support, founded on the principles of anonymity and service, for those navigating recovery from alcohol and drug addiction within the gambling industry. Our ambition is to become the industry’s safety net, woven from shared experience. 

We recognise these things, much like recovery, happen one day at a time. Over the coming months, we’re focused on raising initial funding to establish our organisation. Following that, we’ll build programs including: 

• Awareness campaigns about available support resources 

• Training and education for leadership teams on supporting employees in recovery 

• Research to understand the specific needs of the gambling industry around addiction 

We have a long way to go, and we’re going to need support from leaders across the industry. 

He deserved better 

I want to further explain how things played out for the group of people I was in treatment with that first day. Unfortunately, we were not a statistical anomaly. It hasn’t been five years or even four years since I left treatment but by my last calculation, we are right on schedule to reach 66% by the time we hit year five. But none of those deaths hit me as hard as Michael O. 

Michael, who sat to my left that first day and became a close friend, passed away in February 2023, around six months after we left treatment. We were supposed to meet for dinner the weekend that he died, but I had to travel for work and didn’t make it back on the Friday night. He passed away the next night. I often wonder if he’d still be here if I hadn’t cancelled. 

What’s next 

Every executive reading this knows someone fighting this battle, even if you don’t know it yet. The question isn’t whether addiction exists in your organisation. It’s whether your people feel safe enough to ask for help before it’s too late. 

Recovery in Gaming is building that safety net, but we can’t do it alone. If you’re an industry leader who wants to be part of the solution, we need your support, whether that’s financial backing, platform sharing, or simply helping us reach others who need this message. 

I just hope that one day we’ll be able to say Recovery in Gaming isn’t a longshot bet anymore. That the odds have changed. That Michael and so many others didn’t die in vain. 

Learn more about our mission and how you can help at recoveryingaming.com or reach me directly at [email protected].