Brian Hatch: From Gambling Addiction to Recovery
Introduction
After spending 14 years battling gambling addiction and repeated relapses, Brian Hatch found hope in recovery by speaking openly about his experiences and helping others do the same. Bet-free since 2014, he launched ALL IN: The Addicted Gambler's Podcast in January 2015, creating one of the first podcasts hosted by a compulsive gambler in recovery dedicated entirely to gambling addiction, recovery, and lived experience.
In this conversation, Brian Hatch reflects on the devastating financial, emotional, and psychological impact gambling had on his life while discussing relapse, recovery, and the role Gamblers Anonymous played in helping him rebuild. Drawing from both his personal journey and years of interviewing people affected by gambling harm, he offers an honest message of hope for anyone struggling with gambling addiction or supporting someone who is.
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Quotes
"They sent me the information, and it was these 20 questions. It's the same 20 questions you're asked if you go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, and in it it says, if you answer yes to 7 or more, you have a gambling problem."
"I got complacent in my recovery … eventually I just decided, well, I don't need Gamblers Anonymous, I'm fine I can do this on my own."
"I stayed away from GA because there was shame about returning and changing my date, which is silliness. You shouldn't worry about that at all. Gamblers Anonymous expects that you're going to have a recurrence and need to come back to the room … as long as you don't place a bet today, that's what matters."
"My dad died suddenly and I went to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting that night because I knew better. I knew that it would make me want to gamble. I knew that gambling would make me feel better about him dying."
"I didn't have a good time, but I just was there because I was addicted and I was compelled to gamble."
"It not only affects you mentally, but it affects your wallet and our livelihood is money, and if you don't have any, you're not exactly looking for a livelihood anymore. You're not looking to be alive if you can't function in life. Gambling has the highest rate of suicidality than any other addiction."
"Gambling is known as the hidden addiction – you can't see the physical signs of it … it's very easy to hide."
"It ends when you have no money and that's the sad part. If you're addicted, you're not going to stop until you're out of money, until you can stop funding your addiction … you're going to keep playing until you're out of money because you're convinced that you will win and you are convinced that if you win, all your problems are solved."
"I can never win because I can't leave. Even if I do win a jackpot or money of some amount, I'm gonna give it right back because it's all just to fund the gambling … I'm gambling for the rush."
"The solution for me is to reduce accessibility. Like a bar, a casino should close, an online gambling operator should close, because that's the only way you get these people who are addicted off without them losing everything they have."
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Brenda H.
BA Psych, Grad. Cert. Addictions & Mental Health
Driven by a deep personal connection to these topics, I created AMH Resources to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and everyday support. I watch, read, and summarize a wide range of free resources to help you navigate the overwhelming amount of information available and find what resonates with your journey.