🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.
The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.
👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200
📱 App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/betttr-quit-gambling-recovery/id6756128282

In this special episode, Eric welcomes his friend Caleb, into the Lounge. Caleb is the nephew of a compulsive gambler in Recovery, and this connection led him to pursue what has become his passion- to build a company and online app that is geared towards individuals who are seeking help to overcome their addiction to gambling. This has led to the launching of Caleb's company and app called "betttr". Eric and Caleb have a thoughtful discussion about today's world of gambling, addiction, and Recovery opportunities, as well as some of the details of the "betttr" app and how anyone can immediately utilize the app as a Recovery tool.

⏱ Chapters
0:00 Betttr — a gift for Lounge listeners
0:47 The conversation begins
24:08 Daily fantasy: 1.3% of players win
25:08 U.S. sports betting handle: $5B → $167B

📊 Sources for the stats in this episode:
- 24:08 — Daily fantasy "1.3% of players win, 98.7% lose": McKinsey & Company (2015); DraftKings' own 2013–14 data.
- 25:08 — U.S. legal sports betting handle, $5B → $167B (2017–2025): American Gaming Association & state regulators (annual legal handle; 2017 = Nevada only, pre-PASPA repeal).

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:
To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org
To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com
To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

#gamblingrecovery #quitgambling #sportsbetting

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

In this powerful episode, Eric welcomes into the Lounge, one of his A-List mentors in his Recovery journey- Frank S. With multiple decades of experience in the Gamblers Anonymous program, Frank talks eloquently and with raw honesty, about his journey, including going to his first GA meeting at the young age of 19. Frank's path included many family members who were also compulsive gamblers, and we visit about what that life experience was like.

Frank shares his deep experiences, including the need to escape his life problems from a young age and that would lead to a long and devastating battle with a gambling addiction. His very successful career in banking was a part of that journey, which ultimately led to multiple arrests, probation, and time in prison.

Frank and Eric also talk about their spiritual connection on multiple fronts, including a very important date on the calendar in both of their lives, January 11th.

All of this led to COVID in 2020, which would bring about an extraordinary invention that Frank was a primary creator and collaborator of; the website: gamblersinrecovery.com. This website is a premier reference for Gambling Recovery meetings on the zoom platform, from all around the world, with hundreds of meeting listings, at all hours of the morning, day, and night. Frank has personally helped foster incredible amounts of opportunities for Gambling Recovery worldwide and continues to carry the message to those suffering, with a desire to get help.

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

We're back in 2026! In the new year's kick-off episode, Eric welcomes his close friend and brother in Recovery, Markus, to the Lounge. Markus shares, with incredible honesty and humility, his 8-year journey of a progressive gambling addiction, throughout his 20's. What started as an innocent experience of gambling to fit in with his peers, spiraled into a full-blown addiction to sports gambling and devastated every aspect of his life. Markus shares what it feels like to experience the ultimate highs in life, like his engagement, to quickly shifting into the pit of demise and complete destruction in a matter of hours. It all led to a rock bottom discovery by his life partner, that finally brought everything to light. With his entire life all the line, Markus describes his entry into Recovery via Gamblers Anonymous and how nearly 2 years later, his life has been completely transformed in his Recovery journey.

Markus also shares important advice and insight into what his experience has been like to deal with sports in his Recovery process, which is a critical component of what so many young, sports fans and gamblers are facing in today's world, where sports and gambling go and hand and has been glorified into society as a normal and acceptable activity. This Podcast episode is life changing, and it's the rare person like Markus, whose bringing about the necessary truth to save and transform lives!

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

Eric is joined in the Lounge by Gavin, from Wisconsin. Gavin is a 25 year-old gambler in recovery and talks about his journey through life. Learning about gambling at a very young age and navigating troubled waters throughout his adolescence, into early adulthood, Gavin brings a depth of extraordinary resilience and how anybody, at any age, can prosper through recovery. He also shares about the importance of his mom's support in getting him help and continued support in his journey. This is an episode that likely resonates with everyone and provides meaningful HOPE for those who feel hopeless from however a gambling problem has impacted your life.

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

Eric welcomes Robert into the Lounge; a great friend and mentor in recovery. Robert shares about his gambling journey since early childhood, ultimately leading to a long-term addiction, primarily in the realm of sports gambling. His 30+ years in recovery through GA is full of experience, strength, and hope and Robert leaves no stone unturned throughout this riveting discussion. If you want 100% brutal honesty and what facing this devastating addiction can do to turn one's life completely around, you're in for a great experience. And there's even a surprise "recovery song" that Robert performs live!

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

Eric is joined in the co-host seat by Edgardo, as the show celebrates reaching the double-digit milestone, with Experience #10! They welcome their friends, Ryan and Kiki, into the Lounge, from San Diego, CA. Ryan is the compulsive gambler in recovery and Kiki, his wife, is the effected loved one. They share their stories of how Ryan got introduced to gambling, how it escalated in his life and their marriage, and ultimately led to him seeking recovery. Kiki shares the amazing journey of a spouse impacted by her husband's gambling addiction and how she reached her rock bottom, leading to her own journey of recovery. This episode demonstrates what is possible when compulsive gamblers and loved ones jointly seek recovery and face this devasting disease openly, honestly, and lovingly.

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

In this milestone episode, Eric welcomes his close friend and brother in Recovery, Joe, into the Lounge. Joe shares about his life journey, from what was a normal, happy life into his 20s, but ultimately spiraled into a chaotic gambling addiction in a span of just a few years. He describes how he had a successful job and great marriage, but how gambling would then take control of everything. Joe also shares how he went from being an imposter in the initial stages of abstinence into what has become his deep commitment to Recovery since his last bet on November 5, 2022. That was also the day Joe and Eric met, and they talk in detail about the miracle of what happened on that day and how it would change the course of history for both of them.

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

BIG THANKS to Edgardo for his dedication in producing and editing this Podcast. This would not be possible without his support!

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org

🎁 A gift for Lounge listeners — Betttr, the app to quit gambling and take back control.

The first 200 listeners get Betttr free for life. Download at betttr.net/get and enter code LOUNGE200.

👉 betttr.net/get · code LOUNGE200

Eric and Alyssa interview Edgardo - a loved one affected by a compulsive gambler. (and that compulsive gambler just happens to be Eric!) You won't want to miss this! Edgardo tells the brutal honest story of the pain a loved one goes through, as their partner spirals into the depts of a horrific gambling addiction. And he paints the picture of how Recovery can change those same lives and thrive into the future in a wonderful way.

We would love to hear from you. We welcome any questions and comments. Please e-mail Eric directly at: ericpaulf@sbcglobal.net

***The Gambling Recovery Lounge is sponsored by "betttr"- an online app designed to help anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Download "betttr" from your app store and support your own journey to a better life and gambling recovery process!***

GAMBLING RECOVERY MEETING RESOURCES:

To find in person or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meetings, visit: gamblersanonymous.org

To find Gambling Recovery zoom meetings, visit: gamblersinrecovery.com

To find in person or virtual Gam-Anon Recovery Meetings, visit: gam-anon.org