What to Expect When You Call The Gambling Clinic

The Gambling Clinic’s regular hours are 8:00 to 4:30 Central time. If you call during this time, a member of our friendly peer support team (a “peer” for short) or our project coordinator will usually answer your call.

If you call after hours or when our team is away from their phones, you’ll get our answering service. They’ll take a message, and a member of our team will call or text you back, typically within 12 hours.

You can also email us or use the contact form on our website to get in touch, and we will call, text, or email you back, usually within 12 hours.

If you want to make changes in your life and reach out to The Gambling Clinic, we are ready to partner with you. When you talk with us, there’s not a sales pitch, just a conversation about what’s going on in your life so you can decide what options are best for you to gain control of your gambling.

If you want treatment from The Gambling Clinic, we’ll schedule you for an individual meeting with a therapist, either in person in Memphis, Nashville, or Johnson City or through telehealth (video call) from anywhere in Tennessee. We can usually offer an appointment within a few days of your call, so you can get started right away.

If you decide to start treatment with us, we’ll also match you with a peer recovery specialist, or peer. A peer is a person with lived experience with addiction who is available between therapy sessions to walk alongside you. It’s up to you how much you want to work with your peer. Many of our clients find it helpful to have someone who knows firsthand about overcoming addiction and can provide encouragement and support as they make changes.

On that first call, we will also ask for your contact information and learn a little about your background. The Gambling Clinic doesn’t take insurance, so you won’t need to provide any insurance information. Treatment is free for Tennessee residents. For out-of-state residents coming to Tennessee for treatment, our $800 treatment fee covers all necessary sessions, and we offer financial accommodations to ensure no one is turned away. Money is never a barrier to getting the care you need at The Gambling Clinic.

Your call to The Gambling Clinic can be the first step toward getting control of your gambling and building the life you want.

If You’re Not in Tennessee

The Gambling Clinic is able to provide treatment for people in Tennessee. Some people who live in bordering states drive over the state line into Tennessee for treatment. If you live elsewhere and can’t make it to Tennessee for treatment, we can point you to resources to help you find treatment elsewhere.

If You’re Not Ready for Treatment Yet

If you don’t want to get started with therapy at The Gambling Clinic, that’s okay. We’re still here for you. You can call us even if you don’t want to make an appointment. We can point you to guides on voluntarily self-excluding from casinos and betting apps, blocking gambling-related ad and content online, and responsible gambling. We can also tell you about treatment with us in case you want to consider that in the future. Reach out if you’d like to talk with us.

If You Have a Partner, Family Member, or Friend Whose Gambling Is Causing Problems in Their Life

If you have a partner, family member, or friend whose gambling is causing problems in their life, The Gambling Clinic can be a resource for you. You can call us to find out about our treatment program so you can tell the person about what’s available. We can also answer any questions you may have about gambling and gambling problems.

We know that one person’s gambling also affects the people around them, so we also offer therapy for partners, family members, and friends of those with gambling problems. We can help you learn about gambling and gambling problems, process your emotions, build skills in communication and emotion regulation, set boundaries, and work toward relational repair.

Sometimes parents, educators, and other caring adults aren’t sure how to talk with teens about gambling. We can provide tips for talking to the children and teens in your life about gambling and ways to reduce the risk of gambling-related harm. The Gambling Clinic is also developing an online tutorial on talking with teens about gambling.

Whether you want to schedule an appointment, get guidance on talking with a family member about gambling, or find tools for setting limits on your gambling, the team at The Gambling Clinic is here for you. You can count on us to be knowledgeable, caring, and non-judgmental. We will work with you to build the life you want.