Gambling, Addiction & Recovery Articles
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Betting on the Midterms: When Following Politics Turns Into Gambling
Betting on the 2026 midterms can turn following politics into an all-day loop of headlines, market checks and trades. A Chicago gambling therapist on the warning signs, a 48-hour test, and how to separate the news from the money.
What Your Sportsbook Promo Is Really Saying
Profit boosts, bet insurance, VIP offers — and what the sportsbook may already know about how you bet. A Chicago gambling therapist on reading the offer backwards, and why turning promotions off works.
How to Quit Sports Betting When All Your Friends Bet
Your friends still bet, the group chat is full of parlays, and you’re trying to quit. A Chicago gambling therapist on what to tell the chat, how to say no to “just tail this one,” and when to leave for a while.
How to Self-Exclude From Prediction Markets: Kalshi, Polymarket, Robinhood & More
Your state self-exclusion list doesn’t cover Kalshi, Polymarket or Robinhood. A Chicago gambling therapist on closing every prediction-market door — exchanges, brokers, blockers and money — in the right order.
Parlay Addiction: Why Same-Game Parlays Can Be So Hard to Stop
Five legs hit. One didn’t. You lost the bet. A Chicago gambling therapist on why same-game parlays are so hard to stop, what a new study of 547 million NFL bets found, and how to break the cycle before next Sunday.
How to Stop Sports Betting: A Therapist’s Game Plan for Football Season
You delete the apps Sunday night; by Thursday one is back. A Chicago gambling therapist on why stopping sports betting starts with access, not willpower — self-exclusion, blockers, money friction, and a plan for the football week.
Are Prediction Markets Gambling? Kalshi, Polymarket, Robinhood & the Risk of Addiction
Kalshi, Polymarket and Robinhood let you trade on elections, sports and the news. A Chicago gambling therapist on where event contracts cross into gambling, why the risk profile is unusually high, and what to watch for.
How to Self-Exclude From Gambling in Illinois: Casinos, Sportsbooks, Lottery & More
Self-exclusion is one of the strongest barriers available — but Illinois has no single program that covers everything. What the Gaming Board list does and doesn’t cover, how the Lottery and video gaming differ, and what to know before you commit.