Gambling Addiction

Hero with Gambling Addiction – Now Helping others recover

April 19, 2020

2 minute read

Mike Mooney, 65 years old, got stuck in a drug and gambling addiction from a very early age. His father was into gambling as well and used to teach neighbors and friends how to gamble, and Mike himself started to gamble for lunch money with his classmates at the age of 10. Everything happens for a reason and Mike eventually ended up in jail where he was given a choice – either substance abuse recovery or prison…

Gambling away $10K in hours made him quit, now he helps others

“I thought you could have some wealth without doing some manual labor, so to speak,” he said. “I thought you could gamble your way to success.”

Given the choice between prison and substance abuse recovery, Mooney committed to a clean lifestyle and used his last substance in January 1991. He got a job at Salvation Army, where he continued to play poker with co-workers for side income.
Through a 12-step program, he swore off substances in January 1991, but didn’t prioritize addressing his gambling addiction. Five years sober, with a new fiancé he met in recovery, Mooney flew to meet family members in Las Vegas and to get married.

Gambling Addiction Basics

On his honeymoon, while waiting for his new wife and in-laws to meet for dinner, he placed some bets at the hotel-casino. He was first up a couple of thousands, then down a couple of thousands, when he got decided to try to break even and leave…. Gambling away $10K in hours made him quit, now he helps others | MLive.com

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Eddy Cheung

I remember the first time I saw Kai Tak, Hong Kong’s gambling city, I thought I was in a fairy tale. All the lights blinking, the music and the monumental buildings, what 9-year-old wouldn’t think they’ve come to a magical place? It was my father who brought me, dragging me along and when inside I was hit by the smell of frying duck. As soon as I hit 21 I returned to Kai Tak, A bit nervous to see if my mind had embellished the memory, but it hadn’t. Kai Tak was still a magical place. I decided I wanted to spend as much time as I could at this place, so I did.

Author

Eddy Cheung

I remember the first time I saw Kai Tak, Hong Kong's gambling city, I thought I was in a fairy tale. All the lights blinking, the music and the monumental buildings, what 9-year-old wouldn’t think they’ve come to a magical place? It was my father who brought me, dragging me along and when inside I was hit by the smell of frying duck. As soon as I hit 21 I returned to Kai Tak, A bit nervous to see if my mind had embellished the memory, but it hadn’t. Kai Tak was still a magical place. I decided I wanted to spend as much time as I could at this place, so I did.