Join us as we explore the complex world of gambling addiction through personal stories, industry perspectives, and practical insights. This episode highlights the importance of awareness, harm prevention, and the societal factors influencing addictive behaviours. Hosts Dr Michael Auer and Jon Bruford are joined by recovering addict Saul Malek, who speaks candidly about his personal journey and the risks for young people in modern America.
This episode comes to you courtesy of the excellent Gaming Laboratories International.
GLI is a world-class testing, inspections and certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.
For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.
Things we talk about include:
- Personal narrative of gambling addiction and recovery, including online sports betting experiences
- The cultural and social environment of gambling, including college campuses and sports culture
- Industry challenges and potential strategies for harm prevention, including education and regulation
- The role of community, online platforms, and peer support in recovery efforts
- Specific vulnerabilities among youth, athletes, and college students related to gambling
- The Egyptian goddess of hedgehogs. It’s REAL.
Chapters, kind of, but add 40 seconds or so for the beautiful music:
- 00:02 – Welcome and episode overview
- 01:15 – Host’s ‘humorous’ reflection on podcast branding
- 02:00 – Introduction of Dr. Michael Auer
- 02:17 – Discussion on favourite Schwarzenegger films
- 03:12 – Commentary on remakes and film interpretations
- 04:11 – Analysis of “Starship Troopers” as an anti-war and anti-fascism film
- 05:01 – Insights into the appeal of gambling and its social aspects
- 11:10 – Saul Malek discusses his background and recovery from online sports betting addiction
- 12:31 – Early experiences with gambling during college
- 15:28 – The escalation to higher stakes and online gambling dynamics
- 20:01 – The role of peer groups and isolation in gambling behavior
- 21:26 – Recognition of gambling problems via family intervention
- 25:02 – The cultural and demographic aspects of recovery groups
- 30:36 – Digital advancements and preventive measures in gambling platforms
- 58:31 – Cultural tangent: Egyptian goddess of hedgehogs
Resources & Links:
Saul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saulmalek/
The Gambling Files on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/
Addiction: An Hour With Auer is a weekly podcast where hosts Dr Michael Auer – he of the title – and Jon Bruford talk about addiction in all its forms. Not just gambling addiction, they discuss all forms of addiction with experts, academics and researchers from around the world.
Dr Auer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-auer-51a48a/
Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/
Podcast homepage: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/addiction/
Media behemoth homepage: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/
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