Sports Betting and Gambling Addiction Therapy in Denver
My Denver Therapy provides therapy for sports betting and gambling addiction at four Denver-area offices and online across Colorado.
Help for when gambling becomes a problem
Our therapists treat compulsive betting on sports apps, prop bets and parlays, daily fantasy, online casino games, poker, and prediction markets, along with the debt, secrecy, and relationship damage that come with it. Sessions are private pay and confidential, so there is no insurance record and no treatment-center file.
Colorado legalized mobile sports betting in 2020, and since then the sportsbook has been in your pocket during every game, every commute, every bathroom break. What started as a parlay with friends on Sunday has become a same-game bet on a Tuesday night college game you do not care about, a withdrawal from savings you told yourself you would replace, and a running total you have stopped looking at. You have deleted the apps and reinstalled them. You may have already been asked where the money went.
Gambling addiction is the addiction that leaves no physical trace, which is why it gets so far before anyone notices. It is also among the most treatable, once you stop trying to fix it alone.
Signs sports betting has become a problem
- Betting more than you planned, or more often, and chasing losses to get even
- Hiding bets, deposits, or losses from a partner, or lying about them
- Borrowing, using credit, or draining savings or retirement to fund betting
- Betting on games and markets you have no interest in, just to have action
- Restlessness or irritability when you try to stop
- Thinking about the next bet during work, dinner, or time with your kids
- Promising yourself and others that you will stop, and not stopping
- Self-excluding from one app and opening another, or moving to prediction markets or crypto trading where the exclusion does not apply
If you or someone you know recognizes more than two of these, you are not overreacting.
The new forms of gambling
Most gambling content was written for casinos and slot machines. The people we see are betting differently.
Prop bets and same-game parlays. Built to feel like skill and to pay out rarely. The constant availability of micro-decisions inside a single game creates a reinforcement loop that traditional betting never had.
Live and micro-betting. Next pitch, next drive, next possession. There is no pause between bets, which removes the moment where a person would normally reconsider.
Daily fantasy. Framed as a game, functions as gambling, and often sits outside self-exclusion programs.
Prediction markets. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket let you bet on elections, weather, and sports outcomes under the label of “trading.” They are not covered by most state gambling protections, and we are seeing people who self-excluded from sportsbooks relapse on prediction markets.
Day trading and crypto. When trading becomes frequent, emotional, and chased, it is gambling with a different vocabulary. We treat it the same way.
How we treat gambling addiction
Stopping the bleeding first. Early sessions address the practical layer: self-exclusion through the Colorado program and app-level tools, blocking software, financial transparency with a partner or trusted person, and a plan for the money. These are not the whole treatment, but nothing else works while the betting continues.
Cognitive work on the gambler’s mind. CBT for gambling targets the specific distortions that drive it: the near-miss, the illusion of control, the belief that you are due, and the chase.
What the betting does for you. Gambling almost always regulates something: boredom, anxiety, a need for intensity, a way to feel competent, or an escape. Internal Family Systems and somatic therapy work with the part of you that needs the action and what it is covering.
Co-occurring conditions. Gambling addiction travels with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and drinking. We treat all of it in one practice, and our psychiatric nurse practitioner provides medication management when it helps.
Partners and families. Gambling addiction hits the people around you with financial shock and broken trust. We offer couples counseling for rebuilding after disclosure and therapy for family members who need their own support.
Colorado funds free problem gambling support. The Colorado problem gambling helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), available 24/7, and the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado maintains resources and a statewide self-exclusion program. We encourage every client to use them alongside therapy.
Frequently asked questions
Is sports betting addiction a real addiction?
Yes. Gambling disorder is recognized in the DSM-5 as a behavioral addiction, with the same reward-pathway changes and the same loss of control as substance addictions. Sports betting apps, with constant availability and rapid bet cycles, are among the fastest paths into it.
How do I know if I need therapy for gambling?
If you have tried to stop or cut back and could not, if you are hiding bets or losses, or if betting is costing you money you need, therapy is warranted. You do not have to be in financial ruin to start.
Can I keep betting a little while in therapy?
For gambling, unlike alcohol, we recommend stopping completely, because moderation rarely holds and the financial stakes are immediate. We help you get there; we do not require it before the first session.
Does therapy help with the debt?
Therapy addresses the betting and the reasons for it, and we help you build a practical financial plan and connect you with financial counseling resources. We do not provide financial advice.
What if I self-excluded and relapsed on a prediction market or crypto?
This is common, because prediction markets and trading platforms sit outside most gambling protections. We treat them as gambling and help you close every door, not just the sportsbook.
Is gambling therapy confidential?
Yes. We are a private-pay practice. Nothing is submitted to insurance, and your records stay with your therapist within the limits of Colorado law.
Gambling addiction carries a high risk of suicidal thinking, especially after a large loss. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 now.
Other Specialties
Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are.
Rachel Naomi Remen
Meet our therapists
As a therapist-owned practice, we care about helping you heal, grow, and thrive. We take a client-focused approach to counseling and approach each session with a commitment to your progress and growth.
Availability
We’re always accepting new clients at our conveniently located offices in Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada. All of our therapists can meet with clients online.
We specialize in you
You are welcome here. Because we have a large team with a wide range of specialties and trainings, we work with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages.
We can match you with a male or female therapist who matches your goals, location, and schedule. If you have a preference for gender, age, religious background, or a person with a specific type of training or life experience, we can match you with a therapist you feel comfortable with.
Trained in effective therapy modalities
To support your mental health journey, our team is trained in some of the most effective forms of therapy available today, including EMDR, Brainspotting, CBT, DBT, and IFS.
Whether you’re looking for help with anxiety, depression, trauma, or want to better understand your relationship and attachment styles, we can help.
Insurance information
We’re out of network with insurance and Tricare and are unable to take Medicaid or Medicare.
Unlike many Denver therapy practices, we don’t charge separate intake or administration fees or charge more for your first session or specialized therapy methods like EMDR.
Get matched with a therapist
Contact us today, and one of our therapists will reach out to you directly, usually the same day.