A 69-year-old California woman seeks advice from Dave Ramsey after her husband lost all of his money on a million-dollar sports gambling game.

Debra’s husband has a problem. He is addicted to sports gambling and has wasted nearly $1 million of his savings.

The 69-year-old Sacramento native was arraigned Symbolic offerExpressing her dismay and frustration, she labeled her husband, 79, a dangerous gambler.

The couple have been married for 11 years and should be in the perfect place to enjoy their retirement. At the beginning of their marriage, they had nearly $1 million saved jointly. However, Debra recently discovered that her husband had been dipping into their betting accounts and lying about it.

The National Council on Problem Gambling reports that 2.5 million adults in the United States have a severe gambling problem, and another 5 to 8 million have a mild or moderate problem with gambling. (1)

“My husband has a gambling problem,” Debra said. “Our savings are down to $15,000.”

Debra is facing a serious personal and financial crisis, and Ramsay isn’t hedging his bets on what she should do.

“I can stop anytime I want,” Debra’s husband told her; However, this heartbreaking story is a clear example of how addiction can tear families apart.

Although they combined their accounts after marriage and were initially cautious with their money, Debra’s husband eventually became evasive, and she noticed some red flags.

“A year and a half ago, the thing that was a red flag was that I saw a late notice on my taxes,” she recalled. “I said, ‘Why are our taxes late?’

I started digging and discovered that he had missed paying the tax. Now, she finds out that her husband’s credit score is 600, while hers is in the 800 range, and despite his $350,000 annual salary, they have little in the bank.

Worst of all, he is not committed to getting help to get rid of his addiction; Instead, he’s just shrinking his cum. (2)

“He said… ‘We can get it under control. We can get it down to $700 or $800 a month,'” Debra recalls.

Debra and her husband are not alone. The National Council on Problem Gambling reports that the rate of problem gambling among sports bettors is at least twice the rate among gamblers in general. (3) Additionally, 45% of sports betting is now done online, and with apps widely available, gambling addicts have temptations in their pockets 24/7.

The financial loss caused by this easy access can be devastating, with Atlantic Behavioral Health reporting that gambling addiction leads to an average debt of $40,000. (4)

The World Health Organization also warns that gambling can:

• Increased risk of mental illness

• Increased risk of suicide

• Push families into poverty

• It causes the disintegration of relationships and families

• Increased risk of domestic violence

• Increased risk of crimes such as theft and fraud

• Result in child neglect (5)

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Debra has taken the first step in separating her finances from her husband, but Dave said she must do more.

“You call a marriage counselor, you start talking to them. You call someone who does addiction counseling,” Ramsay suggests. “Both can give you a framework through which you lead them to an ultimatum, and the ultimatum is: stop behaving inappropriately, you’ll go to Gamblers Anonymous, you’ll go to a therapist.

“You don’t gamble another dime, or you’ll never see me again.”

The best time to take action is as soon as possible, or before the financial loss becomes significant. Warning signs can include:

• Financial issues such as overdue bills and maxed out cards

• Lack of money despite earning a decent living

• Items that are sold for cash

For those who suffer from a condition similar to Debra’s and notice these signs in their spouse, Better Health recommends the following:

• Remind yourself that you are not at fault and you cannot control their behavior

• Tell the gambler that he or she is hurting you

• Track all family spending and take control of your money

• Open a separate bank account

• Talk to the bank to make sure your home can’t be remortgaged

• Place valuables in a safe deposit account

• Cancel overdraft protection on joint bank accounts

• Make connections with others to support your mental health (4)

Finally, as Ramsay suggested, you should step in and confront your wife, providing specific examples of how her behavior is causing problems. Also work with them to create a strategy on how to deal with gambling and the consequences of their actions.

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National Council on Problem Gambling (1, 3); Addiction help (2); atlantic behavioral health4); Global Health Organization (5); University of Southern California Susan Durak-Peck (6).

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. They are provided without warranty of any kind.