From Hitting Big to Hitting Bottom

Could a single win at a casino change the course of your life? Scott Meyer joins us to recount his emotional journey from casual gambling with friends and family to an all-consuming addiction that started with a jackpot win at age 32. 

Scott paints a vivid picture of how offshore gambling sites turned his pastime into an obsession that threatened his relationships and career. His story is a stark illustration of the warning signs of problem gambling and the courage it takes to confront the issue both personally and with loved ones.

We also shine a light on the transformative power of peer support in recovery, a path Scott himself has embraced. Alongside OASAS Director of Recovery Brenda Harris-Collins, we explore how Scott's role in peer support fosters a sense of community and hope for those affected by gambling harm. We discuss initiatives to expand access to trained peers and the development of a peer training curriculum, which aims to build a robust support network through community outreach centers. 

This episode promises insights not only into the struggles of gambling addiction but also the inspiring resilience found in recovery.

Podcast Guests

• New York Council on Problem Gambling Peer Scott Meyer
• OASAS Director of Recovery Bureau Brenda Harris-Collins

I had access 24-7. And that's where it really took off became an obsession, became every aspect, every part, every component of my life was dedicated to gambling the need to gamble, the want to gamble. And more importantly, and of equal importance, the amount of time, effort I put into the deceit, the manipulation, the cover-ups, the secrets, the lies in order to continue gambling, because I was scared to death of what was happening to me, scared to tell my wife, scared to tell my business partner, afraid of my own self. And I just needed to win that big one to make it all right. —New York Council on Problem Gambling Peer Scott Meyer