Louisville is a testing ground for a new approach to gambling addiction in Kentucky. With sports betting a part of the state’s sports culture local recovery groups have expanded free tools designed to catch gambling problems earlier.
Here is what the changes mean for Kentucky residents concerned about someone they love.
Why Gambling Addiction Is Easy to Miss
Recovery advocates note that gambling addiction is one of the easiest addictions to hide. “A person’s family, friends or colleagues may have no idea,” said Kimberly Hinkel-Browning, chief executive officer and founder of SOS for Addictions.
She described people who spend their remaining money on bets or take out loans to cover losses while functioning as if everything’s normal.
According to Hinkel-Browning screening tools already exist, but they are not used widely enough. More routine conversations and screening could identify gambling problems before debts pile up.
Daniel Harvey, a grant manager with the Louisville Recovery Community Connection, noted that sports betting often starts as harmless entertainment, but eventually wagers become harder to control.
Harvey speaks from personal experience; his own gambling began with casino trips before he reached the point of saying, “I made a complete defeat and said, I can’t do this.”
A Free App and Peer Support Come to Louisville
The Louisville Recovery Community Connection has partnered with SOS for Addictions and Evive, a mobile app built to support people struggling with gambling.
Sam DeMello developed Evive after dealing with his own gambling addiction. The goal, he said, is to give people a way to seek help without having to make a phone call or immediately disclose their problem to someone.
Evive is free. It offers peer support, access to trained clinicians, and daily check-ins. The partners have spent the past year adapting the app for people in Kentucky.
The outreach comes as Kentucky prepares for a gambling-focused town hall in Louisville on October 29. It will address gambling addiction and also share available resources.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is suing several prediction market and online gambling companies. He alleges that some are operating illegal gambling businesses in the state.
Coleman raises questions about whether platforms provide adequate resources for people with gambling problems.
Understanding Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is a behavioral addiction, which means the compulsion centers on a behavior rather than a substance.
Like substance addiction, it follows a reward-seeking cycle that is hard to interrupt without support.
Common signs of addiction in this case include betting more money over time to get the same excitement, chasing losses with bigger wagers or hiding gambling from family.
Individuals may borrow money or take out loans to cover losses. They may also feel restless or irritable when trying to cut back. The damage usually stays private until finances, relationships or daily life buckle.
Local Resources and Next Steps
Kentucky residents concerned about gambling have a growing number of options available today. The Evive app is free to download. It offers peer support and daily check-ins.
For structured care, addiction treatment centers in Louisville and across Kentucky treat behavioral addictions with therapy and support programs.
If someone you love is showing signs of addiction, starting a non-judgmental conversation and sharing a resource like the app can open the door.
Addictions.com lists verified treatment centers across Kentucky. Call
800-681-1058
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for local options.