I'm taking a break from talking about meetings and connection. We know that's important. But this week I want to talk about something different. The cold hard truth that most people struggling with gambling don't want to hear: wanting to stop and being ready to stop are two very different things. Close your eyes, clear your head, and answer three questions. Your answers might tell you more than you're ready to admit.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam sits down with Sal Guarino, co-founder of The Recovery Partners, an online coaching program for gambling recovery. In a conversation that covers nearly 40 years of living with a gambling addiction, Sal and Adam dig into what keeps people gambling for decades even when they know better, why the same mind that justifies "one more bet" is the same mind that says the meeting wasn't welcoming enough, and what it really means to build a life in recovery instead of just defending against the next bet.

Contact Sal: The Recovery Partners | Building Happy, Gambling Free - Lives

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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In this episode, I talk about finally sending the Venmo for a gambling debt that had been sitting in my head for seven years, why procrastination still shows up in my recovery, the anxiety that creeps in when life starts going well, and how I’m learning to sit with stability instead of chaos. Also...who wants to come to Chris Stapleton with me?!

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam sits down with Australian recovery advocate and founder of The Hope Project Australia, Kate Seselja. Kate shares her lived experience with gambling addiction — from early wins that pulled her in, to years of secrecy, shame, and financial loss while raising a family. Kate challenges the traditional “disease model” of gambling addiction, arguing that many gambling products — especially electronic gaming machines in Australia — are deliberately designed to maximize engagement and loss.

For more information on The Hope Project Australia - https://www.thehopeprojectaustralia.com.au/

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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After 91 episodes, we made it to February 8, 2022. Adam has his first viral clip and recaps Noah's wedding weekend, what inspired him to start the Friday episodes, and how he's never going to stop telling his story.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Malik Keene’s addiction story spans decades — from gambling on card games as a teenager to casino markers, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, and multiple DUIs. What began as bullying and insecurity turned into a lifelong search for validation through money, gambling, and substances.

Malik describes running a “casino” out of his college dorm, countless nights driving hours to Atlantic City, blacking out outside casinos, and nearly losing everything — including his life. After years of addiction, isolation, and spiritual searching, Malik finally surrendered and entered rehab at age 49. Today, he’s a certified recovery coach, peer recovery specialist, author, and founder of Amazing Grace Recovery.

Connect with Malik:

Recovery Community (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/3901295416779134

Free 45-Minute Recovery Strategy Call: https://malikkeene.com/

Book — Overcoming Addiction Through Grace: https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Addiction-Through-G-R-Inspirational/dp/B0DVQ6M2TR

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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It's a matter of weeks before Adam surrenders in Texas. Adam sits down with Ted Hartwell, Director of Storytelling at the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and someone approaching 19 years away from his last bet. Ted’s relationship with gambling began early—normalized through family trips, childhood poker games, and growing up around it—but didn’t become a problem until much later in life.

Living and working in Las Vegas, Ted shares how gambling slowly shifted from nostalgia to escape, especially during periods of personal and medical crisis, including a rare condition that temporarily took away his voice. He opens up about hidden debts, being in and out of GA before it finally stuck, and what it means to choose recovery while living in the heart of the gambling world.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam and the Botelho family discuss a variety of topics while snowed in. Danny Funt is an investigative journalist and the author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Betting. In this episode, we talk about how sports betting went from illegal and taboo to completely normalized — and what that shift has meant for fans, gamblers, and the people behind the scenes. We dig into VIP programs, league partnerships, media influence, and why this industry exploded so fast with so little pushback.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive!

Evive meets you exactly where you are.

Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com