Gambling Disorder Treatment in South Africa

What this looks like

Gambling disorder is a recognised behavioural addiction, not a matter of self-control or judgement. Signs include gambling more than intended, chasing losses, lying about how much time or money is spent, and continuing despite serious financial, relationship or work harm. It’s often connected to anxiety or depression, and in serious cases can bring thoughts of self-harm. It’s a recognised condition, and effective, supported treatment is available.

What to expect day to day

A doctor and our clinical team assess every client’s mental health on arrival, since gambling disorder is often connected to anxiety, depression or other difficulties, and involve consulting psychologists or psychiatrists where needed. There’s no substance involved, so there’s no medical detox. Part of early treatment often means working through the practical fallout too, debt, broken trust, family strain, alongside the underlying patterns that drove the gambling itself. From there, treatment moves into the residential programme: group therapy, the 12-step programme, individual counselling, and CBT/DBT, with access to weekly online Gamblers Anonymous meetings for support specific to gambling.