Husband Tries to Save Family from Gambling Debt

A couple navigates a gambling addicted family while facing job loss and a baby on the way, testing boundaries and seeking help.

Husband Tries to Save Family from Gambling Debt

A Pay Dirt column describes a husband who grew up around compulsive gamblers. The extended family accumulates debt and has faced bankruptcy, while the husband does not gamble himself. He has cosigned several high interest loans for his father, but stopped after the loans failed to be repaid. The mother recently moved to Las Vegas and now wants to relocate closer to the couple, a plan that would add costs. The couple is about to welcome a baby and the husband has just been laid off from teaching. The wife has a stable job and savings but does not want to subsidize ongoing gambling. She suggested addiction services, but her husband treats it as a family issue and resists the idea. The column advises joint counseling before any move and points to resources like the National Problem Gambling Helpline and Al-Anon.

The case highlights a tension at the heart of many families: loyalty to relatives versus financial safety for a marriage. When debt is tied to a behavioral problem, simple generosity can become a cumulative risk. The piece argues that boundaries are essential, not punitive, and that change requires both partners to agree on money decisions and limits. The discussion also underlines how social supports and professional help can reduce harm, especially in stressed moments like job loss and a new baby.

Highlights

Clear boundaries can protect both love and livelihood.