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GAMBLERS
ANONYMOUS

Trial and error have produced a rich experience for Gamblers
Anonymous members who are concerned with keeping Gamblers
Anonymous groups and Gamblers Anonymous as a whole
functioning smoothly. As time passes, we will need to continue to
share our experiences, strengths, and hope with each other as we
work toward making our Fellowship more effective in carrying
the message to the compulsive gambler who still suffers.

New techniques need to be explored, old ones enlarged upon,
or even abandoned. It is the willingness to consider change that
will keep our Fellowship growing with vigor and strength.
Utilizing the principle of unlimited objectives and goals, we can
be assured of continued progress.

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Gamblers Anonymous International Service Office
Los Angeles, California

Published in the United States of America
Copyright 1989 All Rights Reserved
2nd Edition, January 1993
DEDICATION

This Book is dedicated to our Founder, Jim W.

1912 - 1983

We also dedicate this Book to those members who came before
us, and those who will come after.

Gamblers Anonymous is a story of this one man’s dream
realized through the help of many others. Today that dream not
only lives but flourishes far beyond its humble beginnings.
Through it, thousands of compulsive gamblers have been able to
realize their dreams for normal, healthy lives.

We wish to acknowledge and thank Alcoholics Anonymous for
sharing their program with our founder Jim W., which he used as
a guide in order to lay the foundation for the Gamblers
Anonymous Program.

INTRODUCTION

A
NEW BEGINNING

In October, 1985, in answer to a request from our Australian
members, our National Board of Trustees selected a committee
composed of Trustees from Canada and the United States to
revise the last edition of the Gamblers Anonymous Big Book.

The content of this book includes the following:

History, Purpose/Function and Structure of Gamblers Anonymous
Essence of the Unity and Recovery Steps (Meaning and Experience)
Various Meeting Formats

Tools of the Program and How They Work

Personal (Therapy) Stories Represented on an International Basis
Personal Experiences in How to Work the Program

The Process of Starting a New Group

Guidelines of What to Do and What Not to Do in the Program
Group Experiences

Procedures in Conducting Meetings
Information about the Fellowship of Gam-Anon and How
Gamblers Anonymous Relates to Gam-Anon
Acknowledgement of Professional Treatment, Research and
Education Groups that are working to help bring the message to
the general public

This committee strongly recommends that “A New Beginning”
be used by the individual members and groups within the entire
Fellowship, as it reflects the approved practices and principles of
Gamblers Anonymous as a whole. The constant use of this Book
will help compulsive gamblers to recover in unity and enjoy a
better way of life.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

1ALTOCUCUON eri eeantn teritcreitalyss ATVI PPRyRI ii) iti

1 The Gamblers Anonymous Fellowship ...............0000. 1

2 The History of Gamblers Anonymous ............00.....05- 5

3 How to work with the tools of Gamblers Anonymous.... 7

4 ureiWelve steps Os RCCOVChy gente aan 37

5 Ouniiwelverstepsiotal ni ty seeseemen nn eran ene een 57

6 Personal Stories of Compulsive Gamblers ................. 66

7 The Fellowship of Gam-Anon

@urgtamilygandelini end Sieeeeeeerae oe nen ee 98

8 Treatment, Research and Education ................0.0.000: 103
9 Gamblers Anonymous Offices in the United States,

Canada, England and other countries .................. 106

10 Epiloguctemenmrrermnte neers tern rr rca: 107

Chapter One
The Gamblers Anonymous Fellowship

People seeking Gamblers Anonymous for help need only have

a desire to stop gambling, and are not required to subscribe to any
particular religious belief. Gamblers Anonymous makes no
demands upon them whatsoever.
Often we are asked just how Gamblers Anonymous works.
What do we do that helps someone quit gambling when
everything else has failed? These are difficult questions to answer.
A significant part of the answers may lie in the fact that we are
neither reformers or “do-gooders”. We have no axe to grind.
Traditionally, we neither endorse nor Oppose any cause. The
world of gambling in general is no concern of ours. This is an
enormous relief to new members, who have usually been
bombarded by lecture after lecture about their errant ways.
Gamblers Anonymous members regard compulsive gambling as
an illness. It is impossible for us to pass judgment on any of our
brother: ters who have been caught in the same deadly web.
Our focus is on showing the compulsive gambler who wants
help, how to help him or herself.

One of the fundamental principles of Gamblers Anonymous is
the concept that people with like problems can be helpful and an
example to each other. Beneath this principle lies a deeper one,
which is that the help offered by Gamblers Anonymous can be
effective only when it is asked for and open-mindedly accepted
by the newcomer. To force Gamblers Anonymous upon anyone
who has not “hit bottom” has been found to be a waste of time.
This explains why Gamblers Anonymous conducts no crusades
for new members. People seek help when they have reached a
personal low in their lives, and only the individual sufferer knows
when that point has been reached. In the meantime Gamblers
Anonymous can only concentrate on being prepared for the new
arrival at any hour of the day or night.

The principal instrument by which Gamblers Anonymous
conveys its beliefs into action is the Gamblers Anonymous Group
Meeting. In order to increase the effectiveness of the Gamblers
Anonymous Group Meeting the Gamblers Anonymous
Fellowship has developed literature based on our general
experience. In addition, the Gamblers Anonymous Fellowship

MBERS HAV}
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relieved of th

‘amblers Anonymoy,
hat they are launch
nd self-improy eMen,
hat there is no shop
es, These things take
stantly identify thei:
Gamblex.
forward to a lifetiny,
llowship. It also he

problems,

Ips

y example.

MOUS MEMBER

ng unity within

our
of press, radio, films

ossibility of fame and
ember; hence we have
tuggle for power ang
ntal to our unity.

racting new Members
tached to the problem,
h anonymity as they

ymity has tremendous
ful reminder that we
alities.

s that we renounce
lowship of Gamblers
rough greater humility
ity for all the years to

Chapter Two
History of Gamblers Anonymous

untold suffering and humiliation has been

The

story
roughout hi ‘
a yf countless thousands of men and women due to their
> Jot of ¢

: to gamble. Today, through the formation of the
nymous Fellowship, a bright new page has been

le against this insidious illness.

the
addiction
Gamblers Anony

Pt he strugg)

sfolded in t 88 ah

a Fellowship of Gamblers Anonymous is the outgrowth of a
he Fe

ance meeting between two men in the month of January in
shance 5 _ ip
; These men had a truly baffling history of trouble and misery

1957 in
They began to meet regularly and

due to an obsession to gamble. ‘
as the months passed neither had returned to gambling.

They concluded from their discussions that in order to prevent
a relapse it was necessary to bring about certain character changes
within themselves. In order to accomplish this, they used for a
euide certain spiritual principles which had been utilized by
thousands of people who had recov ered from other compulsive
addictions. Also, in order to maintain their own abstinence they
felt that it was vitally important that they carry the message of
hope to other compulsive gamblers.

As a result of favorable publicity by a prominent newspaper
columnist and television commentator, the first group meeting of
Gamblers Anonymous was held on Friday, September 13, 1957 in
Los Angeles, California. Since that time the Fellowship has grown
steadily and groups are flourishing throughout the world.

The first expansion of Gamblers Anonymous occurred when a
San Francisco woman contacted Gamblers Anonymous in Los
Angeles. Due to her husband’s gambling problem, they had
separated and she was living with her parents in Los Angeles.
After attending a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, she was certain
her husband recover with the help of Gamblers
Anonymous. Her husband flew from San Francisco to Los
Angeles (on borrowed money) and after attending one Gamblers
Anonymous meeting, he returned to San Francisco with his
family to start the first Northern California Group.

could

; started When
to Las Vegas
mous and
n Way.

s Anonymous roy
S NOW exist in m.
ada, Australia,
Argentina

tp
an;

and Othe

Chapter Three
How To Work With The Tools
of Gamblers Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous Trusted Servants and Sponsors will help
» you back to a normal life. Look around at the many happy
faces, listen to the therapy and you can see that this program does
Bork. All that is required on your part is a desire to stop gambling.

Most new members find themselves with a multitude of

sroblems. Gamblers Anonymous can offer sound advice in

guide

such as:

dealing with these pressure :

1, Legal Difficulties - Bad checks, fraudulent loans, etc? Many
members have been in this position and have through the
Gamblers Anonymous Program resolved these problems.

2, Financial Difficulties - Rent in arrears, past due bank or
finance company loans, personal obligations, etc? Gamblers
Anonymous is esstentially a self-help program; consequently
experience has shown that direct financial aid does not work to
your benefit. The Trusted Servants of the Group are good
financial budget counselors and are usually part of the Pressure
Relief Group Committee. They will show you how it is possible to
pay your obligations in a way that will permit you to live without
having unbearable pressure.

3. Employment Difficulties - Out of work, about to be fired or
present job unbearable, etc? Based upon their own personal
experience and experience of others, members can counsel you in
the right direction.

4. Family Difficulties - Here is an area in which Gamblers
Anonymous members and their spouses (in Gam-Anon) can help
tremendously. They will be happy to explain the wonderful
success of our program to your family. This almost always works,
although it takes time; so be patient. Be sure to ask about these
family meetings.