Gamblers Anonymous (GA)

GA Resources

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Overview

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) has three main parts which make up the foundation of the Gamblers Anonymous (GA) program. They are Recovery, Unity, and Service.

Recovery is taking the 12 Steps of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) with a step guide or “sponsor”, in order to heal our damaged spirits, rebuild our lives, and remove the obsession to gamble. Taking the 12 Steps involves reading Gamblers Anonymous (GA) literature, writing, praying, meditating, making restitution to people we have harmed in our past, doing service work, and attending Gamblers Anonymous (GA) meetings, among others.

Unity is getting involved with the people, the group, and the fellowship of Gamblers Anonymous (GA). It means arriving at Gamblers Anonymous (GA) meetings early and talking to people. Attending the meetings and going out with people from the meetings after the meetings. Attending GA activities like retreats, conferences, roundups, speaker meetings, sober parties, sober athletic and music events and more. Unity is also participating with other GA members in activities outside of Gamblers Anonymous (GA), talking to other members in-between meetings, providing support to other members, and more.

Service in Gamblers Anonymous (GA) begins early in recovery, with new members helping set-up chairs, make coffee, greet other members, and clean up after meetings. As new members get more clean time, they begin taking on service positions with more responsibility. This may include being meeting treasurer, meeting secretary, other meeting level service positions, “sponsoring” or mentoring other new members, and bringing meetings and literature into Hospitals & Institutions where gambling addicts can’t get to outside meetings. This type of General Service begins at the meeting level, carries into the local areas, through the “district” level, all the way to national through the Regional Service Offices and Intergroups.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Tools

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) uses a variety of tools to help members recover including Abstinence, GA Meetings, GA Literature, GA Sponsor, GA Steps, GA Fellowship, GA Events, and GA Service among others.

Abstinence: Gamblers Anonymous (GA) members commit themselves to abstain from using gambling in all forms, one day at a time.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Meetings: Gamblers Anonymous (GA) members attend Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Meetings to learn how the GA program works, to gain strength by hearing other GA members experience, strength and hope, to find support through the GA Fellowship, to obtain GA Literature, to get introduced to the GA Steps, to find a suitable GA Sponsor, to find out about GA Events and to get involved in GA Service.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Literature: Gamblers Anonymous (GA) literature includes Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Books, A New Beginning Red Book; Big Book Sharing Recovery Through Gamblers Anonymous, and A Day at a Time Meditation Book; Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Pamphlets; Gamblers Anonymous (GA) group readings and more.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Sponsor: A Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Sponsor is a member of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) who has made some progress in the Gamblers Anonymous (GA) recovery program, has taken or is taking the steps of Gamblers Anonymous (GA), and would like to help another gambling addict attempting to stop gambling, navigate the Gamblers Anonymous (GA) steps, learn more about the Gamblers Anonymous (GA) fellowship and the Gamblers Anonymous (GA) program.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Fellowship – The Fellowship of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is just as important as recovery or service. The fellowship is about being part of the community, which is vital for many of us after being isolated and alone for so long. Fellowship is about connecting with each other, holding each other up, and holding each other accountable.

The fellowship benefits our psychological, spiritual, and bodily health. It brings us a reason for living once again, oftentimes after years of being purposeless. Fellowship helps to boost our self-respect, self-esteem, and confidence, while reducing our anxiety and increasing our level of contentment.

Fellowship includes attending meetings, going out with people after the meetings, attending GA retreats, conferences, roundups, speaker meetings, clean & sober parties, and a variety of clean & sober activities including athletics, music, art and other GA events.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Events: Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Events include GA speaker meetings, GA workshops, GA retreats, GA conferences, GA roundups, clean & sober cruises, clean & sober vacations and other events and festivals with safe, clean & sober groups.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) Service: As mentioned above, service in Gamblers Anonymous (GA) begins early in recovery and includes GA General Service, Meeting Level Service, District and Region Level Service. Members follow the guidelines outlined by both the Regional Service Offices and Intergroups. There are also local Gamblers Anonymous service meetings that members attend to get information on GA service.