A recovering gambling addict is using social media to warn others of the dangers of gambling.
Rob Minnick was 23 when he accepted he needed help, after the compulsion to place bets left him with debts that took months to pay off.
He now creates short videos to educate other young people about the misconceptions and dangers of gambling, with his most watched videos racking up over 1.5 million views on TikTok and 250,000 on YouTube.
Social media
Rob describes the videos as part of his recovery, helping him “stay accountable to more people”. Yet he acknowledges that social media is part of the problem by promoting slick ads.
He has noticed two main reactions from those pro-gambling: “The first is that gambling addiction’s a joke.” A comment on one of his videos urged people not to quit, and to just “be more responsible”. He replied: “This is like telling an alcoholic to drink but just drink less”.
The second reaction, which he calls the “scary category”, are the people who describe gambling as a way to win money.
Discrediting that view, he states: “gambling is not profitable”. He explains that the only winners are the casinos and betting companies who sell the bets, never the people who place them despite what tips social media influencers may tell them to use.
David v Goliath
Rob describes himself as in a “David v Goliath” battle, challenging the gambling industry with each social media post.
Many of his videos give practical tips for quitting gambling such as finding alternative activities, limiting access to finances, cutting out opportunities to gamble, and joining a support group.
On his website he explains: “As the world continues to be introduced to online gambling and casinos that are available with one click of a button, it is becoming increasingly important to educate one another on the risks that a gambling addiction poses to your happiness, health, and livelihood.”
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