Associated Behavioral Healthcare Adds Gambling Addiction Treatment Program

Associated Behavioral Healthcare, which operates four locations in the metro Seattle area, announced this week that it will begin offering online treatment programs for gambling addiction. In January, Associated Behavioral Healthcare became a portfolio company of Discovery Behavioral Health.

The decision to launch the gambling addiction treatment program comes as a recent study by analytics firm AlphaBeta shows a 67% increase in online gambling since stay-at-home measures have been enacted across the U.S. in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 crisis has created an environment where more than ever evidence-based addiction treatment services are needed,” Discovery CEO John Peloquin, PhD, said in a news release. “Research has shown that anxiety, isolation and boredom are stressors that promote addictive behavior including gambling. As Seattlites continue to experience a new shelter-in-place normal, we want to continue to serve the needs of this population.”