The Comeback with Craig Carton S1 E5: When Gambling Addiction Goes Public

In Episode 5 of The Comeback, Craig Carton talks with Jordan Spencer, a professional European basketball player whose problem with gambling started with online roulette and quickly grew into an addiction he could not stop.

Even though Jordan was gambling non-stop, he was able to hide his addiction from closest friends and family.

Jordan’s life hit a low when he was caught gambling on his own basketball games, a story that made the news and put his basketball career in jeopardy. Jordan realized in order to stop, he needed to self-exclude himself from every platform.

Jordan is now a presenter for EPIC Global Solutions, a trusted partner for gambling harm prevention, and shares his lived experience with people across the globe.

They chat about:

• Struggling with a Silent Addiction: Craig and Jordan talk about how common it is for individuals struggling with a gambling problem to hide their struggles. Jordan noted how he would hide his phone and banking transactions, and that no one would ever know unless he brought it to their attention.
• Building Up a Support System: When asked what advice he would give to someone at “step 1” of their recovery journey, Jordan stressed the importance of talking about it with those around you—friends, family, or any support system.
• Recovery Through Other Outlets: With the freedom and mental clarity that comes with abstaining from gambling, it’s often important to find another outlet to dedicate time and focus. Jordan talks about playing basketball and rekindling relationships with family and friends as major positives in recovery.

New episodes of The Comeback With Craig Carton air on FanDuel’s FAST channel FanDuel TV Extra and stream on FanDuel’s YouTube channel.