Gambling and spending counselling, online across BC
You might recognize this
- You deleted the app, then reinstalled it at 2 a.m.
- One more bet to win it back. Then one more.
- There’s a credit card your partner doesn’t know about.
- The parcels arrive and you hide them in the trunk.
- You keep things because letting go feels worse than the mess.
Sports betting, online casinos, shopping, debt nobody knows about. Davis is trained in financial disorders and works with the shame and the money.
Davis Wiggs works with this. Sessions from $145.
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How we work with it
Money addictions are lonely because they’re so easy to hide. There’s no smell on your breath. Just an app, a card, a parcel at the door, and a stack of numbers you stop looking at. By the time someone finds out, the secret has often done as much damage as the money.
Davis holds an associate certification in financial disorders (AMAT-FD, Associate Multiple Addiction Therapist, Financial Disorders, through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals). He works with sports betting, online casinos and slots, compulsive shopping, hidden debt and hoarding, mostly with men (see counselling for men), though anyone can book. He also works with drinking, drugs and other addictions.
What sessions look like
First, we look at what the gambling or spending does for you. A rush when life feels flat. Relief from stress. The fantasy that the next win fixes everything. Davis is direct about the harm, and kind about the person. You’ll be met with compassion, and you’ll be asked to take responsibility.
Then the practical part. Spotting the moments you’re most likely to bet or buy. Putting barriers in the way: blocking apps, handing over card access, self-exclusion. Planning what to do instead in the hour that matters. Between sessions you might track urges or spending, or practise telling someone the truth.
Shopping and hoarding
Compulsive shopping and hoarding rarely get talked about, and people often feel silly asking for help. They’re not silly. They’re often tied to anxiety, loss or a need for control, and patient, practical work can help.
Partners and the money conversation
If your partner has found the statements, both of you are probably in shock. Davis works with couples using Emotion Focused Therapy, and can help with the first honest conversation about money and trust. A partner can also book their own sessions; read help for partners of someone who gambles.
Research on online help for gambling is still limited, but it seems to work better with a real counsellor involved, not just an app. That’s what we offer: a person, by video or phone, at times that fit around work.
Who on our team works with this
Main specialty
Davis Wiggs
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
Addiction, the quieter habits nobody talks about, and couples after betrayal. Kind, and he’ll still ask the hard question.
- Fees
- From $145 Sliding scale
- Times
- Tuesday to Thursday evenings, Saturday mornings and afternoons
Waitlist: join through Jane
Good to know
Honest notes, including free options and when a different kind of help fits better.
Gambling Support BC is free and open 24/7: 1‑888‑795‑6111. If money trouble has you thinking about suicide, call or text 9‑8‑8.
- Gambling Support BC offers free counselling and a 24/7 line (1‑888‑795‑6111). It’s a good option, and we’d rather you use it than nothing. People choose Davis when they want a counsellor trained in financial disorders, evening or Saturday times, help with a partner, or support for spending and hoarding as well as gambling.
- You can block yourself from BC’s casinos, community gaming centres and PlayNow.com for six months to three years through BCLC’s Game Break program.
- If debt is piling up, a non-profit credit counsellor can help with the numbers while we work on the behaviour.
Common questions
Why pay for counselling when Gambling Support BC is free?
You might not need to. Gambling Support BC is good and free. Some people want a counsellor trained in money-related addictions, evening or Saturday times, couples sessions, or help with shopping or hoarding too. Use whichever gets you talking to someone.
Is shopping addiction real?
When spending is compulsive, secret and costing you more than money, it works a lot like other addictions. Davis’s training in financial disorders covers shopping, gambling and hoarding.
Can you help me tell my partner?
Yes. Telling a partner about hidden debt is one of the hardest conversations there is. Davis can help you plan what to say and be there for a joint session afterwards.
My partner gambles. Can I come on my own?
Yes. You can book for yourself, whether or not they’re ready. Living with someone’s gambling takes a real toll.
Do I have to quit completely?
We’ll work out together what you want and what’s realistic. For many people, full abstinence from gambling turns out to be the easiest line to hold, but you get to decide.
Start with one free conversation.
Start with a free consultation with Davis. Say as much or as little as you like; it’s a conversation, not a commitment.
Next you’ll pick a time in Jane, our secure booking system. It asks for your name, email and phone.
Rather talk first? 250‑689‑6927