Birkenfeld, November 27, 2025 – When gambling becomes an addiction, it is rarely just one person who suffers. Often, the entire family environment is thrown into turmoil. With today's publication of “Der Kompass für Angehörige” (“The Compass for Family Members”), the information portal ISA-GUIDE.de closes the gap in its self-help series. While the first part („Mein Glücksspiel-Kompass“) helps players control their behavior, the new volume is now dedicated to those who often have to watch helplessly: the relatives. As with the first volume, ISA-GUIDE relies on professional expertise from Austria. The project is once again supported by the renowned Institut Glücksspiel & Abhängigkeit in Salzburg.
Not a guidebook about the gambler—but a book for you
The book takes a radically honest approach: it is not about how to “cure” or control the addict. It is exclusively about self-protection for family members. “In our correspondence, we often encounter partners or parents who sacrifice themselves completely, take on debts, and ruin themselves in the process,” explains Ulli Schmitt, editor of ISA-GUIDE.de. "With the ‘Compass for Family Members,’ we turn the tables. We say: Don't look at the gambler, look at yourself. Where are your boundaries? Where are you unknowingly enabling the addiction by providing the wrong kind of help?"
Four months of support out of codependency
The journal accompanies readers over four months. It is a practical tool for recognizing your own behavior patterns – such as taking on debts, lying to friends, or constantly controlling your partner.
It addresses key topics such as:
- Financial separation: Why having your own account is not betrayal, but a necessity.
- Emotional stability: How to stop letting your mood depend on your partner's gambling behavior.
- Responsibility: The realization that you cannot cure someone else's addiction, but you can end your own suffering.
- Strong partnership for player protection
This volume also underscores the professional foundation of the collaboration with the Institute for Gambling and Addiction. The institute, one of the leading institutions in Austria, recommends the compass as a low-threshold introduction to help.
“Family members can provide effective support if they resist the temptation to take control of the addict's behavior, do not make the addiction their own burden, and consistently pay attention to their own emotional balance,” confirms Roman Neßhold from the Institut Glücksspiel & Abhängigkeit. “Maintaining a respectful distance while also being a reliable presence creates the space in which change can happen.”
The duo for a fresh start
With “The Compass for Family Members” and “My Gambling Compass,” ISA-GUIDE now offers a comprehensive set. “Of course, it's ideal when both sides work on themselves,” says Schmitt. “The gambler learns self-control, the family member learns boundaries. This way, a toxic system can slowly be broken down.”
Availability
“The Compass for Family Members” is available now. It can be ordered from regular bookstores (ISBN: 978-3-6951-0509-0), directly from ISA-GUIDE by email, and via
About ISA-GUIDE.de: ISA-GUIDE.de is one of the oldest and best-known gambling portals in Europe. Since 1998, the platform has been providing information about casinos, gaming, sports betting, gambling law, and player protection. With over 100,000 articles, ISA-GUIDE is a central source of information for players, companies, and experts.
About the Institut Glücksspiel & Abhängigkeit: The Institut Glücksspiel & Abhängigkeit in Salzburg/Graz/Hallein is Austria's leading player protection organization. The institute offers professional help to those seeking assistance and makes its expertise available to companies, politicians, authorities, and experts.
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