For spouses and family members, it is a good idea to protect money if there is a person with a gambling problem in the house. Here are some things you can do:

Keep track of all money spent and money owed.

Protect your assets. You may wish to change bank accounts, mortgages or other assets so the person with the gambling problem cannot access them. A financial advisor can sometimes be helpful in this process.

Negotiate controls for the management of the family finances (i.e. holding on to the gambler's credit cards, giving them only a daily allowance to spend on necessities until the situation changes).

Do not rescue the gambler by offering money to pay off debts - this allows the problem to continue.

Seek professional help - both for financial advice and for emotional support.

Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services

Credit Counselling Service of Toronto

National Credit Counsellors of Canada

Listings of credit services in Yellowpages