As a child, Rene loved scratchies, and as a young adult enjoyed nights out at the pokies with his friends . But soon he sensed that he was gambling differently from his friends and at times his friends brought up the subject of his gambling with him. It was on a honeymoon cruise, on a ship with a large casino on board, that it became evident that gambling was going to have a huge impact on Rene's most important relationships. Facing a crisis, Rene eventually found Gamblers Anonymous. He entered his first meeting reluctantly but left with hope. Now as a regular attender of GA meetings, he benefits from the support and inspiration offered by fellow recovering gamblers and offers his experience, strength and hope to others who are facing the same struggles.