Robert Chen

Robert is in long-term recovery from a gambling addiction that began with sports betting during college and escalated over a decade. He has been open about his journey through self-exclusion, financial rebuilding, and therapy, and he uses that lived experience to write with empathy and realism about the recovery process.

He earned a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) with a behavioral-health concentration and has completed specialized training in relapse-prevention therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for addictive behaviors. Robert is a Certified Problem Gambling Counselor (CPGC) and stays current with emerging research on behavioral addictions.

Robert has been invited to speak on recovery panels by the National Council on Problem Gambling and state gambling commissions. His writing has been referenced by peer-support organizations and treatment centers as a resource for people in early recovery. He serves as Bettor's Health's editorial lead for all recovery-focused content.

Robert is transparent that recovery is not linear and never promises a cure. He grounds his articles in published clinical evidence, cites sources when presenting statistics, and encourages readers to work with licensed professionals. He discloses his own recovery status and explains how personal experience informs — but does not replace — evidence-based guidance.