When the Casinos Came: Black Women’s Stories about Gambling, Addiction, Recovery

A compelling blend of personal histories and cultural critique, When the Casinos Came reveals the high costs America’s casino industry has on Black women. Through her own recovery story and those of other Black women, Adell describes how Black women become addicted to gambling at alarming rates even as casinos continue to be built in cities across the country. She also details the depression and mental health challenges Black women face, often alone, as they try to overcome their addiction. As Adell shows, gambling addiction among Black women remains an overlooked problem exacerbated by a lack of access to culturally responsive treatment. But she tells stories of recovery, resilience, hope, and support while calling for greater investments in gambling addiction treatment and prevention programs and stronger support systems for Black women within the recovery community.