When you end up searching the Internet for divorce and gambling, your home life has likely been pretty bad. If you are like our other clients, you probably had some conversations politely asking your spouse to stop his or her destructive behavior. At first, they may have minimized the gambling problem or disagreed that they had a problem
They may also have even agreed that they had a problem and promised to change. But it did not happen. It did not happen because your spouse has an addiction. A gambling addiction is just as destructive as any other addiction. It creates the same financial ruin as an alcohol or drug addiction, and it destroys a marriage just as quickly.
Gambling is a Hidden Addiction
In some ways, a gambling addiction is more insidious than alcoholism. When an alcoholic spouse returns from a drinking binge, the evidence is quite clear. When a gambling spouse returns from gambling, he or she can lie about their whereabouts, and even hide the substantial loss of money for a while. In many instances, the financial losses incurred by a gambling spouse are significantly larger than an alcoholic spouse.
How Gambling Affects Marriages
Gambling problem effects a marriage in several ways. First, it is an addiction. And with the addiction a host of problems arise such as lying, withdrawal from family life, poor performance at the job which eventually may lead to job loss, poor money management which eventually will lead to financially destructive behaviors. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, when your spouse is using his or her paycheck or savings on gambling, it will affect the entire family.
When your spouse is lying, ignoring you, and ignoring your children, you have the option of being patient and begging your spouse to seek help. However, when your spouse is depleting the savings account, it is time to file for divorce.
Financial Risk in Divorce
Of course, if you have separate bank accounts, you may think that you safeguarded your money and you can be patient. But that is likely incorrect. In the likely event of a divorce, all marital assets will be equally divided. Marital assets are all assets that were earned or obtained during the marriage.
This means that your bank account and your spouse’s bank account will be divided equally. Your bank account with a substantial balance and your spouse’s bank account which is likely empty due to gambling. In other words, eventually, you will be giving your spouse half of your money, while he or she gambled away theirs.
Talk to a Divorce Attorney in Grand Rapids
In conclusion, if your spouse will not seek and successfully participate in treatment, your best option is to call a divorce attorney. Our attorneys understand the emotional turmoil of being forced into a divorce due to your spouse’s addiction. Give us a call at 616-285-0808.
