When Financial and Emotional Distress Intersect: Supporting People Experiencing Gambling-Related Harm

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this expert discussion hosted by Kindbridge Research Institute’s Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative (FSRG) explores the often-overlooked connection between gambling-related financial harm and emotional well-being.

Featuring Leaders from the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, Gamfin, and Kindbridge Behavioral Health, the conversation examines how financial stress tied to gambling can contribute to anxiety, shame, depression, relationship strain, and other mental health challenges.

Panelists discuss what gambling-related financial harm can look like before and during a crisis, how financial and emotional distress often reinforce one another, and why recovery frequently requires more than behavior change alone. The discussion also highlights the distinct roles of financial counseling, clinical treatment, and peer support, while exploring what earlier, more coordinated care could look like for individuals and families impacted by gambling harm.

Grounded in clinical experience and real-world financial recovery work, this conversation offers insight into the importance of treating the whole person and the growing need for integrated support systems that address both financial and mental health together.

Links referenced in the video:

• Gamfin
• UCLA Gambling Program
• Kindbridge Behavioral Health
• Money Habitudes
• Financial Health Network
• Money and Mental Health
• Join The Conversation with Coach Kurinn Wright

About the panelists:

Dr. Timothy Fong, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and Co-Director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program

Dr. Fong is a Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. He completed his undergraduate and medical training at Northwestern University and his psychiatry residency at UCLA, followed by an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. He co-directs the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, which focuses on understanding and treating gambling disorder. He also directs the UCLA Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship and is a founding member of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative.

Alex De Marco, MASc, Founder & CEO, MoneyStack, Inc.

Alex De Marco is the founder and CEO of MoneyStack, the developer of GamFin, a specialized financial counseling software and services platform for individuals and families navigating gambling addiction. By partnering with behavioral healthcare providers nationwide, GamFin integrates financial counseling into problem gambling treatment and recovery programs in order to help clients rebuild their financial lives, heal, and thrive.

A 3x founder and former Director of Engineering at The New York Times, Alex leverages deep experience in systems design and at venture-backed startups to innovate at the intersection of financial health and mental health.

Alex holds a Master of Applied Science in Software Engineering and a Bachelor of Engineering from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Natalie Spiteri-Soper, Psy.D., Chief Clinical Officer at Kindbridge

Natalie Spiteri Soper, Psy.D., is a mission‑driven behavioral health executive with more than 25 years of experience leading clinical operations, regulatory compliance, and organizational transformation across telehealth and high‑acuity psychiatric systems. She is the Chief Clinical Officer at Kindbridge, overseeing national clinical strategy, quality, and provider performance.

Natalie is also an expert witness and consultant to organizations and media projects where she provides clinical expertise on mental health, and system design and standard of care. Known for stabilizing complex environments and building scalable, human‑centered systems, she leads with clarity, integrity, and a deep commitment to improving access and outcomes in behavioral healthcare.