Examining the Dangers of Gambling in Our Society

On November 20, the St. Sebastian’s community gathered in Ward Hall to examine the dangers of gambling in our society. Thanks to the generosity of the Johnson-McCarthy Wellness Fund we were able to welcome Mr. Saul Malek to campus to address the community on this topic.  

Mr. Malek is a public speaker focusing on mental health, resilience, positive decision making, and gambling harm prevention. He developed a gambling addiction as a college sophomore, losing money, time, relationships, and nearly his life. Since finding recovery in 2019, Mr. Malek has made it his mission to help others cope with life, find purpose, and keep away from maladaptive behavior such as compulsive gambling. He has spoken to schools, athlete mental health organizations, parent groups, popular news outlets (including New York Times, National Public Radio, Public Broadcasting Service, and Dallas Morning News), and at conferences including Mental Health America and Texas Network of Youth Services.

Following Mr. Malek’s presentation and a Q&A with the audience, he met with the peer educators to help develop follow-up discussion topics at class meetings. St. Sebastian’s is thankful to Mr. Malek for opening our eyes to a problem that faces our society.