DON’T BET THE DOG –
July 6, 2024 – “I didn’t steal unless I lost my money,” said Rebik, 63, a former Nevada prison corrections officer. “You know, I had to keep the addiction going.”
On the way back to jail in Las Vegas, with a sympathetic police officer who was also a drug and alcohol counselor … In Las Vegas, he went through Gamblers Anonymous group meetings and the program at what’s now known as the Dr. Robert Hunter International Problem Gambling Center. That was about 21 years ago. But recently amid family turmoil, Rebik relapsed, winning $17,000 on blackjack at first, going through that, then maxing out five credit cards, withdrawing all of the equity in his Las Vegas home and finally losing it all betting on the card game.
While also suffering from depression, treatment for throat cancer and broken bones, plus problems with alcohol, sex addiction, and relatives upset over his casino losses, Rebik stopped gambling.