Meet the advocates and friends of the podcast

Brian Hatch

Creator/Host All In: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast—Co-creator/Co-host The Bet Free Life—Co-creator/Producer Fall In: The Problem Gambling Podcast for Military Service Members and Veterans

Brian threw away his dreams of being a comedian to spend his nights in casinos. After a 14 year battle with gambling and relapses, he decided to try another way- TALKING about his FEELINGS. In January of 2015 he started the world’s first gambling addiction podcast. Since that time the podcast has grown to over 265 episodes with interviews from the lived experience community, affected others, clinicians, academics, advocates, public health workers, and RG managers. He speaks from the heart about his own recovery and hopes it helps. #talkinghelps

Jeff Wasserman, MPA, JD, ICGC-I, CPRS

Co-Host All In: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast

In August 2015, Jeff Wasserman’s 32 years as a practicing attorney came to an end when the Delaware Supreme Court granted his petition to be transferred to disability/inactive status. Gambling addiction and related behaviors ended his legal career, and caused far-reaching harm to his personal life and that of his family. Jeff is now the Judicial Outreach and Development Director for the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems where he leads efforts to raise awareness of gambling addiction among judges, lawyers and others in the legal system. In the last five years Jeff became an International Certified Gambling Counselor and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (the first in Delaware with lived experience in gambling addiction). HIs community work includes taking calls on a problem gambling helpline; providing sponsorship and peer support to persons struggling with problem gambling; serving on the Board of Directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling and volunteering for the Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program and Pennsylvania Concerned for Lawyers. He is also the founder and facilitator of an online Problem Gambling Support Group with problem gamblers from all over the world. Jeff has been a presenter or keynote speaker for various organizations, agencies and institutions including Delaware State Bar Association, Delaware Trial Lawyers Association, Delaware Office of Disciplinary Council, ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, Arizona Department of Gaming, Montana State Bar Association, National Council on Problem Gambling, Delaware Mental Health Association and National Association of Drug Court Professionals. Jeff has also been interviewed by local and national news outlets on problem gambling issues and is the co-host of All In: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast.

Dave Yeager

Creator Fall In: The Problem Gambling Podcast for Military Service Members and Veterans

Dave was born in Philadelphia, PA and raised in rural Berks County, PA. Dave has two brothers, one older and one younger, and one younger sister. Dave is married with two children of his own, and a stepson through marriage. All are grown. Dave has one granddaughter currently and grandchild number 2 is on the way.

Dave has a BS is Social Science and is just over halfway through a Masters in Social Work. Dave is an 11 year veteran of the U.S. Army, having served from 1987 – 1991, and from 1998 – 2005, having served a year in the Republic of Korea and various stateside duty stations.

Dave has had 2 periods of recovery from gambling- the first beginning in June of 2007 and the most recent beginning January 2020. Dave is actively involved in Gamblers Anonymous and with the online Problem Gambling Support Group.

Dave works to advocate for veterans and service members, who are still terribly underrepresented in the area of problem gambling.

Christina Cook

Creator/Host The Broke Girl Society–Co-creator/Co-host The Bet Free Life

Christina Cook is a recovering compulsive gambler and founder of The Broke Girl Society. It’s now her mission to advocate and bring awareness to the harm problem gambling creates and to help erase the stigma of women problem gamblers, so we can all feel safe seeking the help we need without the fear of judgement.

Christopher Pruitt

Co-Creator All In: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast

Chris Pruitt was raised in a small town just north of Ann Arbor, Michigan and as a spry and irreverent young lad he enjoyed bonfires, camping, road trips, and all manner of adventures – anything that would get him out of the house. In fact, I’m pretty sure he popularized the phrase You Only Live Once (YOLO) decades before social media made it famous. He was raised on a steady diet of blue-collar radio hosts (RIP Mike Clark), heavy metal, and science fiction. Having successfully evaded the police twice before the age of 18 he was well-prepared to begin life as an adult and begin university.

Except that didn’t really work out and the first half of his twenties was spent in, around, and outside of various casinos, other less-reputable establishments, and small bodies of water. He joined the navy at the ripe-old age of 25 and, somewhat ironically, spent the next several years in some of the hottest and most humid jungles the eastern hemisphere has to offer. It was rather less than fun; however, it did pay for college.

Undergrad was spent at Eastern Michigan University, the same school that Judge Joe Brown attended; and grad school was spent at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Fun fact for Big Ten fans: UNCG’s mascot is a spartan and their colors are blue and yellow – weird, right?

Chris currently resides in North Carolina with his wife and two young boys. He has a dayjob but it would take way too long to try and explain what he actually does (he frequently isn’t even sure what it is). He is currently looking forward to the day when he can take his family and move to New England. And get a new Xbox Series X.