Birches Health Clinical Outcomes: Specialized Treatment Reduces Gambling Addiction Symptoms
85% of patients reported improved gambling disorder symptoms after nine sessions; 68% demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in anxiety
A decade after its inclusion in the DSM-5, gambling disorder remains one of behavioral health's least recognized and least treated conditions, even as mobile, always-on betting has rapidly widened exposure and risk nationwide
Combining individual therapy, group counseling, peer support and financial wellness coaching, Birches Health operates the largest national team of clinicians trained in gambling disorder and delivers insurance-covered virtual treatment across all 50 states
NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2026 -- Birches Health, the leading national provider of behavioral addiction treatment, today released clinical outcomes data showing that its evidence-based program significantly reduces gambling disorder symptoms and co-occurring behavioral health conditions. The findings show meaningful improvement across gambling behaviors, and anxiety, alongside stronger early-stage patient retention than industry benchmarks.
Gambling disorder has long occupied a clinical gray area in the U.S. healthcare system. Although formally recognized as a diagnosable condition for over a decade, it is often seen as a financial or moral issue rather than a behavioral health disorder. The rise of mobile sports betting and online casinos has outpaced clinical infrastructure, leaving most people who face gambling-related struggles without a clear pathway into specialized care. Many cycle through years of shame, financial harm and worsening symptoms before finding treatment. For those who do seek help, options have historically been limited to 12-step programs, crisis hotlines or generalist therapists with no training in gambling-specific interventions.
Against that backdrop, Birches Health's new outcomes data offers insight into what becomes possible when gambling disorder is treated with the same clinical rigor applied to other behavioral health conditions. Compiled by an independent researcher and based on hundreds of clients, the results reflect a population entering care with high levels of clinical severity and demonstrate consistent improvement when treatment is structured, measurement-informed and delivered by clinicians trained specifically in gambling addiction.
Key findings include:
85% of patients reported improved gambling disorder symptoms after nine sessions
68% of patients demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in anxiety
Early patient retention exceeded industry benchmarks by 29%
"Gambling addiction has been undertreated for so long that most people who struggle with it don't know where to turn," said Elliott Rapaport, Founder and CEO of Birches Health. "Many spend years cycling through shame and crisis before they ever encounter a clinician trained to treat this condition. These outcomes show what becomes possible when specialized care is within reach. Every one of these numbers represents someone whose daily life looks dramatically different now."
The Birches Health model combines individual therapy, group counseling, peer support from individuals with lived experience and financial wellness coaching. Treatment is grounded in CBT and Motivational Interviewing, with care plans customized to address the clinical disorder and its downstream effects on finances, relationships and mental health. Clients typically remain in treatment for six to twelve months, with structured support designed to stabilize symptoms in early care and sustain recovery over time.
The results also point to downstream benefits for payors and employers seeking to reduce total cost of care by addressing gambling-related harm before it escalates into acute behavioral health crises.
"What this data reinforces is that measurement-based, specialized care works for gambling disorder the same way it works for other behavioral health conditions," said Andrew DiGiacomo, SVP of Strategy at Birches Health. "For payors and employers, that means lower total cost of care and better outcomes for a population that has historically cycled through emergency services with nowhere else to go. For patients, it means a real path forward. These findings reinforce Birches Health's position as the nation's leading provider of gambling disorder treatment."
Birches Health operates in all 50 states and partners with commercial insurers and state departments of health to ensure that individuals and families affected by gambling addiction can access care without financial or geographic barriers. The company plans to expand its clinical dataset throughout 2026 as additional payor and state partnerships come online.
The full Birches Health Q1 2026 Clinical Outcomes Report is available at www.bircheshealth.com/research.
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About Birches Health:
Birches Health is the leading national clinical provider of specialized treatment for gambling addiction, covered by insurance and state funding. Birches Health's mission is to provide convenient, comprehensive care and resources for individuals facing challenges related to gambling disorder and other behavioral addictions. For more information, visit www.bircheshealth.com.
Media Contact:
birches@hermespr.co
