About Us
In 1986, the treatment of problem gambling was in its infancy. Dr. Robert Custer, the universally acknowledged founding father of problem gambling treatment, came to Las Vegas with the idea of creating a world-class treatment facility to help those with gambling problems in the gambling capital of the world. Upon his arrival, he selected Dr. Robert Hunter to co-design and direct what became the nation’s largest problem gambling inpatient treatment center. Over the years the program, which was run by Charter Hospital, treated thousands of problem gamblers and served as a model for other treatment programs around the world.
In 1998 Charter Hospital closed its doors. Dr. Hunter, determined not to leave problem gamblers without resources, opened the Problem Gambling Center (PGC) as an outpatient clinic. To the surprise of all, the outpatient model he developed proved to be even more successful than the inpatient program. The center was incorporated as a non-profit agency in recognition of the fact that problem gamblers are unique in medical annals - they have usually depleted the financial resources they need to get better. The Problem Gambling Center is devoted to helping problem gamblers regardless of their financial situation and has vowed from day one never to turn anyone away because of a lack of funds. Thanks in large part to donations from businesses and individuals, PGC continues the operation of its world-class clinic, allowing all Southern Nevadans who suffer from a gambling problem access to its services.
The program is a success and has been recognized by dozens of national news programs, state governments, and other countries (many of which now use PGC as a model for their national programs). With the help of our dedicated staff, thousands of residents have quietly but determinedly turned their lives around. Because problem gambling is so often an "invisible" affliction, these are people who may well be your child’s teacher, your local banker, your neighborhood police officer or your family physician. What is more, PGC has helped not only those individuals who have gone through the treatment program, but when one considers the family, friends, and employers that are also affected directly and indirectly, the number of people whose lives have been enhanced by PGC increases exponentially.
As we all know, residents of Southern Nevada have a lot to be proud of as a community - we have created one of the world’s favorite vacation destinations while simultaneously creating a place to call home for those who work and live here. Few are aware that we also take care of our own residents by providing a safety net for those who are negatively affected by gambling.
