Rick Campanelli opens up about gambling addiction in memoir 'Tempted'

Rick Campanelli, the Breakfast Television reporter and former ET Canada host, is opening up about a personal battle with gambling addiction that nearly destroyed his life, in his newly published memoir Tempted: My Story.

Published September 1 by HarperCollins Canada, the book—co-authored with Canadian author John Meyer—is described as a cautionary tale revealing personal struggles and hard-learned lessons behind Campanelli's three-decade career in entertainment.

Campanelli said his addiction stemmed from a lifelong love of winning. As a young person, he loved entering contests—from colouring contests to grocery-store giveaways—purely for the thrill of victory. "I just loved winning. And it wasn't about the prize as much as about just winning, being that person," he explained.

That compulsion evolved into a gambling addiction that spiralled out of control. "That luck turned unlucky," Campanelli said. "I'm winning, I'm feeling good but it's also creating this addictive personality in me towards an addiction, which I fell into and it got out of control."

The addiction led to his arrest in Las Vegas after he attempted to borrow money from casinos with a scheme he admits he didn't fully think through. When the casinos demanded repayment, he spent time in jail.

Even after that consequence, Campanelli continued gambling until his wife, Angie, discovered the ongoing problem. Together they sought help at CAMH and Gamblers Anonymous. "That would have been rock bottom, losing Angie. If I had lost Angie, I don't know where I'd be today," he said.

Campanelli said a key reason for publishing now is to raise awareness about the dangers of gambling addiction as online gambling becomes a multi-billion-dollar industry. "I fear for this young generation because I don't want them to go down these same paths," he said.