Sports cards. Trading packs. Box breaks. What was once a nostalgic hobby has quietly evolved into something far more dangerous — and few people are talking about it. In this episode, we sit down with Alyx Effron, founder of Collectors MD and one of the most important emerging voices at the intersection of collecting culture and problem gambling awareness.

In this episode:

• How gambling-like mechanics have become deeply embedded in modern sports card collecting
• Why box breaks, pack openings, and hype culture trigger the same psychological responses as casino gambling
• The warning signs that a collecting hobby has crossed into compulsive or addictive behavior
• How Alyx's personal journey as a collector led him to create Collectors MD
• What harm-reduction in the collectibles space actually looks like
• How the industry can push for greater transparency, ethical marketing, and stronger consumer protections
• Why collectors of all ages — including kids — are vulnerable in today's market

Collectors MD Website: www.collectorsmd.com

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Could your child's gaming habit be a clinical disorder? In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Jennifer Jiyun Park, a postdoctoral researcher at the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, whose work sits at the intersection of gaming disorder, gambling addiction, and behavioral health in youth.

Dr. Park studies how problematic gaming develops in children and adolescents — including the brain-based patterns behind compulsive play, how gaming and gambling disorders overlap, and what evidence-based treatments actually work for young people. She's published research on CBT-based interventions, the role of caffeine and sleep in gaming behavior, and how social media use connects to addictive patterns in the adolescent brain.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What "gaming disorder" actually means — and how it's clinically defined
• The neurological similarities between video game addiction and gambling addiction
• Why teenagers are especially vulnerable to problematic gaming
• The warning signs parents and clinicians should watch for
• What the research says about CBT and other treatments for gaming disorder in youth
• How gaming, caffeine use, and sleep deprivation create a dangerous cycle for teens

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Before online sportsbooks and casino apps, there was a different kind of gambling world — one run by bookies, back rooms, and the kind of debt you couldn't just close a browser tab to escape. In this episode, host Brian sits down with Tony V, a man with a truly old school gambling story, whose journey from compulsive bettor to person in long-term recovery is as gripping as it gets.

Tony opens up about what it was like gambling in an era before the internet changed everything — placing bets through mob-connected bookmakers, the thrill and the terror that came with it, and the slow unraveling that addiction brings to every area of life. But this isn't just a war story. Tony found recovery, and he shares what that path actually looked like.

Perhaps the most powerful moment in this conversation: what happened when Tony ran into his old bookie well into his recovery AND what the Bookie SAID

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What old school gambling culture really looked like — bookies, debts, and all
• How compulsive gambling escalates no matter the era or the format
• The role of Recovery Chat in Tony's journey and how peer connection supports sobriety
• What it feels like to unexpectedly cross paths with your past while in recovery
• How long-term recovery is built and protected over time

leestreetpod@gmail.com

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