{
  "id": 4871549,
  "title": "Rick Campanelli reveals personal battle with past gambling addiction in ‘Tempted’ memoir",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/rick-campanelli-reveals-personal-battle-with-past-gambling-addiction",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T13:53:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/09/01/rick-campanelli-memoir-tempted/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rick Campanelli, a prominent media personality, has released a memoir titled \"Tempted: My Story,\" co-authored by Canadian author John Meyer. In the book, Campanelli reveals his personal battle with a gambling addiction that nearly destroyed his life. The memoir, described as a \"bombshell memoir\" and a \"cautionary tale,\" sheds light on the secret struggles and hard lessons he learned behind the scenes of his successful career in the entertainment industry.\n\nCampanelli's addiction began in his youth when he loved entering contests and winning prizes. He explained that the high he received from winning turned into an addictive personality, leading him to develop a gambling addiction. This obsession with winning led to his arrest in Las Vegas due to a scheme to borrow money from casinos, which he failed to repay. After being released from jail, Campanelli continued to gamble despite the consequences.\n\nHis wife, Angie, played a crucial role in helping him overcome his addiction. She found out about his gambling habit and got them the necessary help, including therapy and Gamblers Anonymous. Campanelli credits Angie for being his \"rock\" and for supporting him throughout his recovery. The main reason he wrote the book now is to raise awareness about the dangers of gambling addiction, especially for the younger generation who are drawn to the multi-billion dollar online gambling industry.\n\nCampanelli emphasizes that he has been free of his addiction for over 17 years and has managed to control his impulses. He is determined to never return to the dark days of his past and hopes that sharing his story will prevent others from experiencing the same struggles. For those seeking help with a gambling problem, Campanelli recommends visiting the Responsible Gambling Council for assistance.",
  "summary": "It’s been just over 30 years since a contest entry with MuchMusic would forever change Rick Campanelli’s life and make “Rick the Temp” a beloved household name. The media personality’s storied career in the entertainment industry, which included co-hosting ET Canada, granted him VIP access to interview the biggest stars like Britney Spears, George Clooney […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}