For the people in their corner

Worried about someone's gambling?

If you're here for a partner, a son or daughter, a parent, or a friend, you already know the hardest part: you can't want this more than they do. But you aren't powerless. This page covers what Arc is, what it isn't, and how to offer it in a way that doesn't push them away.

What Arc is, and what it isn't

Arc is a free, private tool for the person who bets. They name something they're building toward: a home, a trip, getting out of debt. When the urge to bet shows up, Arc helps them pause, look at that thing, and decide with a clear head.

It is not a monitoring app, not a way to control someone's money, and not a treatment program. Arc is in active testing and is not a substitute for professional support. If they need more than a pause-and-refocus tool, the right next step is a counselor, not an app.

If they invite you in, here's exactly what you'd see

Inside Arc, they can invite one trusted person to be in their corner. The invitation travels in one direction. They send it, and they can quietly turn it off at any time. That's deliberate: the privacy is what makes honesty inside the app possible.

You would see

  • Whether their momentum is moving in the right direction
  • Their streak of protected days
  • Which protection steps they've turned on
  • When they put money toward their dream (that it happened, never how much)

You would never see

  • Dollar amounts, of anything, ever
  • Their check-ins, logs, or setbacks
  • Any notes or reflections they write
  • Whether they had a hard day, unless they tell you

How to suggest Arc without pushing

01

Make it theirs from the first sentence

Something like: “I came across this. There's nothing for me to log into and no reports to me. It seemed like it was built for the person using it.” The fastest way to lose them is if Arc sounds like a tool for you to watch them.

02

Send the link, then step back

Share arcmvp.com once and let it sit. Whether they open it, when they open it, and what they do inside it is theirs. A follow-up ask (“did you try that app?”) turns a door into a test.

03

Offer to be in their corner, if they want it

Arc lets them invite one trusted person to see their momentum. They may invite you; they may not. Both are okay. The invitation only means something because they control it.

The link to share is arcmvp.com. Nothing to install, and it works on any phone.

And for you

Loving someone through this is its own kind of hard.

You deserve support of your own, not only as their helper. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER, for the people affected by someone's gambling as much as for the person gambling.