Radio personality Edward Powell speaks about gambling addiction

Longtime radio DJ and Coast personality Edward Powell, aka “The Reverend,” was known for preaching the music across the Gulf Coast. Now, he’s playing a different tune to raise awareness about gambling addiction.

“You got to regain your sanity. You got to finally come to reality and say ‘I gotta stop’ and I did.”

Edward Powell hit the airwaves on the Gulf Coast at a very young age, earning a strong reputation on the air as The Reverend. “I don’t think I had a real name after radio because nobody really knew me by my real name.”

His reputation amplified to the point where Powell would DJ at casinos, which he wasn’t a big fan of, but the risk vs. reward intrigued him. This was where his gambling addiction was queued up. “In between my breaks, I would start playing slot machines and I would go out and gamble and play craps, not thinking it would become addictive. It did.”

The Rev spent thousands of dollars at casinos over a period of time. Being a compulsive gambler had Powell on the edge of never returning after a commercial break. “Almost being homeless, or being on the street, not having a place to stay. Your family knows what’s going on, but there’s nothing they can do for you.”

At some point in his life, The Rev knew something had to give. He recognized there was a problem and started making his first steps toward recovery. “I finally had a friend of mine say, I’m going to take you down, which a lot of people don’t know, to sign out at the Mississippi Gaming Commission. As you know, with my name, they knew who I was, and they said to me ‘you are not the first person that came down here.’”

Powell excluded himself from casinos, eventually overcoming his addiction. He tells News 25 he has nothing against casinos. However, he wanted to inspire someone who may be going through similar battles. “My motto in radio used to be ‘I’d much rather tell you the truth than lie to you.’ So, I guess that’s what I’m doing now. I’m bringing out my spirit to tell you this is part of my therapy. That’s why I’m doing this.”

If you or someone you know happens to suffer from gambling addiction, visit the Mississippi Gaming Commission website. There are links on how to overcome addiction and there is a self-exclusion form you can fill out.