(MCT) — The west suburban man knew about his wife's occasional trips to casinos in Joliet and Indiana, but he had no idea how deep an addiction she had until a real estate agent showed up at his door. His house was in foreclosure, he was told.

His wife, a dedicated mother of three who always made lunch for the kids, had always handled the family's finances. But she hadn't paid the mortgage in a year. Instead she had gambled away hundreds of thousands of dollars playing slot machines.