Why Charles Barkley believes he earned the right to gamble: "Kiss my a*s, I am going to gamble"

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Why Charles Barkley believes he earned the right to gamble: "Kiss my a*s, I am going to gamble"

Bjorn Del B. Deade · Basketball Network

Mon, Dec 15, 2025 ·

3 min read

Barkley grew up on welfare in Alabama

Growing up in the projects in Leeds, Alabama, Barkley said he and his family did not have much. His mother worked as a maid, while his grandmother worked at a meat factory, jobs that paid meager wages. Because of this, they also relied on government financial assistance to survive.

Yet, despite the clear financial hindrances, Barkley admitted that he did not know they were poor , with his mother making sure he had a pair of shoes that could last the season and his grandmother bringing him chicken feet after work.

Their sacrifices did not go to naught. Barkley eventually got drafted in 1984 by the Philadelphia 76ers and went on to become one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game. He would also make his mark as a broadcaster on "Inside the NBA."

Barkley made over $40 million in career earnings during his 16-year NBA stint. He would only become richer post-retirement due to his endorsements and TV deals, which include a $210 million contract with TNT.

Of course, he took care of his mother and grandmother financially until they passed away. But having this kind of money awakened his insatiable appetite for gambling. Still, for Charles, it was a vice he worked tenaciously to afford.

"Nobody cared about my money; nobody ever said, 'Hey, let's go take care of that Barkley family; let's do a GoFundMe for them," he said. "Now that I got money and I like to gamble."

CB believes gambling is not an addiction

Not surprisingly, it did not take much effort for Las Vegas casinos to draw in Barkley and to keep him on the tables. So much so that he had lost over $20 million in his decades of gambling.

That was until a kind friend finally stepped in and gave him a much-needed intervention, dropping a brutal truth bomb that would finally make him quit the vice and work on managing his gambling desires.

"Yo man, gambling ain't your problem. Being a f–ing idiot is your problem," the friend said.

He has embraced that mantra ever since. When the news broke out that certain NBA players and coaches were involved in a multi-million dollar gambling scandal , Barkley could not believe that millionaire athletes were showing the type of "stupidity" he once had.

"No, that's not addiction. That's stupidity," Barkley said in October, arguing with his co-host Kenny Smith. "Stop that. Ain't got nothing to do with addiction. That's just total stupidity."

By the way the 62-year-old danced in the clip, he probably has not stopped gambling. And for someone who wants some of his ashes scattered in a Las Vegas Casino , it's safe to say that he will never stop. But unless you are Barkley, then gambling will not be an issue.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.