Lies, suicide attempts, bankruptcy, bailiffs – a gambling addict’s story

“It got to the stage where I didn’t know what to do anymore.”

Craig (58) from Manchester got his first taste of gambling during trips to the racecourse with his dad. But after his dad passed away, it soon became a destructive habit.

“It got worse all the time. I started losing money and chasing money. It just got ridiculous,” Craig admits.

He reached a low point in 2009 when gambling brought him to the point of financial collapse and he was declared bankrupt.

For many who struggle with gambling, there’s a belief that the next bet will be the one that changes everything. But for Craig, like so many others, it never happened.

A vicious circle

Instead, the cycle of gambling continued.

“I never learnt my lesson,” Craig reflects, admitting he fell back into old habits after a six-year break. By then, online gambling had taken over.

He would lose £1,000, then gamble more to try and win some back. But the wins never came. Instead, £8,000 worth of debt piled up.

“I’ve just been stupid, and I do regret doing it but at the time I was gambling… I never thought anything of it,” Craig admits.

Mounting debt

Easy-to-get-hold-of credit cards became a lifeline for his addiction. He remembers one card gave him an instant £2,500 limit. With the fees they added on, his debt quickly mounted.

“It just went from £2,500 to £3,000 in a matter of months,” says Craig.

He turned to gambling for ‘quick wins’ to cover his energy bills after falling into debt with the energy companies.

Lies

Craig also began borrowing money from his sister, telling her it was for repairs on his car, then, when the car did break down, he knew he couldn’t ask her again.

“I was telling blatant lies just to get money for gambling.”

Things seemed pretty bleak for Craig but they were about to get a whole lot worse.

Cruel twist of fate

Four years ago, Craig was nearly killed in a car crash.

“I don’t think I’d be here today if it wasn’t for the fire service cutting me out of the car,” he said.

As he sat in the wreckage of the crash, Craig even found himself having bets with the firemen, which he smiles about now but is proof of how deeply ingrained his addiction was.

The crash led to a shock cancer diagnosis - stage 3 kidney cancer. He had surgery to remove a kidney, but the emotional toll, the boredom and the isolation resulting from his cancer treatment drove him back to gambling.

“It’s a massive addiction, it really is. I suppose it’s a bit like drug addiction,” he said.

As his financial situation got worse, bailiffs eventually turned up at the house he shares with his wife and daughter to seize goods they could sell to go towards paying off his debts.

Amid everything, Craig's addiction became so overwhelming that he tried to take his own life twice.

The road to recovery

Thankfully Craig was able to turn his life around after reaching out for help. Salford City Council put him in touch with the Beacon Trust, who referred him to NHS specialists and GamCare. “I realised I had to do something about it,” he said.

Craig had previously been on a debt management plan to give him more time to pay off his debts. But the arrangement didn’t work out for him.

It was his niece, who had also struggled with a gambling addiction and had racked up £40,000 in debt, who told him about a debt relief order (DRO).

In June, Craig reached out to Money Wellness and we helped him get a DRO. DROs freeze your debts for a year and, if your situation doesn’t improve during that time, your debts are written off. There are strict eligibility criteria and they will affect your credit rating for six years. But, in certain situations, they offer the chance of a fresh financial start.

Craig said the whole process was quick and easy and he got accepted for a DRO straight away.

“[Money Wellness have been] very helpful,” he said. “I could have gone with anyone, but these were the best. Absolutely brilliant. I can’t fault the people who helped me. They put me in the right direction and helped me out tremendously… I feel miles better.”

Thanks to the DRO and the support Craig received, the bailiffs are now off his back and he has £800 in his bank account, a safety net he’s not benefitted from for a long time.

“It’s just nice to go shopping and pay for it… you feel so good,” he said.

Gambling Awareness Week

Gambling Awareness Week (18 – 24 November) is an initiative led by the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta, the Lotteries Council and the Bingo Association. It's all about promoting safer gambling across the UK and Ireland.

And it’s an important cause, as Craig’s story is far from unique.

An estimated 2.5% of adults in Britain have struggled with “problem gambling,” according to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).

The research found that, among those who had gambled in the last year, more than one in 40 experienced severe harm to their life, such as turning to crime to fund their gambling, suffering relationship breakdowns, or losing their home.

The rates were even higher among men and young people. More than one in 20 people aged 18-34 who had gambled in the last 12 months reported a severe impact on their life.

What’s the government doing about it?

Labour have promised to improve gambling laws and strengthen protections to reduce gambling-related harm. In 2023, the previous government introduced a £100m gambling levy to fund research, prevention and treatment for gambling addiction.

With greater support for addiction treatment, it’s hoped that more people like Craig will get the help they need.

While Craig is grateful for the support he received from Money Wellness, the NHS, Salford City Council and gambling awareness organisations, he believes gambling companies could do more.

He thinks they should offer better advice, set limits for customers and intervene when gambling becomes excessive. Instead, he says companies prioritise profits.

“They should say ‘let’s set a limit for you’ but they don’t, the more money they get, it’s better for them,” says Craig.

Are you struggling with gambling?

Gambling can affect many parts of your life, including your relationships, health and finances. If you’re finding it hard to cope, there is support is available

The NHS offers specialist gambling treatment centres. They have a team of psychiatrists and psychologists who can:

• treat you if gambling is causing you problems
• support with your recovery
• provide therapy for any complex health needs you have related to gambling
• support your family or friends if they need help

You can refer yourself to a gambling clinic or speak to your GP for information on local services.

There are also a number of charities and support groups that offer free, confidential support to gamblers and their friends and family.

• The National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) – 0808 8020 133 – gamcare.org.uk
• Betknowmore UK – betknowmore.org
• Gamblers Anonymous – gamblersanonymous.org.uk

If gambling is affecting your life, don’t wait, reach out for help.

As Craig says: “Nobody can say there isn’t stuff [support] out there, because there is… take the advice that’s on offer.”