top of page

> STORIES

Stories: Stacey

Stacey spent 8 years addicted to gambling and is now committed to raising awareness amongst women like herself, who have struggled with gambling in silence. She has written a memoir called The Girl Gambler and spends much of her spare time highlighting the issues of problematic gambling via TikTok. Stacey is one of over 110,000 women registered with GAMSTOP.

How did you start gambling?

I started gambling when I was 18, while working part-time in a bookmaker. Being so close to gambling every day resulted in me starting to gamble and eventually became a full-blown addiction.

How much did you spend on gambling?

I don’t know for sure how much I lost but I know it’s in the hundreds of thousands. I lost every penny of my wages for 8 years and got myself into huge debt. Even when I did win, I’d just gamble it away immediately.

What impact did gambling have on your life?

Along with the debt, I became so lonely and isolated. Eventually, I felt like I didn’t want to live anymore and made multiple attempts to take my own life.

At what point did you realise that you needed help?

After losing a huge amount of money and trying to take my own life again, I started to realise that my addiction wasn’t just about money. No matter how much I won, the urge to gamble never went away. I knew the problem was in my own mind.

Where did you go to for help?

I tried a few ways to get better but eventually I found the Gordon Moody clinic and also registered with GAMSTOP and finally was able to receive the help that I needed.

Do you have any advice for anyone struggling with gambling?

It’s important that people know that there is support out there. I believed that my addiction had gone too far, and nothing could help me; I was wrong. Whether it's clinics like Gordon Moody, counselling, or self-exclusion services like GAMSTOP, there are people ready and willing to help you.

It’s been 3 years now that I’ve been in recovery and it’s the greatest accomplishment of my life so far. I finally feel free again.

Follow Stacey's journey

How are you doing now?

I’m doing amazing! It’s been 3 years now that I’ve been in recovery and it’s the greatest accomplishment of my life so far. I finally feel free again.

Other stories

Over 485,000 people have used GAMSTOP to take back control of their gambling. You can read about the experiences of real people who have found self-exclusion helpful here.

Hannah struggled with her partner's gambling addiction for years, until together, they sought help. Her partner is now in recovery, and Hannah has turned to her passion for theatre to share her story, hoping that those who see her show will learn more about gambling harms, helping to break the stigma.

Adam, had a gambling addiction between the ages of 18-23. He now documents his experiences on social media, hoping that sharing his story will help others in a similar situation.

Harj, had a gambling addiction for over 10 years, starting from the age of 23. He has been working with the gambling charity Red Card for 2 years as a Non-Executive Director.

Stories: Declan

Declan had a gambling addiction for 10 years and is now working as a teaching assistant and carer as well as doing some outreach work with the charity ‘Gambling With Lives’, raising awareness amongst youth groups and sports clubs about gambling-related harm.

Jack began gambling in 2012 and registered with GAMSTOP in 2020 after his addiction began to spiral out of control. He was losing 75% of his wage as a steel worker each month to gambling sites, but after two years of self-exclusion, he has successfully overcome his issues. He discovered a passion for professional ultra-marathon running and recently finished second in the toughest long-distance run on the planet, the Montane Spine race.

Stories: Stacey

Stacey spent 8 years addicted to gambling and is now committed to raising awareness amongst women like herself, who have struggled with gambling in silence. She has written a memoir called The Girl Gambler and spends much of her spare time highlighting the issues of problematic gambling via TikTok. Stacey is one of over 110,000 women registered with GAMSTOP.

Matt is Service Manager at Peer Aid, a scheme that uses lived experience and mentorship to help those suffering from gambling addiction. Matt began gambling aged just 11, losing more than £700,000. The turning point in his addiction came after he tried to take his own life.

Bray spent years as a student with a gambling addiction and is now studying to become a mental health nurse, hoping to use his experience to help others with mental health and addiction issues. He also volunteers as a Peer Supporter for the charity Betknowmore, where he helps individuals who are struggling with their gambling.

Hannah struggled with her partner's gambling addiction for years, until together, they sought help. Her partner is now in recovery, and Hannah has turned to her passion for theatre to share her story, hoping that those who see her show will learn more about gambling harms, helping to break the stigma.

Adam, had a gambling addiction between the ages of 18-23. He now documents his experiences on social media, hoping that sharing his story will help others in a similar situation.

Harj, had a gambling addiction for over 10 years, starting from the age of 23. He has been working with the gambling charity Red Card for 2 years as a Non-Executive Director.

Stories: Declan

Declan had a gambling addiction for 10 years and is now working as a teaching assistant and carer as well as doing some outreach work with the charity ‘Gambling With Lives’, raising awareness amongst youth groups and sports clubs about gambling-related harm.

Jack began gambling in 2012 and registered with GAMSTOP in 2020 after his addiction began to spiral out of control. He was losing 75% of his wage as a steel worker each month to gambling sites, but after two years of self-exclusion, he has successfully overcome his issues. He discovered a passion for professional ultra-marathon running and recently finished second in the toughest long-distance run on the planet, the Montane Spine race.

Jack began gambling in 2012 and registered with GAMSTOP in 2020 after his addiction began to spiral out of control. He was losing 75% of his wage as a steel worker each month to gambling sites, but after two years of self-exclusion, he has successfully overcome his issues. He discovered a passion for professional ultra-marathon running and recently finished second in the toughest long-distance run on the planet, the Montane Spine race.

Jack began gambling in 2012 and registered with GAMSTOP in 2020 after his addiction began to spiral out of control. He was losing 75% of his wage as a steel worker each month to gambling sites, but after two years of self-exclusion, he has successfully overcome his issues. He discovered a passion for professional ultra-marathon running and recently finished second in the toughest long-distance run on the planet, the Montane Spine race.

What more can I do?

GAMSTOP is just one of the tools you can use to help control your gambling. There is a lot of other free guidance and support available.

Register

Registering with GAMSTOP is free, quick and easy. Watch our short video to see what the GAMSTOP registration process looks like.

bottom of page