October: The Game Hurts Survivor | News and features

He joined a number of leading experts and shared his harrowing experience at the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research’s second annual International Interdisciplinary Colloquium at the University of Bristol on Thursday 10 October. The Hub works closely with those with lived experience of gambling harm to raise awareness of the potentially devastating consequences of gambling and to ensure that research, prevention and treatment are as relevant and effective as possible.

Julie’s late husband’s habit, which destroyed their marriage and swallowed up to £1m, led to his suicide three years ago, leaving her with their two children.

Determined to make something positive out of the rubbish, Julie now provides peer-to-peer support as an aftercare co-ordinator at Betknowmore UK to people suffering from gambling-related harm. The mother-of-two was among speakers at the colloquium, which also included global researchers, regulators, treatment and support professionals and policy experts.

Julie, 53, said: “Having someone beyond family and friends to talk to during my ordeal was a lifesaver. It’s good to be able to offer that to others, but the fact that our client list doesn’t stop growing is worrying.

“The explosion of online platforms and advertising has exacerbated the dire situation, which means more and more lives are being lost to gambling. We were a typical working family, but his addiction proved too strong and the ultimate price was paid. The game robbed us of a man who just wanted to be a hero and fix everyone financially. The industry had to change now so others can be saved.”

Her husband’s refusal to acknowledge his problem and seek help meant he became increasingly trapped in a vicious cycle of gambling, racking up huge debts and eventually turning violent.

“It was a dark secret that he kept for many years. He worked at night as a driver and it started with him going to casinos. When things changed online, there were more options: football, other sports, roulette , slot machines … he did them all,” Julie said.

“I only found out because I was in a mess with five credit cards maxing out at £60,000, some taken out in my name. I had remortgaged the house and taken out loans so we were over £250,000 in debt. Over the years, it probably took a million. I went into shock and just wanted to keep it all together for the family, even though his personality changed and he became abusive. I always tried to help, but he avoided it “.

The addiction was exacerbated during the confinement of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he would play online for 12 hours.

“He wouldn’t wash or get dressed. The four hour cut off period for taking a “responsible break” makes no sense because you would simply switch to a different carrier and then go back to the old one. There are so many loopholes,” he said.

“We had no money for food and at one point I had five different jobs doing care and cleaning jobs to pay the mortgage. I opened my own bank account so the bills would be paid and we wouldn’t lose a roof over our heads.”

The final straw came when, in addition to coercive control, he became violent.

“Survival instinct kicked in and I had to focus on the kids. She never admitted the problem and eventually succumbed to it completely, killing herself. We’ve lost a lot, not just money, but a husband, a dad and lots of friends along the way. No real winners – he took absolutely everything out of us.”

Júlia and her children, who are now 20 and 24 years old, are rebuilding their lives little by little. A move to the coast is on the horizon to escape the home that still holds traumatic memories.

“It’s time to start over, but the scars will be there forever. He was an intelligent man who only wanted the best for his family, but the stakes turned him into another. I talk to so many men in their 40s who have fallen down the same path. With better self-understanding and mental health support, there is a greater chance of change and overcoming temptation,” said Julie.

“But what really needs to happen is industry reform so that advertising is more robustly regulated and there are effective restrictions on people’s gaming. Events like this colloquium are great for better understanding the many issues involved and consider possible ways to limit risk and damage.”

The colloquium also featured keynote speaker Brianne Doura-Schawohl, who leads international gaming policy change and has a proven track record of legislative progress in this field in the US and around the world.

Brianne said: “Gambling has always been, and always will be, widespread and deeply ingrained in our culture. However, the massive expansion has had unprecedented impacts, including profound and worrying public health ramifications. Julie’s heartbreaking story is a tragic example of this.With a system woefully inadequate to address harmful gambling, my session at the colloquium highlighted much-needed policies, both legislative and regulatory, that better protect players and the public.

“I am honored to be a part of this colloquium, which aims to increase awareness and evidence about this global health issue. It is a great opportunity to learn from others through many engaging conversations and presentations that they highlight what more we can do collectively.”

By 2022, the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research was launched at the University of Bristol lead pioneering multidisciplinary research into the wide-ranging effects of gambling harm.

The independent centre, funded by a £4m grant from national charity GambleAware, facilitates world-leading research to improve understanding of gambling harm as a growing public health problem that needs greater scrutiny and regulation

Professor Michele Acuto, Professional Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “We are very proud of the pioneering work of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, which brings together leading experts in the field to advance our understanding of the game’s damage complexity.

“This event is an example of our collective effort to continue to drive positive change, as part of the University’s mission to protect public health, overcome inequities and advocate for social justice..”