Warning: This article contains discussion of gambling addiction which some readers may find distressing.
A man who became addicted to gambling after winning big on a bet as a teenager has explained the gateway which triggered his addiction.
At just 16 years old, Lewis would place a 50p bet and received a return of a whopping £64,000.
The money would transform his life, but not in a good way, as it triggered the start of a gambling addiction.
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Lewis would lose £40,000 in his attempts to build on the initial windfall, followed by a further £80,000 over the following 11 years as his addiction spiralled further.
He would even take out several payday loans to continue gambling. He has since opened up about his gambling addiction, pinpointing the moment which he believes was the 'gateway' for him.
Research conducted by YouGov in 2020 suggested that as many as 1.4 million people in the UK could be considered problem gamblers. Meanwhile, GambleAware indicates that around 85,000 people aged from 11 to 17 have experienced problem gambling.
Recalling the high triggered by his initial win, Lewis told Channel 4: "It's kind of hard to describe exactly how you feel... You genuinely do just feel top of the world."
He believes the excitement of winning so much money at such a young age was the moment in which the addiction took hold, as he began to chase that same high.
"That was basically my gateway into gambling," Lewis said, explaining that he began to convince himself that he was good at it.
"The closer I got to 18 the more I deluded myself that I was actually good at it. [It was] like 'let me in' let me use this money to make more and more and more."
Over a decade on from his first foray into gambling, Lewis has since been working to stay clean and rebuild his life.
However, this hasn't always been easy for him. "It's been a journey," he said. "That might have been in part why I did a little relapse."
Lewis went on to add that losing a decade to addiction was 'the biggest' regret for him.
"My addiction has cost me obviously financially, but the biggest thing for me is my time," he added. "I can look forward but there's still 10 years of life that was scarred and tainted by gambling."
Problem gambling warning signs
According to GambleAware, red flags which you or someone who may be dealing with problem gambling are:
- Chasing gambling losses
- Hiding their gambling behaviours
- Spending more time thinking and talking about gambling
- Feeling anxious or guilty about gambling
Please gamble responsibly. For help, support and advice about problem gambling, contact the National Gambling Helpline anytime on 0808 8020 133
Topics: Channel 4, Documentaries
Brenna Cooper