Fighting on the frontline of gambling addiction as casualties rise during Covid

It might not be an entirely unexpected side-effect of Covid-19 but there has been a marked rise in the number of seriously addicted gamblers seeking help from the charity in the frontline of dealing with chronic cases, the Gordon Moody Association.

More than that, there is an increase of those in the 18-24 age range seeking help, a greater number of women and a greater number with more profound problems and suicidal ideation. As with just about every area of society, the coronavirus is causing suffering.

"Ordinarily we would expect around eight applications a month, but recently we had eight in one day," says Matthew Hickey, who took over as CEO of Gordon Moody in February, a few weeks before the first lockdown.

Matthew Hickey, CEO of the Gordon Moody Association: 'There are more people out there struggling with mental health, some because they don't know if they have a job to go back to'

"The profile of those applying is changing, they are coming with more complex problems – not only gambling addiction but other issues, drink or drugs.

"I think it's down to the uncertainty and the heartache lockdown has brought. There are more people out there struggling with mental health, some because they don't know if they have a job to go back to.

"We're seeing more women apply, but there's often a different motive behind their gambling. As a generalisation, men use gambling to escape their life, the pain they are suffering for whatever reason; women gamble to overcome the social disadvantages they face, they are trying for that one big win to get their family out of a desperate situation."

Initially, there was a drop in applications, which Hickey believes was due to the circumstances in which people found themselves during lockdown.

"When people were surrounded by their families it was more difficult to hide what they were doing. Gambling is a hidden addiction. You often don't find out someone is a gambling addict until they're at crisis point. If they were addicted to alcohol, for example, there would be tell-tale signs.

"There was a decline in interactions with people who live alone, possibly because they submerged themselves in gambling. They needed to feel in a safe environment because society seems so unsafe during Covid. Submerging themselves in gambling felt normal."

Strange though that sounds, it makes some sense in this year of uncertainty in which the familiarity of pre-Covid life has become cherished like never before, even if that normality was losing money through gambling.

The Gordon Moody Association has centres at Dudley in the West Midlands and Beckenham in South London, where they run 14-week residential courses. Chronic gamblers embarking on a course are supported by counsellors and their peers and are largely cut off from the distractions of the outside world, with no access to media that would provide temptation to gamble.

The intensive therapy at Gordon Moody House in south London is relieved by a pool session in the games room

Necessarily, there have been adaptations due to Covid and the increased demand for services.

"We had to deliver more outreach," Hickey relates. "Previously, outreach to ex-residents who needed support numbered 30 interactions a month. When lockdown started we reached out to all ex-residents from the last two years and said we are here if you want to talk and we went from 30 to 1,000 interactions a month.

"We also introduced a pre-support programme for those on our waiting list – sessions with ex-residents who can tell them what it's really like. And, due to demand, we've introduced a friends and family group for those affected by the addiction of those close to them. They can attend a session with a therapist to talk about how their partner, their child has made them feel and how they cope with that.

"Although some services have had to go online there is a huge demand for getting into a room with a dozen other people who have the same problems. Peer support is hugely important."

Also important is early intervention, preventing problems reaching crisis point and the association's Gambling Therapy App is the first point of contact. Through that there is direct contact to a national gambling treatment line and trained counsellors who are ready to talk.

National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133

Gordon Moody Association

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If you are concerned about your gambling and are worried you may have a problem, click here to find advice on how you can receive help