The Women Left Behind by Gambling Addiction

Lorraine and Claire

For many families, gambling harm is something that happens quietly behind closed doors. 

The financial stress, secrecy and emotional strain often affect far more than the person placing the bets, and new figures suggest millions of people across Britain may be living with the fallout.

According to Public Health England, around 1.5 to 2 million adults in Britain may be directly affected by someone else’s gambling. 

Women are disproportionately represented among those seeking support, yet many suffer in silence for years before reaching out for help.

One of those women was Lorraine Perrons.

The mother-of-two says her world changed after returning home from a family holiday to discover her husband’s hidden gambling addiction had pushed the family to the brink of financial collapse.

During the trip, Lorraine had noticed her husband repeatedly betting during race nights, but she didn't realise the scale of the problem until she walked through the front door at home.

“What I found completely changed my life,” she says. “When I confronted him, he eventually looked at me and said, ‘I think I’ve got a gambling problem.’”

At the same time as dealing with mounting debts and uncertainty, Lorraine was also preparing to lose her terminally ill father, who died just four months later.

She describes the years that followed as “survival mode” trying to protect her children while coping with grief, exhaustion and ongoing financial instability. Following the eventual separation, she endured a difficult divorce and emergency court hearings linked to mortgages and finances repeatedly breaking down.

“I realised later that I’d spent years living like a shell of myself,” Lorraine says.

Much later, she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD.

Her experiences eventually led her into therapeutic work supporting both gamblers and the loved ones affected by gambling harm. Alongside fellow therapist Claire Jones, she co-founded Gambling Recovery Therapy and Gambling Recovery for All CIC.

Together, the pair have launched a free 12-week online programme called Rebuild and Rise: Reclaim Your Life, designed specifically for women affected by someone else’s gambling.

The trauma-informed course combines emotional support, practical coping strategies, hypnotherapy, psychoeducation and peer support to help women rebuild confidence and emotional wellbeing.

“We wanted to create something genuinely trauma-informed,” says Claire. “Not just advice, but a safe space where women feel understood.”

The first online group begins on 9 June 2026, with funded places available for eligible applicants.

Women interested in applying can do so here:

Rebuild and Rise Application Form https://forms.gle/aMA4fJbgDMSpgoTb9

http://www.gamblingrecoverytherapy.com

The Silent Trap of Scratchcards: When Hope Turns into Addiction

Every day, in newsagents and supermarkets across the UK, people hand over a few pounds for what they hope might be life-changing, a scratchcard or lottery ticket. 

It seems harmless enough: a small flutter, a bit of fun, a chance to dream. 

But for some, that harmless habit slowly transforms into a quiet, consuming addiction.

You can often see it play out in real life. Someone standing by the shop window, or sat on a nearby bench, smiling as they clutch a handful of scratchcards, coins at the ready. 

The first one? A loss. No matter, on to the next. Then another. And another. 

The smile fades with each reveal until disappointment takes hold. The momentary hope is replaced with frustration, self-reproach, and, for some, desperation. 

The cards, once tokens of possibility, are ripped apart and scattered to the pavement, fragments of lost money and crushed optimism.

The problem lies in the illusion of control and accessibility. Lottery tickets and scratchcards are marketed as entertainment, but for many on low incomes, they represent a “what if” a fleeting escape from financial struggle. 

Yet, more often than not, the cost of that hope adds up. Money that could have gone on rent, food, or bills is lost to chance. And when that pattern repeats, it becomes addiction.

Understanding the Addiction

Scratchcard addiction is a form of gambling addiction; and it’s growing. Unlike casino gambling, it’s socially acceptable, cheap, and widely available. That accessibility makes it all the more dangerous. The thrill of anticipation,  the same brain response triggered by slot machines, releases dopamine, the chemical that drives reward-seeking behaviour. Over time, that feeling becomes something the brain craves, even when the losses outweigh the wins.

What Can Be Done?

If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, whether it’s scratchcards, online betting, or lotteries, it’s important to remember that help is available. Admitting there’s a problem is the hardest step, but it’s also the most crucial.

UK Gambling Support Resources

GamCare – Offers free, confidential advice and support. Visit www.gamcare.org.uk

or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

BeGambleAware – Provides information and tools to help control gambling habits: www.begambleaware.org.

Gamblers Anonymous UK – A supportive community for those who want to stop gambling: www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk.

NHS Gambling Addiction Services – Professional treatment and therapy through your GP or the NHS: www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/gambling-addiction.

Final Thoughts on Scratchcards

It’s easy to think, “It’s only a couple of quid,” but those small spends can spiral. The brief high of possibility is often followed by deeper lows of regret. 

Scratchcards are not the problem, addiction is. But by recognising the signs, offering support, and breaking the cycle, we can turn despair back into hope — not of winning, but of recovery.