Northern Gambling Service

Andy’s story – gambler turns vlogger to help others

Andy Margett (39) from Derby started gambling when he was 13 years old. He went on to develop a serious problem, racking up debts of £45,000 by his mid-20s.

He said: “At this point I was gambling on anything and everything, and I was starting to have panic attacks. I remember gambling in the early hours of the morning with my baby on my knee, while I was giving him a night feed. I searched how to kill myself, I felt that bad. Eventually I had a lightbulb moment and smashed my computer to pieces with a hammer.”

Eventually Andy sought help and has since made a good recovery. He now has a following of over 1,100 on You Tube where he talks about his experiences to try and help others who might be suffering.

Andy welcomes the launch of the new NHS service, saying: “If I had known services like these were on my doorstep when I was at my worst, I would have felt so much better. Knowing I could have talked through my thoughts and feelings with a professional in private in many ways would have felt easier. It’s about trust – there’s so much stigma and embarrassment to get past. This service will be an excellent first port of call.”

Watch all of our gambling addiction stories on You Tube.