Gambling Addiction PODCAST #30: 'I Broke My Brain' - Paul Buck's Story

The Invisible Addiction

In the final episode of The Invisible Addiction Paul Buck shares his harrowing gambling addiction story.

This is a Podcast not to be missed. 🛑

Paul covers a wide range of topics including:

- How he started gambling whilst at University of Leeds

- Winning his first bet, placing £10 each way on a horse race 🏇

- How his addiction progressed, transacting £4.8m across 93 betting accounts, losing £1.3m and spending £434,000 in fraudulent money from his workplace Santander 💷

- His time owning 2 race horses and 16 greyhounds

- His time as a VIP member

- 16 credit cards and loans with a £180,00 credit limit 💳

- Attempting to take his own life

- Handing himself into the police

- Getting sentenced to 2 years 8 months in prison

- Opening up in the police interview, telling them about his gambling for the first time

- The help he received, including important support from Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones (OBE) in London ❤️

- His experience of prison and helping others learn to read

- How he started EPIC Risk Management - the world's leading independent gambling harm minimisation consultancy

- His thoughts on the Gambling Act Review in the UK 🇬🇧

- Advice for others experiencing gambling problems (to talk) and tips for people in recovery (not to let gambling define your life) 📈

We're also joined by Steven Nyandu, Safer Gambling Advisor for Betknowmore UK, who shares his experiences of working in prisons and supporting prisoners for gambling related harm. Steven speaks eloquently and offers plenty of thoughts on what more can be done for the future. 👍

Check out Steven's video clip on Victoria Derbyshire: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?extid...

It's a jam-packed episode that I'm hugely excited to share with you.

It's the final episode of this series so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for tuning in, and a massive thank you to all of our amazing guests!

I'll be back soon with another series. In the meantime do lookout for some Vlogs on YouTube.

Speak soon!

Alex 😄

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:38 Paul Buck (Part 1)

51:27 Steven Nyandu

01:07:05 Paul Buck (Part 2)

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ℹ️ LINKS ℹ️

EPIC Risk Management:

Website: https://www.epicriskmanagement.com/

Twitter: @epicpgc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicriskman...

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/epic...

Peer Aid:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AidPeer

Website: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-suppor...

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With very special thanks to the sponsors of this episode, TalkBanStop and Betknowmore UK.

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✅ TalkBanStop is a partnership between GamCare, Gamban and GAMSTOP to help anyone experiencing gambling harms to start their recovery journey.

Website: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/talk/​

National Gambling Helpline (Open 24/7): 0808 8020 133

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✅ Betknowmore UK are a UK charity helping people take back control of their life from gambling. Betknowmore UK was established by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms, who now use that insight and knowledge to help others.

Website: https://www.betknowmoreuk.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Betknowmore