Displaying items by tag: Gambling with Lives

Lewis Keogh’s suicide note revealed a secret gambling addiction that he could no longer cope with. After his death his parents wanted to do something to prevent other such tragedies. They and other bereaved families designed a ‘Gambling With Lives’ teaching programme, telling 15- and 16-year-olds the risks of compulsive gambling. The programme pilots in 15 Northern Ireland schools and then across the UK. Its hard-hitting film tells the story of a teenager who starts gambling on arcade machines - as Lewis did. The film shows him becoming addicted and trying to cover up what is happening to him as his mental health worsens. Gambling With Lives is campaigning for tighter laws on gambling advertising, particularly in relation to televised sports events. An estimated 340,000 adults are ‘problem gamblers’, and 55,000 people aged 11-16 have a harmful gambling habit. Gambling compromises, disrupts, and damages family, personal and recreational pursuits.