Scott Thomas and Casino Guru discuss the latest problem gambling awareness campaign

UK TV personality and social media influencer Scott Thomas recently teamed up with Casino Guru to embark on a campaign designed to tackle problem gambling in the country. Scott decided to follow up on this by offering an insight into his own struggles with the problem and why he felt it was necessary for such campaigns to exist to ensure that people in need are being helped. He shared his struggles with not just his excessive gambling, but also addressing the problem as he felt "ashamed" and reluctant to share. The Casino Guru campaign now wants to shed light on the issues that gamblers face on daily basis and help destigmatize opening up about the condition.

You have been pretty vocal about your own struggles with problem gambling. Can you describe how and why it started?

The problem with gambling started with being fun after a night out before starting to consume me on a weekly basis. The first time I remember it becoming a problem was when, after being drunk in a casino,I won £1000 from £20, so that was my first taste for a big win. After that I would never accept walking away from the table with a small win, it always had to be big. Combining alcohol and gambling was not a good combination, I could often leave the casino with everything I had and try to find a way to get it back the next day.

It usually takes some time for an individual to admit they have a problem. When did you have your breakthrough moment?

I realised I had a problem when I found myself borrowing money from friends and family and knowing I wouldn’t be able to pay it back. I also remember lying to friends and family about where I was going, what I was doing and it was very clear to me that I had a problem. This was something that I was very ashamed about and didn’t want to share with everyone.

How did you manage to get over the addiction?

The first step for me was coming clean to my family, I told my big brother about my debt and realised I couldn’t keep this secret a secret anymore. Being honest and open with the people closest to me, and honestly Iwas so surprised by how supportive they all were, I booked into gamblers anonymous and started making positive actions with the support of my family.I also made the steps to bar myself from the local casinos and bookies so self-exclusion was a massive part of me overcoming my addiction.

Why did you decide to team up with Casino Guru? And why now?

I decided to team up with Casino Guru because after my podcast I realised there was still a lot of people dealing with problem gambling. I wanted to use my platform to help and this mirrored the message Casino Guru wanted to bring across, so this partnership felt very natural.

It is often said that prevention is better than cure. In your opinion, what are the most important things when it comes to prevention of problem gambling?

I would say always be honest and open with the people around you so it doesn’t become a secret, always give yourself a fixed budget to gamble with, and ensure that you don’t have access to any other funds. Always give yourself a time limit when gambling and never mix alcohol with gambling as that’s when you lose control.

Do you think a campaign of this kind has a potential to make a difference?

I wish when I was younger and gambling that there were more videos like this available as I feel like problem gambling is a taboo subject and not enough people are talking it. Even if this video helps one person, it has done it’s job.

What advice would you give to someone who might feel like they have a gambling problem of their own?

My first piece of advice would be to make sure you talk to someone close to you, be open and honest about your situation as that’s when you will find the support and help you need to overcome and problems or situations.