Problem gambling

The following story is reflective of a real-life customer situation that we have seen and helped. We have changed the name, exact events and used photos of an actor in order to maintain confidentiality.

Brian had been gambling for a while before it became a financial problem for him. Though he could still make his repayments, he called us to ask for help. He called before his problems escalated further.

When Brian called us, he had been struggling with his gambling for a while. It’d started out as a fun way to pass time, but it got out of hand pretty quickly. Brian could still meet his monthly payments. But he realised his spending was out of control. He knew if he didn’t act now he could be heading for serious trouble.

We thanked Brian for talking to us about his gambling problem. We reassured him we were here to help. Having discussed his situation, we’d put an immediate block on Brian’s account. This stopped him from drawing more money. This way Brian could still make his repayments as usual. This action did not have any negative effect on his credit report.

We also reassured Brian that if the repayments became unmanageable to reach back out to us. This was so that we could help further. We also gave him the details of GamCare. GamCare are a specialist charity in the UK that helps people affected by problem gambling. They offer free phone support, live chat, forums, resources, group support and plenty of other materials.

Brian was also able to contact MoneyHelper, in order to find free debt advice and budgeting tools to help him to better manage his finances.

Opening up about problems like this can be daunting, but we’re here to help. We are here to listen. We work together with you to find the right solution, as well as advise you where to find free and independent help