New gambling treatment clinic to open up in Sheffield
The service will be free to use on the NHS
It's feared referrals to gambling clinics nationally have risen by over 50% in the last year - as a new treatment facility opens its doors in South Yorkshire today.
The NHS service - which's free to anyone who needs it - will be based in Sheffield city centre.
Sheffield woman Liz Ritchie's son Jack took his own life due to troubles with his gambling addiction back in 2017.
She's convinced he'd still be here today if gambling clinics were around ten years ago:
"Proper NHS treatment really works, and it is perfectly possible to recover.
"There's also peer supporters at these clinics, so you can actually talk to somebody who's a recovering gambler.
"It's really important that people have access to proper NHS treatment on their doorstep.
"So, anybody in Sheffield or the surrounding area can come.
"You can refer yourself - which means you don't have to go through a GP - you can just ring up and book in.
"Treatment with the NHS can actually reverse the process of gambling addiction, so you won't get the cravings anymore.
"These products affect the brain - they can be like hard drugs in some cases."
The new gambling clinic in Sheffield will be the fifteenth of its kind to open up in England.
It'll be based on Pinfold street in the city centre.