North East man calls for changes to high street gambling
After a decade of addiction to gambling, a former-Durham resident is calling for widespread changes in how victims of problem gambling can be protected.
Last updated 22nd Jul 2021
After a decade of addiction to gambling, a North East man is calling for widespread changes in how victims of problem gambling can be protected.
Sam Badcock became addicted to Fixed Odds Betting Terminals - what he calls the "crack cocaine of the high street" - when he was 23, and has been struggling with gambling ever since.
"I literally put all my birthday money into the machine, then I ran home - I sprinted home as fast as I could - grabbed the rest of the money I had, I ran back to the FOBT machine. I lost that money."
"Before walking into the betting shop - on my 23rd birthday - I was also a law abiding citizen,
"Literally the day after my 23rd birthday, I was out shoplifting."
Sam tells us problem gambling can be devastating to families and communities - and it can affect people's lives in many ways, from seeing family breakdowns, lost jobs and homes, all of which Sam has experienced.
"For ten years, payday after payday after payday, it just goes on and on
"And then, what happens is - you get a criminal record as a result of it, you start to lose family and relationships
"You also start messing up at work, you know - it's really hard to go to work when you think 'all this money I'm gonna earn is very likely going to go to a fixed odds betting terminal.'"
Sam tells us at this point - he doesn't see much point in getting another job - as he knows where the money will end up going.
But he has a mission - the Members Only Campaign.
Sam is campaigning for the Government to bring in tougher, more comprehensive regulations for high street betting shops, to better protect problem gamblers.
He tells us the only way for problem gamblers to stay safe on the high street is through a method called self-exclusion - and most venues are part of a self-exclusion scheme
But with betting shops, casinos and arcades all having different schemes - it can be a minefield - and that's if staff are able to recognise people from a photo and stop them entering the shop.
It's also down to the individual to avoid the shops entirely, or rely on being recognised and kept out, but as Sam explains, there's nothing to stop him travelling 10 miles down the road to a betting shop he hasn't self-excluded from.
He wants the government to implement a programme more similar to the GamStop self-exclusion scheme for online betting - which prevents people registering accounts with gambling websites and apps across Great Britain for 1, 2 or 5 years.
He feels that if this were in place for in-person gambling in high street shops, then - if someone HAD to become a member to use a FOBT - they would be blocked, and wouldn't be able to spend the money on the machines.
"The answer is - not me relying on betting shop staff recognising me from the mug-shots I've provided
"It's not me relying on my own willpower, because lets face it; I'm a problem gambler, I'm going to relapse.
"I know that the only safeguard that would keep me and millions of other people in this country safe from Fixed Odds Betting Terminals - is if people had to be a member of gambling venues in order to place a bet."
You can find out more about Gamstop here, and there are other support services available at BeGambleAware and GamCare.
You can find out more about Sam's work via Facebook - Member's Only.