Zona de Azar UK – A UK Charity’s Support for Women Struggling with Gambling Addiction

UK.- February 26, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com During the peak of her gambling addiction at 21, Megan Vanderson lost £4,000 in just 10 minutes, indulging in online games and slots. Despite being constantly glued to her phone, Vanderson, like many young people, hid her addiction well. It was only after years of internal struggle that she gathered the courage to seek help and discovered she was the lone woman in a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.

Vanderson, now 23, shared her experience of being in a male-dominated space, stating, “Going into Gamblers Anonymous meetings, it was very male-dominated. So I felt that pressure, I didn’t feel like I could speak as openly. I was on my own at 21 years old and couldn’t understand why I was like this. I had never seen a young woman who had gone through a gambling addiction, ever.”

Her life took a positive turn when she learned about the gambling addiction treatment center operated by the charity Gordon Moody in Wolverhampton, the only facility in the UK and possibly globally tailored specifically for women.

“It changed my life. It was so empowering to realize I wasn’t the only one. Having a safe space for women to speak about their problems and realizing that there are other women out there who are going through the same experiences as me,” she expressed.

While gambling addiction is more prevalent among men, the number of women seeking treatment in the UK has doubled in five years, from 1,134 in 2015-16 to 2,423 in 2020-21. Many affected women, however, do not seek help due to stigma and embarrassment, according to the gambling charity GambleAware.

The rise in female gambling issues is attributed to easy online access to betting games, circumventing traditionally male-dominated spaces like bookmakers and casinos. Research indicates that women often mask their addiction for more extended periods than men.

The Gordon Moody charity provides a unique six-week residential course in Wolverhampton for women dealing with gambling addiction. This tailored program includes therapy, both group and individual, life skills sessions, and the removal of phone and internet access. Women receive anonymous notes of support from course alumnae upon arrival.

Dr. Rosalind Baker-Frampton, the evaluation and research lead at the charity, emphasized the lack of research about female gambling and how the treatment program was built from scratch by understanding the specific needs of women. She stated, “A lot of treatment is based around research with men, but women have got different life experiences.”

Gordon Moody aims to collaborate with universities and research bodies to share the insights gathered from over 500 women who have applied for its services. Vanderson, now recovered from her addiction, highlighted the looming public health crisis and the urgent need for change in addressing gambling-related issues, especially among women.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com