'I ended up homeless after winning £127,000 and blowing every penny'
02.10.2022 - 18:55
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
When Lisa Walker won a six-figure payout during a game of poker at her local casino, she should have been set for the rest of her life.
Instead, the mum-of-two later found herself homeless, having gambled away around half a million pounds - a terrifying truth she'd kept secret from her friends and family for years.
As the cost of living crisis continues to tighten its grip, there are fears that more women like Lisa will become consumed by gambling addiction, as they desperately attempt to source extra cash.
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According to research by Gamble Aware, one in four women aged 18 to 49 who gamble expect to do so more in the coming months in a bid to supplement their income, as one in ten women have already reported turning to gambling.
Matt Gaskell, who is Clinical Lead at the NHS Northern Gambling Service, based in Salford Quays, told the M.E.N he also predicts more women, and men, will be turn to gambling during the crisis.
The service, which provides counselling and support for gambling addictions, has seen an increasing number of users over the last five years, and expects to see more as winter approaches.
Lisa, now aged 50, has been in recovery for her addiction for four and half years and now supports other women like herself. She's also teamed up with Gamble Aware to support their new campaign - challenging the stigma surrounding female gambling.
She was first introduced to gambling at a young age, as her family used to enjoy playing cards. But Lisa said it wasn't until her late 20s that her addiction really took hold.
"I won a six figure sum of money at the age of 29 on poker at a casino," she said. "I should have paid off my