Lisa Walker said her life spiralled out of control
Kate Lally SEO writer and Neil Shaw
10:48, 13 Nov 2025
Lisa Walker has issued a warning (Image: Jam Press)
A woman who lost £500,000 and her home due to a spiralling gambling addiction has issued a stark warning about the rise in people struggling, while online betting platforms flourish. Lisa Walker’s life took a dark turn when she won a jackpot of £127,000 at a casino, an event she now describes as the “worst day of my life”.
The addiction led to the breakdown of her marriage and the loss of her home, with Lisa and her children finding themselves homeless and living in a hostel. Now 53, Lisa has managed to overcome her addiction and has been in recovery since 2018, after missing her wedding night to gamble in Las Vegas served as a wake-up call.
As Christmas nears, she warns of the “trap” that awaits those who turn to gambling to earn extra cash, and the increase in addicts she encounters weekly in her role as a support worker for fellow gambling addicts. “It’s terrifying how easy it is to gamble these days – it’s available in our pockets all the time,” said Lisa, from Essex.
In 2001, at the age of 29, Lisa won the jackpot sum, which changed her life forever(Image: Jam Press)
“18 years ago, when I was at the peak of my addiction, it wasn’t online and on our phones. I’d be exhausted, having had no sleep, but I’d still find the energy to get up, get dressed, and drive to a casino or the bookmakers. That was bad enough – but now you don’t need to leave your home or work, or even a wedding reception – you can gamble anywhere, anytime.
“If that had been the case when I was gambling, I dread to think what could have happened. If I’d had it right there on my phone, who knows what could have happened. I could have ended up in prison or dead. It’s so easy to access, it’s highly addictive, and the problem is only getting worse.”
“There are the stresses of Christmas coming up, the cost of living crisis, and taxes rising – it’s all doom and gloom, and people think gambling is a quick way to make a bit of money. We launched New Beginnings, working with women starting their recovery from gambling addiction, three years ago, and in that time, we’ve seen the numbers are only rising, reports Essex Live.
Lisa with her husband, Gary, on their wedding day(Image: Jam Press)
“We started with one small group of six women a week, and now run triple that amount, as well as two health and wellbeing groups weekly. Probably 80% of service users are gambling online – it’s just so easy to fall into the trap and cross that line into addiction.”
Lisa is perfectly positioned to support the women at New Beginnings, understanding exactly how much pressure, secrecy and shame accompany living with a gambling dependency. Back in 2001, aged 29, Lisa scooped the jackpot prize, which transformed her life completely, and she started betting four to five times weekly, becoming addicted to the adrenaline rush it provided.
But the victory was a one-off stroke of luck, and Lisa found herself placing bets for up to 10 hours a day. While she loved the “rush”, the habit plunged her into enormous debt so catastrophic that she was forced to declare bankruptcy and sell her home to clear it.
Lisa Walker’s habit began when she won a jackpot of £127,000 at a casino(Image: Jam Press)
She explained: “It was a life of self-destruction, and hell on earth. It’s a very easy addiction to hide, unlike with drink or drugs – you can easily spot if someone is under the influence, but gamblers are good at masking it. You could be sitting next to someone on their phone on the train and never know they were gambling.”
It wasn’t until 2018, faced with the stark reality that she had picked gambling over spending her wedding night with her husband, Gary, that she recognised she desperately needed help, and joined Gamblers Anonymous – which she still attends weekly to this day, and has pledged to continue for life.
Lisa added: “It’s an ongoing commitment to take recovery one day at a time. I get clinical support once a month from BetKnowMore, attend weekly meetings, write in a journal, and go on dog walks – all things that help me and my mental health.
“Now, I’m living in a little two-bed flat with a garden and life is good. Ironically, I now live on the same street as the house I lost to my addiction. The dream world of the compulsive gambler includes a big house, car and money – but I’ve now got everything I could want out of life through not gambling.
“I’m rich, not financially, but in life. My grandchildren will never know their nana as a gambler, and I get to help so many people – so I lead a lovely life these days.”
With the festive season rapidly approaching, bringing expectations of present-buying and expenditure, Lisa is sharing her experience to warn others against gambling websites. She explained: “Christmas puts so much pressure on people. People gamble to make ends meet and buy that extra gift, or to escape the loneliness the holidays can bring, and it only gets them into trouble.
“We want to buy these expensive gifts and get into debt – but for what? I remember the games I played with my parents growing up, and I remember the look on my granddaughter’s face last year – but I couldn’t tell you what someone bought me.
“The time spent with our loved ones is what we remember. It isn’t worth getting into money trouble over, and turning to gambling makes that all too easy. But if it is something you are struggling with – reach out for support.
“There are fantastic programmes, like New Beginnings, out there that will take you under their wing and hold your hand through your recovery, and GAMSTOP to restrict online gambling services and ads. It’s the kind of support I needed 18 years ago, and I often wonder what life would have looked like if I had been helped then. I’m proud that now, at least, I can be the one to offer it.”