Hannah Walker: ‘Gambling addiction has nothing to do with someone’s character’
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
Play Now
Walker's play Gamble is about her partner's gambling addiction. She organises coffee and cake mornings for people to share their stories. Matthew Gaskell, a psychologist and clinical lead on addiction for the NHS Northern Gambling Service, believes that addiction is stigmatised and that it is portrayed as harmless entertainment. Only 2 to 3% of people with gambling addictions come forward for support. The industry tries to distance themselves from its harms and shift the burden of responsibility on the individual players to protect its profits. It's a strategy that works. According to Gasell, addiction isn't a moral failing but a weakness of will.
Hannah Walker is speaking at Gamble at Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne, 19 to 21 May.
