Every week, 15-year-old Ryan saved his school lunch money so he could gamble at the TAB.  

Although he was dressed in his school uniform, shockingly, no one ever stopped Ryan from walking into a TAB or even checked his ID. “I was addicted before 18, and then it was a very slippery slope from that,” Ryan says.

A promising future

Playing rugby league all through high school, Ryan was highly talented and on track for a professional football career. After school, he signed a contract with a prestigious professional team.

But Ryan’s gambling addiction was bubbling underneath his seemingly perfect life. Often losing his pay cheque in three days, gambling became all-consuming.

“If I had a bad night on the punt, I didn’t sleep well, and I couldn’t stop thinking about chasing those losses or how to get that money back,” Ryan says.

The slippery gambling slope cost Ryan his professional football career. From stealing money to being in trouble with the police, Ryan lived in denial about his gambling addiction, losing several relationships.

It was his ex-partner who brought Ryan along to GambleAware counselling.

Changing perspectives

“I thought it was like a couples counselling thing. So, it caught me off guard on the first day,” Ryan shares. But after meeting GambleAware Counsellor Pat, all of Ryan’s fears settled. “She just made it a safe place. She helped me understand my emotions, what triggers me and what to do when I’ve got these triggers.”

Since then, Ryan has been meeting with Pat every week. “She’s a very good listener, and she just lets me speak. It’s just amazing to be able to talk to someone about it all.”

Ryan no longer lives from pay cheque to pay cheque. He’s learnt how to save and is saving to go on holiday. He’s now sharing his story to encourage others to seek out life-changing support from GambleAware.

“You get someone to talk to who’s non-judgmental, who understands gambling and who understands what you’re going through. It’s a safe place where you can communicate how much you’re struggling. I would encourage anyone to reach out for it.”