Husband took his own life after gambling

[LukesLaw]

I tried posting this on a gambling thread but I cannot see the post and I have posted it on a bereavement thread. I just need everyone's help but I am sure you will undertand why when you read it. Sorry for the long post.
Gambling: My husband took his own life 3 months ago. We had an amazing life and we loved each other so much. We were always together unless we were at work and we have 2 lovely children together. We were childhood sweethearts and I honestly did not see this coming. I am devastated beyond words and feel completely lost without him. I love him so much.
After he had taken his life, the police gave me his phone back and when I went through it I discovered that he had been gambling (a lot) and had got loans to pay for his addiction. He had only been gambling a few months- since he was furloughed- but it got hold of him enough for him to completely lose control and unfortunately do what is the worst mistake he ever made. He didn't want to die, he was a proper grafter and a family man. He loved life. We could have sorted it together but he must have felt like it was his problem and he was taking it with him. Of course, this is not true.
After looking into his betting account, I found that he placed a free bet and then won some money, which he put back in and won some more. He then carried on but the losses soon outweighed the wins. When he lost and ran out of money on his account, another free bet dropped into his account and the cycle repeated. I am obviously angry as hell.
I have started a campaign to ban so called 'Free Bets' (THEY ARE NOT FREE, they are designed to keep you putting money back into the system) and I am hoping I can help prevent the same thing happening again to other men, women, young adults. If any of you can help me by signing,
I would really appreciate it. This is the one thing that is keeping me going at the minute because I don't know what else to do. If you google Luke's Law, my twitter and facebook stories come up as well as the petition.
I will post it here but I am not sure if its allowed so it may get deleted.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587806

Signed. I think the adverts they have for gambling apps are disgusting.

Sorry for your loss. I agree gambling can be mega addictive. I started entering a local companies raffles to win cash and cars etc. Within a month I'd spent £200 , £1 here, £3 there but it all added up. I told my husband and he went mental and pointed out it was gambling and if I wasn't careful I'd be in trouble and he was totally right. The thought of it might be our next is such a pull. I'm sorry your husband fell into the trap

Signed

I am so sorry for your loss and have signed the petition and also the one to end gambling advertising.

We dont allow tobacco manufacturers to advertise or offer free cigarettes to lure people into smoking so why is that okay with gambling?

Whenever I see another celebrity becoming the 'face' of a gambling organisation I lose respect for them. There are plenty of other products to give your name to. Why choose one which is based entirely on getting new customers addicted, causing harm to themselves and their families?

Done

@Arepeoplereallycoolaboutthis

Signed OP. I'm so sorry for your loss. You are doing a fantastic thing.

Could you contact any newspapers to further your petitions publicity?

I have been in the daily mail, bbc eastmidlands news and leicester radio. They can't post the link to petitions which is really frustrating because it fails to add signatures even though lots tend to want to help.

Signed, so sorry for your loss .

I am so very sorry - signed and shared on FB

Singed this .

So sorry for your loss.

Gambling addicts have changes in their brain chemistry , it's not a failure of will , its almost brain damage .

This video explains fairly well and is quite short as well

So sorry for your sad loss 💐
I have signed your petition.

I hate everything about gambling. They ramped up their advertising campaigns over covid to prey on the vulnerable - like another poster said they’re pure evil.

These well known and respected millionaire ex-footballers, football managers and other stars that get paid to appear on their adverts to sucker people in are an utter disgrace too.

I've signed too. I'm so sorry for your loss
xx

Hi OP, I'm so sorry for your loss,

I know you may have already done this, but if you husband got loans to find gambling, then you may want to complain to the lenders about irresponsible lending. You can represent him if you're the executor of his estate.

A finance company have a legal obligation to do checks before offering lending and gambling is a particularly bad reason to lend. Also, if he was on furlough - this may have made the loan unaffordable. You may get a refund of interest and charges & if the lenders don't agree, go to the financial ombudsman - it's free

Signed. How awful and tragic. Much love to you and all those who loved Luke too.

Signed. How awful for you and for him that he couldn't face telling you, I am so sorry. Even telling your story is going to help someone or many people.

Signed

I have been in the daily mail, bbc eastmidlands news and leicester radio. They can't post the link to petitions which is really frustrating because it fails to add signatures even though lots tend to want to help

The Daily Mail article has a link to the petition.

I don't know think petitions have much impact and worry, OP, that you putting so much effort into reaching 10k then 100k signatures will put pressure on you at this difficult time.

It will be raised in Parliament with a handful of MPs present. I assume you are working with anti-gambling groups and it might be better focusing your energy there rather than getting signatures.

Wishing you and your children strength, love and hope

I'm really sorry for your loss. Signed but my concern is that gambling addiction is really complex and intrinsically liked with other more subtle forms of risk taking behaviours most people wouldn't notice. Someone raised the point earlier that free bets don't make people take their own life and they were jumped all over by the pearl clutchers, but it is a valid point. Removing free bets will not be enough to break the addiction cycle for a great many people because they would have continued anyway. Unless of course they had already stopped gambling and the only reason they started again was because they got a free bet. I know a former premier League footballer who lost his home to gambling. He now runs an education program in schools to catch people early, but still gambles as a way to prove to himself he now has control of his addiction. He's still a gambling addict.

Signed 💐

I am so very sorry for your loss Signed. X

@Notnowkate the OP can't be expected to have the influence (or energy) to completely overhaul gambling and eradicate the problem. This is a legitimate and reasonable step that could stop some people from starting gambling in the first place thereby minimising the amount of gamblers, as has been stated tobacco companies aren't allowed to give out free cigarettes to lure potential addicts, so gambling companies shouldnt be allowed to do the same.

This might not stop all potential addicts, but I'm sure as far as the OP is concerned if it could stop one person falling into the trap Luke did, it would be worth it.

[quote userchange902]@Notnowkate the OP can't be expected to have the influence (or energy) to completely overhaul gambling and eradicate the problem. This is a legitimate and reasonable step that could stop some people from starting gambling in the first place thereby minimising the amount of gamblers, as has been stated tobacco companies aren't allowed to give out free cigarettes to lure potential addicts, so gambling companies shouldnt be allowed to do the same.

This might not stop all potential addicts, but I'm sure as far as the OP is concerned if it could stop one person falling into the trap Luke did, it would be worth it.

[/quote]
But my point is was it a trap, or was he one of the many people who were still addicted anyway? I'm just not convinced ending free bets will have a significant impact when it is such a small factor of gambling addiction.

The 'celebrities' also need to look at themselves. Dermot O'leary does the lotter ads, Paddy mc guinness the bingo etc. Not sure why the need the extra money when the misery it causes is heartbreaking

I'm so sorry about your husband. 💐

I agree that free bets and gambling adverts should be banned. I can't believe companies can be so evil. Gambling Companies operate knowing that their businesses will cause some people to become addicts and that lives will be ruined. They accept this as the profits are so high.

They have the money and expertise to do so much more than they do to help
stop gambling becoming a problem to people but as that gets in the way of their profits they don't.

Free bets and tv advertising should be banned immediately.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I have to admit to being tempted by a free bet before but I know I would get pulled in and keep doing it. Thank you for the awareness

Signed