Patrick Foster

But then I realized quite quickly that actually, if that was me, I wouldn't have engaged with it.

And whilst it probably would have been great, I just wouldn't have done it.

Whereas actually, if we can get to people in the very early stages of

and people are able to recognize signs in themselves quickly, then early intervention is possible.

So it's very much a sort of education and prevention tool rather than support or recovery or treatment.

I think it was.

like interesting about that is actually now I think culturally gambling is like even more accepted than, than what it was.

I mean, when I was at uni, the group of us that were doing a lot of it, we were in the minority.

Um, but because we all did it, it was something that we did together.

But now actually if you go to university and you talk to students, um,

They're all doing it.

So I think a lot of them, the whole drinking, drugs, all that kind of thing, it still goes on.

Of course it does, but it's not as prevalent as gambling is, which is mad, really.

And they're pushing it onto people.

Yeah, big time.

And they're kind of...

sport and gambling are intrinsically linked.

You talk to young people now and they feel like they can't watch sport without having a bet on it, which obviously in my recovery seems mad.

But also when I was younger, I think to myself, that's what most people were watching sport and not gambling on it.

Look at the games that kids play.