When most people think of gambling, they stereotypically picture a man. The betting shop. The football accumulator. But behind closed doors, women are increasingly experiencing serious harm from gambling as well, and many of them don’t realise there’s a service that understands what they’re going through. That is what we’re working to change.

We’re Luize, CBT Psychotherapist and EMDR Practitioner, and Elle, Engagement Lead at the West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic. Over the past year, we’ve been developing a project to improve how our service meets the needs of women affected by gambling.

We are learning that for women, gambling harm doesn’t always exist in isolation. It often sits alongside earlier trauma or negative experiences, like domestic abuse, coercive control and financial harm. Through our Level 3 Trauma Informed Practice training, we’ve shifted our approach – moving away from asking our clients “what’s wrong with you?” and instead, asking “what happened to you?”

That shift matters for women coming to us for treatment. It creates safety and it opens the door to honest, meaningful conversations that lead to real recovery.

EmPowerHER Together

One woman who came through our service spent three months working alongside us and reflecting on her own journey. Her feedback was candid and challenging, and it changed how we work. It also led to the creation of a women’s peer support group, later named ‘EmPowerHER Together’. We’re going to be running ‘EmPowerHER Together’ groups alongside women’s focus groups, leading to a service-wide evaluation this Spring – offering participation to every woman who has, or will come through our treatment programme. We are always listening and always improving.

We hope it will become a space where women can encourage each other through recovery, with support from our service.

You might be the first person to ask

Many women experiencing gambling harm won’t bring it up themselves. But they might mention debt, sleep problems, anxiety, or difficulties at home. If something doesn’t quite add up, it’s worth gently asking the question. You could be the first person who does.

Check out our page for friends and family which offers advice and support: Advice for Friends & Family – Gambling Harms

Referrals

Our NHS service is free, confidential, and open to both self-referrals and professional referrals. If you think someone could benefit, we’d love to hear from you: Make a Referral – Gambling Harms

With thanks to all our team for your continuing support, none of this happens without you!