"I got hooked on gambling at eight years old and have lost over £100,000"

A former gambling addict has called for stricter gambling laws, after he became hooked at just eight years old after playing seaside slot machines.

Kieren Smith, aged 33, from Rotherham, started placing bets on different sports as he got older, and estimates he has lost over £100,000.

Now, the lorry driver has not placed a bet for nearly six years, and is calling for tighter restrictions on gambling companies.

Kieren said: "I would be in the arcade and would be stood watching my relatives on the machines. I would just get really excited from it and really enjoyed it, so I was dragging the stools up to reach coin slots.

"This was at eight years old, even at that age I wanted to gamble more than the average person. I would go to the seaside to visit my family and it would be an inconvenience for me because I didn't want to see people, I wanted to gamble.

"I would be singing 'gamble time, gamble time' when I was 12 years old."

As Kieren got older, he would ask family members to put a bet on football for him before doing it himself once he was old enough.

Then, as an adult, he would go straight to the betting shop after getting his paycheck.

He said: “I got paid weekly. If I actually brought my wages home just one time a month, then I had done really well.

"I would slog all week, go to the betting shop, promise myself I'm only having £10 on one, and then come out in an absolute rage because I've lost everything.

"Then when I had nowhere else to go in terms of my wages, I would borrow money and then I would go for payday loans.

"I had no idea how I would pay the money back but in my mindset, the consequences could wait until after. I was always chasing a big win."

In 2018, Kieren was made homeless, and he overdosed.

Since December of that year, and after speaking to the national gambling helpline, he has not placed a bet.

He is now unable to get a mortgage or even a mobile phone contract, and is calling for gambling companies to change their advertising and 'to show the other side' of betting.

He said: "In my opinion, I feel like gambling companies can target individuals. People's spending habits are tracked, so if there's a big spender who hasn't gambled for a few days, then they'll message them giving them credit.

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"That's just one part of advertising - the other parts are obvious because everyone can see them. They are on the radio, online, in the newspapers and at football matches - it's everywhere you look.

"The disappointing thing for me, is that children are seeing this.

“I have no problem with people gambling because people do it responsibility and I'm not against it whatsoever. But I would like people to know the dangers of it and have the awareness so they can make a better, informed decision.”

The National Gambling Helpline can be reached on 0808 8020 133, or via their website.