The recent BBC File on Four episode, “High Stakes: Gambling in the Armed Forces,” has cast a vital spotlight on a hidden epidemic affecting military personnel across the UK.
The programme, which received national news attention, revealed the scale and severity of gambling harms within the armed forces, highlighting the urgent need for specialist support services, early intervention, and systemic change.
Our team at Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT), welcome this national coverage and remain proud to be at the forefront of innovation and advocacy in this space. Working with and alongside our armed forces is a cornerstone of BCT, given the personal pride, service and dedication to the military from within the senior leadership team.
Through our Battling the Odds Project and the growing Armed Forces Gambling Support Network (AFGSN), we have long recognised the unique vulnerabilities faced by serving personnel and veterans and have worked tirelessly to develop trauma-informed, accessible pathways to support.
The half hour long programme shared several key insights from the BBC investigation team, which included:
- Hidden Epidemic Behind Uniforms: One serving member, “Paul,” shared he was placing bets up to 15 times his monthly wage, sometimes reaching £30,000 per month through online platforms, undetected by peers or superiors.
- Young Recruits at Risk: Research from Swansea University found that among 433 naval recruits, 44% of those who gambled were at risk, and 6.4% were classified as high-risk.
- Military Culture and Normalisation: Isolation, stress, and peer influence were identified as key drivers of gambling behaviour, often used as a coping mechanism for trauma and boredom.
- Psychosocial and Financial Toll: Veterans affected by gambling harms face broken relationships, mental health deterioration, and financial instability, with stigma and lack of tailored services acting as barriers to help.
- MoD Response: The Ministry of Defence has acknowledged the issue and is working with third-sector partners to deliver specialist support, including the AFGSN and the NHS.
The Battling the Odds Project, led by Ian Whiteside, has been instrumental in raising awareness and delivering targeted interventions across military communities for the last 18 months. The project has grown in profile and reach, helping to shape national conversations. Ian commented: “Since the inception of the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network, we have continued to establish the project promoting our support to the armed forces and veterans’ community concerning gambling harms.
“At the early stages of the programme promoting our offer to stakeholders was challenging in terms of uptake, but now we are consistently contacted with requests to engage with our specialist training programme.”
Battling the Odds facilitator and lived experience lead Andy Gaille, continues the delivery of Bet You Can Help (BYCH) training to empower professionals across the armed forces and veteran support networks to identify, support, and refer individuals affected by gambling harms. These sessions have consistently received outstanding feedback for their relevance, impact, and accessibility resulting in the project being nominated as finalists in both the English Veterans Awards and the Soldiering On Awards, respectively.
BCT has long called for greater recognition of gambling harms in military settings, working alongside partners to develop resources, training, and support systems that reflect the realities of service life.
In September, BCT proudly hosted a the Hidden Enemy military conference that brought together stakeholders from across the UK to share insights, strengthen partnerships, and spotlight the urgent need for gambling harm awareness in military settings. The event marked a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to supporting service personnel and veterans, and further elevated the profile of the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network as a national resource.
The growth of the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network is a testament to this collaborative effort, offering tailored pathways for those who serve and those who have served.
The insights from File on Four reinforce the need for systemic understanding, not individualised blame and for public health responses that are inclusive and trauma-informed.
For more on our free training and treatment offer get in touch.