Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode, Steve sits down for an open and honest chat with Martin. Martin tells us how his childhood led him to gambling and what started as fruit machines by the sea soon became spending a full day, on one machine, in a bookmaker
Martin also shares how his prison experience changed him, made him better understand himself and taught him to make the best of every situation through embracing the present
USEFUL LINKS:
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode explores the links between gambling harm in Black communities and the Criminal Justice System. Ben is joined by Ryan Taylor-Hines & Kiki Marriott from BetKnowMore to unpack how culture, targeted industry practices and social inequality shape gambling risk - And what community-led responses like “Breaking the Cycle” actually do on the ground to help address the problem and raise awareness
USEFUL LINKS:
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's another episode of 'Hold or Fold: Worldwide' - Where Ben speaks to people in other countries to find out how their experience of gambling and prison was different, or similar, to his own
What starts as a seemingly innocuous £1 bet spirals into a life-shattering obsession. In this riveting episode, we speak with Tony O’Reilly - Once a trusted post office manager, later a headline-making gambler, then a prisoner, and now a leading voice in the fight against gambling harm.
In this conversation, he tells us:
•How addiction can start innocently and accelerate into something uncontrollable.
•What drove him down the road to crime - and what it did to those around him.
•What it’s like to hit rock bottom, to face imprisonment, and to rebuild from the wreckage.
•How he now works as an accredited addiction counsellor and speaks in schools to expose the hidden dangers of gambling.
•How he doesn't have regrets and his time behind bars was largely positive
Useful Links:
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’re back with Series 5 of Hold or Fold - The podcast that explores gambling harm through the lens of the Criminal Justice System.
In this episode, we're joined by Clarke Carlisle, former Premier League footballer, ex-PFA Chair, and mental health advocate. This is a raw and moving discussion about Clarke's journey through football, gambling, depression and how he rebuilt his life after hitting rock bottom.
In This Episode
•Clarke opens up about his football career and the pressure to impress both on and off the pitch.
•How his gambling began, escalated, and eventually spiralled out of control.
•The moment everything came to a head and what helped him find a way back.
•Life after football: Clarke’s transition from the pitch to a new purpose at Gordon Moody, supporting others facing gambling harm.
•A heartfelt conversation about identity, recovery, and hope, proving that no matter how deep the hole, it’s never too late to climb out.
Content Warning & Support
This episode contains discussion of suicide, depression and gambling harm.
If you’re struggling or need someone to talk to, please reach out:
Samaritans (UK & ROI) – Free, 24/7
Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
You are not alone. Help and hope are always available
USEFUL LINKS:
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the final episode of the series, Ben & Steve hear from Neil. Neil had a transformative experience in prison where he took time to work out what he wanted from life – He has since gone back in to prisons helping others as a liaison worker for Gambler’s Anonymous and now works for Breakeven who we featured on the previous episode
Neil has a great way with words and quite a different perspective to the ones we usually hear, both on gambling and prison.
Ben & Steve also discuss their series highlights and air a previously unheard clip
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s another ‘Spotlight On’ episode where we celebrate the work of an organisation or charity within the gambling harm space that can offer you help, support and guidance. This time, we’re speaking to the fabulous Ian Semel, CEO and founder of the fantastic ‘Breakeven’ - A charity for whom “Lived experience plays a major part in everything they do…”
In 2024, ‘Breakeven’ supported more than 15000 individuals, conducted over 2400 interventions in prisons and are committed to getting people the support they need as quickly as possible; The average time from assessment to the first session is just 24 hours
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The number of 11-17 year olds showing signs of problem gambling has doubled over the past year. As technology improves, young people are exposed to gambling a lot more frequently through social media, sporting events and online activity.
On this episode, Ben & Steve are joined by Craig & Verity from Gamcare to discuss the scale of the issue, why the figures are increasing and what can be done about it.
USEFUL LINKS:
*Jack Black clip from Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, courtesy of NBC
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s another follow along episode as we serve up another practical session to aid you in your recovery. In the previous series we looked at mindfulness to help ease anxiety and in this episode we are focussing on a different method, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or, Tapping
Potential benefits of tapping include..
To help us with a guided session are Sharon & Aga from ‘The Arukah Project’ - Their approach is “rooted in understanding how trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can lead to high-risk behaviours” - ‘The Arukah Project’ work in prisons and help people with their trauma, behaviour and recovery
We will also be shining a light on Ben’s latest endeavour and the work he does with ‘Double Impact’
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In a desperate attempt to continue gambling, Bryan walked into a high street bank and gave the clerk seconds to hand over cash. He threatened to blow up the premises with the explosives in his rucksack, if his demands were not met…
Bryan had no such explosives and almost instantly walked out of the bank to call the police and tell them what he had done. Unsurprisingly, Bryan was arrested and sentenced to time in prison.
On this episode of Hold or Fold, Bryan chats to Steve about how his gambling started, how he was able to adapt to prison life and what led him to this self confessed ‘moment of madness’
Bryan has since turned his life around, committed to recovery and sobriety and will use any opportunity he can to warn others and try to prevent them going down the same road he did.
USEFUL LINKS:
Bryan also asked that we link the book 'Twisted Wired' by Sarina Wheatman. Sarina is an addiction therapist and Bryan was acknowledged in one of her books
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“For every 1 person that gambles, there are 6 to 10 people within their network who are directly impacted by that gambling harm”
On this episode of Hold or Fold we are looking at ‘Affected Others’ - Those who are affected by the gambling of people in their lives. We are joined by Rebecca, Gamcare’s ‘Lived Experience Manager for Affected Others’ - Who talks about the ripple effect of a person’s gambling and how she was also affected by the gambling of a loved one.
We also hear from Julie, someone who dedicates her time to raising awareness of gambling harms and providing support for others after a gambling related tragedy changed her life. This conversation mentions suicide and other sensitive subjects - There are some links below if you feel you need support
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ben has been traveling the world again (From the comfort of our virtual studio!) and welcomes Ed to the show. Ed was born in the UK but in an attempt to escape his gambling habit, left for the warmer climes of Australia where everybody “Wants to keep fit and live healthy lifestyles” - What he found though was an even more challenging environment for someone trying to curb their addiction. Pubs filled with Pokeys and access to millions of clients dollars led Ed down a treacherous path which ended up with him experiencing first hand, Australia's Criminal Justice System
Ed openly shares his experience of the gambling culture and the prison system of Australia while Ben & Steve react and discuss throughout
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
An important step on anyone’s road to recovery is stopping access to the source of your addiction. Thankfully, GAMSTOP has made this a much easier process as they will do the leg work for you. On this episode, Ben & Steve are joined by Katie from GAMSTOP who tells us all about the service, how to use it and the far reaching benefits. Ben & Steve share their own experience with self exclusion and we hear from Bryan who himself used GAMSTOP to aid in his gambling recovery.
USEFUL LINKS
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
While Men are statistically more likely to gamble and suffer from gambling harm, the gender gap seems to be narrowing but does this mean more women are gambling or more women are now coming forward for support?
To ask this question and find out more about the experience of women who have gambled, Ben & Steve welcome Sian and Lisa to Hold or Fold. Sian spent some time in HMP Styal after committing crimes relating to her gambling while an incredible casino win saw Lisa embark on a 16 year gambling journey. Sian & Lisa tell us what drew them to gambling, how this escalated and the additional challenges Women face when opening up about their addiction.
Ben & Steve also face up to another listener question in the first ‘Cards on the Table’ of the series as Brendan asks ‘What were your biggest highs and lows while gambling?’
Lisa works with Betknowmore - Betknowmore work tirelessly to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling related harm. For more on how they can help you if you are experiencing gambling harm or to join them as a volunteer and support their work, please visit www.betknowmoreuk.org
Sian works with Beacon Counselling Trust - Beacon Counselling Trust is based in the North West of England and offers free, tailored support and education to those affected by gambling-related harms, including 121 therapy, couples therapy, practical help, and long-term recovery support
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hold or Fold returns for a brand new series in style with an incredible conversation with Comedian, Broadcaster and Writer, John Robins
John has had a fantastic career which has seen him scoop the Edinburgh Comedy Award and a Gold ARIA (The Audio & Radio Industry Awards), front several successful Podcasts/Radio shows and he can even boast the highest ever score on Taskmaster! But more recently, John has become known for his honesty and compassion when it comes to talking about addiction. John has battled demons around alcohol and gambling and he joins us on the show to talk about the latter as he shares words of hope and inspiration in his own inimitable style. John tells us how gambling took a hold of his life and how he was able to overcome addiction on more than one occasion, what worked for him and his recovery and how to remain positive, even in your darkest days
Here are links to John's work and some helpful organisations ...
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the series finale we hear Tracy’s incredible story. Tracy suffered breakdowns and strokes as a result of her gambling but doesn’t have any regrets as she is now at peace and most importantly….Happy!
Tracy now goes into prisons to run GA groups and provide prisoners with a safe space to talk about their addiction. She gets just as much out of it as those attending the sessions
Ben & Steve also pick their series highlights which includes a previously unheard clip from Ben’s chat with David Navarro
A huge thank you to all of our guests on this series and the fantastic organisations that have supported us too. We’d love to hear from you ahead of the next series, contact details are below…
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
One in 10 people in Britain now hold cryptocurrency but what is it? How does it work? and could it be linked to gambling?
Hold or Fold are investigating another gambling grey area as Steve & Ben explore their thoughts around crypto and welcome Tony & Stewart on to the show. Tony has had his own battles with addiction and now works as senior specialist therapist at Castle Craig Hospital in Scotland. Tony helps support people with more ‘modern’ addictions including cryptocurrency and Stewart has himself had a cryptocurrency addiction.
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode we’re looking at betting shops and the role they play in the wider gambling culture. Ben & Steve let us know if betting shops played a part within their own journeys and we hear from two people who were impacted by betting shops for very different reasons…
David lost a large amount in a betting shop and fell into a cycle of robbing them, to claim ‘revenge’ - He ended up serving a 10 year prison sentence as a result of this. Meanwhile, Lady Unchained experienced this from the other side of the counter, working in a well-known betting shop for 5 years.
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hold or Fold's very own Steve founded 'Reframe Coaching' alongside his wife in 2020. They had spotted a need for gambling support after treatment and now offer bespoke coaching services to those with direct experience of gambling harm as well as affected others, using the power of lived experience
This episode focuses on the journey of Reframe, how it came to be, the services offered and how you can get involved.
Reframe’s vision is for ‘Everyone to be present in their lives’ and one way of doing this is through practising mindfulness. Paula Vale began doing exactly this to help her in a battle against anxiety and depression, she now runs ‘Mindfulness Space’ and joins us on this episode to share her story, explain the many benefits of mindfulness and to lead a quick mindfulness session that you can follow along with.
USEFUL LINKS
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode of Hold or Fold: Worldwide, Ben has a chat with Patrick Chester from the USA
Ben quickly realises that he and Patrick have many similarities in their stories. From knee injuries ending their sporting careers and leading to gambling to their partners suspecting infidelity due to their secretive behaviour.
What follows is a fascinating conversation between two people, who live thousands of miles apart in countries with entirely different gambling cultures, and find so much common ground. They share stories of growing up, trying to forge a bond with parents, how gambling impacted so drastically on their lives and how they’ve been able to come through that and turn their lives around. Patrick also shares his incredible Superbowl story which you absolutely have to hear
Patrick is another guest who represents the amazing ‘Epic Global Solutions’ - Epic have continually offered their support to ‘Hold or Fold’ and are doing amazing things to educate people and organisations on the potential dangers of gambling.
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The gaming industry has exploded in recent years and is now worth over $270 billion worldwide. However, the improvement in graphics, depth, playability and connectivity has also seen a shift in the way we consume games but also how we pay for them and the content within them.
Some games are now ‘Freemium’ (Cost nothing to download) and offer ‘In-game purchases’ while others employ a mechanic known as ‘loot boxes’ - A chance based gameplay element which typically cost you money. Could these loot boxes become addictive? Could they result in you over-spending? and, are they classed as gambling?
One person who believes this to be the case is Dave - Dave became hooked on mobile gaming loot boxes and soon saw things spiral out of control. His addiction impacted his home life, his work life and his own personal mental health. He is joined on the show by Pavlos who works to support people with their gaming based addictions. Pavlos sets out why games are addictive and the potential issues that can arise as a result of this.
USEFUL LINKS:
Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133
If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling
You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
Thanks to GambleAware for the support
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.