A mother's life was shattered when her gambling addiction led to a prison sentence. Sian Mclear-Dyer, 36, from Wallasey, had a history of gambling at the races but became hooked after attending a bingo night with colleagues around 2015. Initially, Sian, a finance manager for a property law firm, received promotions from the bingo app she used, sparking her addiction. Within months, she was secretly playing slots on her phone while her husband slept, unable to resist the urge to gamble.
Sian's addiction spiraled, leading her to take out payday loans and new credit cards to cover her losses. She eventually resorted to stealing money from her workplace to fund her habit. Over four years, Sian lost an estimated £400,000, including money taken from work and loans. Her addiction caused her to live a double life, maintaining a normal daytime persona while secretly gambling away her nights.
The shame and embarrassment of her addiction prevented Sian from seeking help. However, two events in 2018 prompted her to take action: being fired from her job and discovering she was pregnant. Sian turned to Beacon Counselling Trust for support, a charity that helped her overcome her addiction. Despite her recovery, Sian faced legal consequences for stealing over £320,000 from her employer, serving a year in prison from 2019 to 2020.
While incarcerated, Sian completed a counseling course to assist others with similar issues. Her experience in prison made her an expert on gambling addiction, and she was sought after for advice by fellow inmates. Upon her release, Sian earned a BA in criminology and psychology from Liverpool John Moores University.
Sian now works as an education and brief intervention lead at Beacon, the organization that helped her during her darkest hours. She is raising awareness about the growing gambling addiction problem in Merseyside, where Beacon has reported an 810% increase in third-party referrals from partners in the past year. Sian's story highlights the devastating impact of gambling addiction and the importance of recognizing its signs to prevent harm.
A new public-health campaign, titled 'If I only knew,' aims to expose the manipulative design and marketing tactics of modern-day gambling through the experiences of those affected. The campaign, developed by Chapter One in partnership with Liverpool City Council, features insights from individuals impacted by gambling to educate young people about the industry's practices and the benefits of seeking help.
