Man with gambling addiction joins TikTok to tell thousands 'you don't have to suffer in silence'

A man whose life was "completely obliterated" when his parents found out he had built up £25,000 of debt funding his 24 hour-a-day gambling addiction has launched a TikTok account to show thousands of viewers they do not have to "suffer in silence". Chris Spindler, 26, from Swindon, said his first interaction with gambling started when he was 12 years old placing 20p bets on Swindon Town Football Club matches with his friend. By the age of 18 he had multiple gambling accounts, and at 23 he had amassed gambling debts of £25,000 – money he is still paying off. It was only when Chris' parents found 15 letters addressed to him in March 2020 that they discovered he had acquired the debt. Although Chris felt ashamed and guilty when his parents found out, he said it sparked his journey to recovery, and his mission is now helping others and sharing advice through social media.