Love Island star Scott Thomas opens up about debilitating gambling addiction

Star of the hit ITV2 reality show Love Island Scott Thomas has shared his emotional experience that caused £20,000 of gambling debt during his youth.

Speaking on his podcast, Mancs on the Mic, he shared that he would usually end up at casinos after student nights out, where he would lose thousands of pounds of his student loan as well and other funds on the games. 

“It really got hold of me, and no one knew how bad it was… The next day I would wake up at eight in the morning and wait outside the bookies on my own to try to win it back.”

“It was so bad,” he continued. “I couldn’t tell anyone how bad it was at first. You guys just thought it was after nights out. I remember waiting outside casinos on my own. It feels like such a different chapter in my life.”

He then went on to explain how far the desperation of his addiction reached, confessing it drove him at one point to search through his grandmother’s handbag for gambling money.

“This is a secret. I’ve never told anyone this, but I remember being around at my nan’s, and I remember being that desperate that I was checking her old handbags for £20s and stuff like that,” he said.

Scott has since managed to turn his life around and hosts the joint podcast with former Emmerdale star Adam and ex-Coronation Street actor Ryan.

Sharing your experience with gambling problems is no easy feat, but fortunately, there are resources available to offer help. 

If you have concerns about your gambling habits or the behaviour of someone you know, take a look into responsible gambling and how to take a break.