Enabling women dealing with gambling harm to own their lives

We’re thrilled to share an exciting update: the Own My Life course materials now include dedicated resources for women dealing with gambling harm.

Gambling and domestic abuse can become deeply intertwined in complex and painful ways. For some women, their partner’s gambling becomes another tool of control—used to financially destabilise the household, keep her isolated, or emotionally manipulate her. Women may begin gambling themselves, desperate for a way out, hoping for a win big enough to escape an abusive partner. For some, it’s a coping mechanism—a soothing escape from chaos. For others, it offers a false sense of connection and belonging through online gambling communities, after an abusive partner has cut her off from friends and family.

And yet, when a male partner seeks help for his gambling addiction, the burden often shifts onto his partner. She’s seen as a support system—tasked with keeping him abstinent, emotionally regulated, and financially on track. Services, although well-meaning, may unintentionally pressure her into roles that increase her partner's risk to her safety and wellbeing. She may hear things like, “You need to help him stay on track,” while he continues to manipulate his recovery for his own ends: “If you don’t give me sex right now, I’m going to relapse,” or “Stop bringing up the past, you’ll make me gamble again.”

Even systems built to safeguard against gambling harm can have unintended consequences. If a woman is asked to manage the finances or control access to funds, she may find herself in even more danger—as he uses threats or violence to demand she give him money for gambling.

In response to these realities, we have worked in collaboration with Suzy Hall from GamCare and Nadine Ashworth from Thrivin’ Together to develop bespoke resources that are now fully integrated into the Own My Life course. Both Suzy and Nadine are already trained to deliver Own My Life with women they support, bringing deep expertise and insight into how gambling and abuse intersect.

These new materials are designed to support women in reclaiming ownership of their lives, identities, and futures—even in the face of gambling harm.

To access the resources:

• For new facilitators: Attend one of our online 5-day training events, where these resources are now included as part of your learning.

• For existing facilitators: You can find the new materials in the Traffic Lights section of the Other Resources page on the e-Hub.

We are proud to be expanding the reach and relevance of Own My Life—making it more responsive to the real experiences of women navigating men’s abuse and harm. A huge thank you to Suzy and Nadine for their collaboration, wisdom, and commitment to supporting women on their journey toward healing and empowerment.