“My ex used to take me to the casino. I was really bad on cocaine at the time so we could be up all night at the casino. We would play everything. I just followed him about. We could spend all of our money in one night. 

I don’t take cocaine anymore. I drink though, I love to drink. I haven’t had a drink since Saturday and it’s now Thursday which means I haven’t gambled either. I was really drunk in the pub last week and I was on the slot machine and I left like 50 quid worth of winnings, but they put it behind the bar for me. When I went back in they had just put it on a tab – which meant I had drinking money. I could easily spend my whole week’s wages on the slots – I have before. I’m in the pub nearly every day so if I’m too drunk and leave my winnings they’ll always keep it behind the bar for me. 

When I’m in the pub with my friends we’re always betting. They’ll be like ‘oh, I bet you can’t do this and I’ll be like I bet you a pint of venom that I can’. It could be darts, or flipping beer mats or anything. When we’re all together we sit and play cards, we’ll play poker or switch. If we’re in the house we play for money and if we’re in the pub we play for pints. There are eight of us that play cards. It goes on for hours, it could be three in the morning then the next thing you know it’s 7 and you’re like – oh bus home time. I see it as a fun thing. But it’s probably harmful. “