Mum who lost Leeds United supporting daughter with gambling addiction to suicide calling on football to end betting advertising

Kimberly Wadsworth was just 32 when she committed suicide in 2018 after becoming addicted to gambling. Her mum, Kay, will be joining over 30 people in walking over 40 miles from Sheffield to Leeds this weekend, stopping at numerous football stadiums. She is also calling on the Government to strongly regulate the gambling industry to prevent more deaths.

Kay said: “My beautiful girl was killed by this shameless industry. It must stop – we cannot keep losing our children to these predators. I am proud to walk in Kimberly’s memory with people who have suffered the harm and devastation that gambling addiction brings.

"These harmful gambling products are designed to hook people in, regardless of their background, so we are calling on football to stop promoting them to millions of young fans. We’ll be ending the walk at Leeds United on Saturday, which was Kimberly’s team.”

Kimberly’s addiction started on fixed-odd betting terminals before she began playing online casino games. It was while she was playing these online games that she was made a ‘VIP’ and plied with free bets. The walk will include visits to the stadiums of Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United and Barnsley on October 14 before it ends at Elland Road on October 15.

The walk has been organised by The Big Step, a campaign that is part of charity Gambling with Lives and aims to end gambling advertising in football sponsorship. All walkers are either in recovery from gambling addiction or have been harmed by the gambling of someone else. Last year, it was estimated by Public Health England that there are 409 gambling-related suicides every year in England.

James Grimes, a former gambling addict and the founder of The Big Step, said: “This walk is a reminder to the Government and football that we are not going away. Bereaved families and those of us harmed by gambling are demanding the government commit to make the changes that will save lives and prevent more people from going through what we have had to endure. We encourage all five clubs on the route to back our campaign and kick gambling advertising out of football.”