Bereaved Mum Backs Require Gambling Regulation

A mother from Kent whose boy took his own life after ending up being addicted to betting is backing calls by MPs to treat as a public health danger in a comparable method to drinking and smoking cigarettes.


Lesley Wade, from Minster on the Isle of Sheppey, lost her son Aaron Armstrong, whom she describes as "household orientated", "enjoyable" and a "fantastic sportsperson," in 2014.


She said it had actually taken her lots of years to understand the nature of dependency which "the onus wasn't all on him" to stop gambling.


The Betting and Gaming Council stated the "overwhelming majority" of people who gamble do so "safely and responsibly."


4 February 2026


Minster (Isle of Sheppey)


Addiction