Matthew Burgiss
My name is Matt Burgiss and I am a youth outreach officer for GamCare, I have worked for the organisation for just under a year and a half, I am an experienced trainer with a wealth of problem gambling knowledge. My role enables me to speak with young people on a regular basis to get them thinking about safer gambling as well as speaking with professionals and train them up on how to spot signs of problem gambling, then access support services if they need them. Alongside my role I have been worked on building training to deliver to sports organisations and athletes as the relationship between sport and gambling is very strong and too many times we have seen professional athletes fall victim to the perils of gambling related harm. Unfortunately between 2012 – 2016 I developed a gambling addiction that would later end in a serious attempt on my life, this part of my life is what has driven me each day to raise awareness of the problem and help reduce gambling related harm in any way I can to hopefully ensure nobody has to experience the same thing I did.