Michelle's story

I had a very serious gambling problem which lead me to being incarcerated in maximum security prison for nine months. The absolute devastation and consequences of my gambling addiction has made me want to help others to prevent anyone else going through the hell that I have put my family through. From losing my job, waiting to be arrested, going through court proceedings, telling my family and friends what I had done, to waiting to go to prison was unexplainable stress.

Leaving my two teenage children, losing our house, my partner, my children's university savings, the impact on my employers was enormous, in fact it almost crippled the business financially, I had to re-home family pets and so on. I had all my assets seized and came out of prison virtually homeless if it was not for my parents that offered me a roof over my head.

Having a criminal conviction has made gaining employment very difficult, nearly all employers conduct a police check. I have gained employment but they don't know about my past. My losses and the impact of my gambling go way beyond what most people think. I owe $400,000 as a court ordered restitution order as I stole money from my employer to fund my addiction, and am starting my life from zero, but I am determined and positive that everything will fall into place and so far through hard determination it is.

I'm not wanting anyone to feel sorry for me but if my experience can help one person re-evaluate their gambling, then that would be very rewarding. Prison has changed my life and myself as a person and I feel people need to be educated about what's at stake if you don't get help.

I want to tell my story. I have been off parole now for four months and I can now move forward in a direction of helping others, I hope.