Bereaved Mum Backs Require Gambling Regulation

A mom from Kent whose son took his own life after becoming addicted to betting is backing calls by MPs to deal with betting as a public health danger in a comparable method to and smoking cigarettes.


Lesley Wade, from Minster on the Isle of Sheppey, lost her son Aaron Armstrong, whom she refers to as "family orientated", "fun" and a "dazzling sportsperson," in 2014.


She said it had taken her many years to understand the nature of addiction which "the onus wasn't all on him" to stop betting.


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