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Liverpool Unveils 'If I Only Knew' Campaign Targeting Gambling Harm

Her story anchors a Liverpool campaign confronting addictive gambling design following a surge in referrals.

Overview

  • Sian Mclear-Dyer says a bingo app’s promotions triggered years of secret mobile gambling that led to losses she estimates at about £400,000.
  • She stole more than £320,000 from her employer, served just under a year in prison from 2019 to 2020, and was separated from her newborn before moving to a mother-and-baby unit.
  • After treatment through Beacon Counselling Trust, she earned a degree, trained in counselling, and now leads education and brief interventions for the charity.
  • Beacon Counselling Trust reports an 810% rise in third-party referrals over the past year and outreach engagement with more than 20,000 people, reflecting mounting local demand.
  • The new Chapter One–Liverpool City Council campaign features lived-experience voices, highlights product design and marketing tactics, and is backed by the NHS North West Gambling Service.