Motherwell forward Kevin van Veen has revealed his gambling problems. The 31-year-old player reported that he has been addicted since he was 18 years old. As per MailSport, the Dutchman suffered from mental health issues and anxiety due to his addiction.
He is currently playing in the Scottish Premiership for Motherwell, having previously played for Northampton Town and Scunthorpe United, both of England. He also played for several different clubs in his homeland. And, while pursuing his career, he struggles with the problem with the game.
“When I was 18, I was allowed into the casino and I was going with some friends,” said Van Veen. “It started at £10 when I wasn’t earning much. But that would quickly become £50, £100, £200. As I made a little more money playing football, it was £1,000 and more.”
“I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s inside my body and it’s an everyday thing. Sometimes I missed training. I wouldn’t show up because that (game) was all I wanted. I would wake up in the middle of the night and go to a casino – because my body needed it. I even went to rehab in South Africa where I had to learn about the value of money.”
Kevin van Veen has been gambling free for over two years
Van Veen did, however, spend time at Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance facility during his time in England, with this period no doubt helping him on his journey to recovery. The striker has been free from gambling problems for over two years.
“Over the years, I’ve had a lot of help,” he said. “Sporting Chance in Leeds helped me a lot. Every Tuesday and Thursday I went there to talk to the group. I had to detox my body from the addiction. It was really bad, especially when I was on medication.”
“But I’ve been clean for two and a half years. Nobody really knows. But my psychologist encouraged me to speak up. And over time it worked for me. I didn’t want everyone to know, but at the end of the day it’s me. It’s part of me. And it’s still a great achievement for me to be here, playing football at a good level.”
