When we think about addiction in construction, the first words that usually come to mind are drugs and alcohol. These have been part of the industry’s health narrative for decades – complete with testing regimes, zero-tolerance policies, and the familiar warning posters seen in site cabins across the UK.
But in the latest episode of the Build & Thrive podcast, host Jennie Armstrong explores a side of addiction that’s often invisible: gambling harm. Together with guests John Fenna from Bet Know More UK and Nick McMurray from Positive Matters, the conversation uncovers how gambling – alongside other addictive behaviours – is affecting concentration, safety, finances, and lives across the construction sector.
“We know people are gambling at work and not just in construction,” says John Fenna. “You can walk into any workplace in Britain and hear a conversation about an accumulator or a bet. The problem isn’t the chat itself – it’s that one person in that group might be struggling silently.”
This blog draws on their discussion to explore why gambling addiction is a growing concern, how it intersects with other health challenges, and what employers can do to move from punishment to prevention.
If this topic resonates with you, the full episode is available as a podcast and video – a must-listen for HR leaders, wellbeing professionals, and site managers who want to make meaningful change rather than rely on tick-box policies.
Understanding Gambling Addiction in the Workplace
Unlike alcohol or drugs, gambling leaves no visible signs. There’s no smell on the breath, no slurred speech, no failed breath test. And that’s part of the problem.
John Fenna explains that gambling harm is often invisible until it reaches a crisis point. “You hear phrases like ‘present, but not present’ – people physically at work but mentally consumed by the next bet, thinking about when they can get to their phone again,” he says. “That’s addiction in real time.”
The statistics back this up. According to the UK Gambling Commission, 27% of employees have gambled at work in the last four weeks. Among 18–24-year-olds – a key age group for apprenticeships and site workers – gambling harm is rising sharply.
The consequences are wider than financial loss. Gambling addiction can impact focus, decision-making, and safety – a serious concern in an industry where lapses in concentration can have devastating results.
As Jennie Armstrong points out during the discussion, “I’ve seen firsthand the human cost. As a nurse in construction, I was involved in three suicides – two of them gambling-related. The financial pressure, the shame, the secrecy – it all adds up. And yet we still treat gambling as something separate, not as the workplace issue it clearly is.”
Why Zero Tolerance Doesn’t Work
For drugs and alcohol, the construction sector has traditionally relied on a zero-tolerance approach – frequent testing and automatic dismissal for those who fail. But both Nick McMurray and John Fenna agree: deterrence doesn’t equate to prevention.
“Deterrence on its own doesn’t work,” says Nick McMurray, co-founder of Positive Matters. “There will still be people who know it’s a zero-tolerance site but go to work under the influence. The threat of losing their job isn’t big enough. Real change comes from a balance of prevention, support, education, and accountability.”
In many ways, gambling harms expose the flaws of the old system. You can’t test for gambling, and its impacts are harder to monitor. The challenge isn’t spotting it – it’s creating an environment where workers feel safe enough to ask for help.
“For years, the response has been to test everyone and sack them,” Jennie Armstrong reflects. “But when someone’s at their most vulnerable, removing their job doesn’t solve the problem – it often makes it worse.”
The Link Between Addiction, Mental Health and Money Stress
The guests highlight a critical but often overlooked connection: gambling, substance misuse, and mental health rarely exist in isolation.
Nick McMurray references the latest UK data showing that 72% of people seeking treatment for substance misuse also have a mental health need. “It shows that these issues aren’t siloed anymore,” he explains. “We can’t talk about mental health without talking about addiction, and vice versa.”
Addiction often becomes a coping mechanism for wider stressors – long hours, time away from home, financial strain, or relationship breakdowns. For many construction workers, gambling or drinking starts as a way to escape, not to self-destruct.
As John Fenna notes, “When gambling escalates, it’s often linked to other pressures – loneliness, debt, or mental health struggles. That’s why we describe it as a public health issue, not just a personal choice.”
In January 2024, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) officially recognised gambling as a public health concern. This means GPs are now encouraged to screen patients for gambling-related harms when they present with symptoms like anxiety, financial difficulty, or social withdrawal.
“If it’s a public health issue,” says John Fenna, “then it’s a workplace issue too.”
The Cultural Shift: From Compliance to Compassion
The construction industry has come a long way in its awareness of mental health, but addiction still carries stigma. Workers are far more likely to open up about stress or anxiety than to admit they have a gambling or substance problem.
That’s where culture comes in.
Nick McMurray believes that employers need to move beyond “tick-box compliance” and start focusing on meaningful, human-centred interventions.
“Don’t just copy a policy from another business and slap your logo on it,” he says. “If you want real change, build something that reflects your people. Education and awareness are still missing pieces – that’s where prevention starts.”
This doesn’t have to mean expensive programmes or endless training. Sometimes, it’s as simple as giving site supervisors the confidence to spot the signs and start a supportive conversation.
As Jennie Armstrong points out, “At Construction Health & Wellbeing, we talk a lot about upskilling managers – not to ‘fix’ mental health, but to recognise when someone’s struggling and know where to signpost them. The same applies here.”
The Role of Lived Experience
Both Bet Know More UK and Positive Matters are built on lived experience. For many workers, hearing someone who’s been through addiction talk openly about recovery can be more powerful than any policy or poster.
“When someone makes that admission before you – that they’ve struggled, that it’s okay to talk – it breaks the stigma instantly,” says John Fenna. “People start to relate, not recoil.”
Bet Know More UK’s “PeerAid” programme pairs people in recovery with others currently experiencing gambling harm. It’s a model that works because it’s non-judgemental and practical.
In a similar way, Positive Matters works with employers to take a more strategic, prevention-led approach to substance misuse – combining lived experience, training, and policy development.
“The goal isn’t to replace safety measures,” explains Nick McMurray, “it’s to build on them – creating workplaces where support and accountability go hand in hand.”
Shared Responsibility: Collaboration Over Competition
Another major theme in the episode is collaboration. The wellbeing space can sometimes feel crowded – multiple organisations pushing different agendas. But as Nick McMurray says, “Sometimes it feels like we’re fighting for airspace. Collaboration, not competition, is what saves lives.”
John Fenna agrees, noting that smaller organisations are often overwhelmed by competing awareness campaigns. “We need to slot gambling into the family of addictions,” he says. “By joining forces – whether through shared training, joint toolbox talks, or joint policies – we can reach more people and make a bigger impact.”
This spirit of collaboration mirrors the broader movement across construction to embed health, safety, and wellbeing together – recognising that mental health, addiction, and safety performance are all linked.
✅ Key Takeaways:
- Gambling addiction is an invisible issue and it’s happening on construction sites every day.
- 27% of employees have gambled at work in the past month, with the highest risk group being 18–24-year-olds.
- Addiction, mental health and money stress are deeply interconnected.
- “Zero tolerance” alone doesn’t prevent harm – it often drives problems underground.
- Lived experience and peer-led education break stigma faster than policies alone.
- Prevention starts with awareness, empathy and well-trained managers.
- Collaboration across wellbeing, HR and health & safety creates the strongest impact.
If you’re involved in construction and want to understand the hidden layers of addiction and what to do differently – this episode is essential listening.
🎙 Watch or listen to the full podcast with John Fenna and Nick McMurray, hosted by Jennie Armstrong, on Build & Thrive – available now on YouTube, Spotify, Buzzsprout and all major platforms.
🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164
📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B
Join the Conversation!
Do you have experiences or thoughts on addiction and recovery in construction?
Drop a comment below or share this post to help break the stigma. Together, we can make wellbeing part of the culture – not just the policy.
Thank you to GKR Scaffolding for sponsoring the Build & Thrive podcast and supporting our mission to improve health and wellbeing across the construction industry.
At Construction Health & Wellbeing, we help organisations create healthier, happier, and more sustainable workplaces.
Contact us today to learn how we can support your strategy.
Learn more about the people and organisations mentioned in this episode:
Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/
Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/
John Fenna:
- Website: https://www.betknowmoreuk.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betknowmore-uk/ │https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfenna/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betknowmoreuk/
Nick McMurray
- Website: https://positivematters.co.uk/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/positive-matters-ltd-uk/ │https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-mcmurray-06b14628/
GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/
