RUGBY league great Nathan Hindmarsh played 330 first grade matches but it was a much bigger figure — $300,000 — which made his off-field story compelling listening yesterday.
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The former Parramatta captain lost more than that through gambling over eight years.
It was curiosity that first encouraged Hindmarsh to put coins into a poker machine when he was 18 and at the start of his rugby league career.
And when he saw those coins multiply when they fell into the tray, he was hooked.
“If I hadn’t won the first time would I have had an issue with it? I don’t know,” he said.
“But I did win the first time and lost and lost after that.”
At 26, Hindmarsh defeated his addiction before it dragged him to rock bottom.
“I didn’t lose houses, cars, friendships or relationships,” he said.
“You can get help before it gets to that point.”
Hindmarsh, who spoke to 150 people at Albury TAFE as an ambassador for Clubs NSW for Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, encouraged people to speak up if they were concerned about their gambling habits.
“If you have a problem you will have that gut feeling,” he said.
“Once people understood I had a situation and wasn’t just pissing money up the wall, it became easier.
“If you have that feeling of disappointment, resentfulness and disgust then you have an issue.”
Hindmarsh is not trying to stop people gambling — he just wants them to learn to do it responsibly.
“It’s about education,” he said.
“You always talk about drugs and alcohol and I want to add gambling to that list.
“I’m going to educate my three young boys that you don’t have to bet on sport to enjoy it.”
Since battling his addiction, Hindmarsh punts rarely but when he does it’s in a social setting and within his means.