Hold or Fold

For the final episode of the series, Ben and Steve are laying it all out. Every question, every truth, every angle left unexplored. This is a full-length “Cards on the Table” special, created because there were simply too many listener questions to squeeze into the series… and far too many worth answering.

In this unfiltered, deeply personal finale, the hosts dig into the topics listeners most wanted to know about:
• How did prison really shape their recovery?
• What became of the money they stole and gambled?
• What does life look like after addiction, crime, and time behind bars?

But this episode isn’t just Q&A, it’s a celebration of the journey so far. Expect moments of emotion and surprise as Ben and Steve share unheard clips that never made previous episodes, spotlight powerful poetry, and reflect on the guests and stories that left the biggest mark on them this series.

Honest, reflective, and packed with never-before-heard content, this finale brings the heart of Hold or Fold into sharp focus: real people, real consequences, and real recovery.

USEFUL LINKS

Reframe Coaching
Gambling Harm UK
Gamcare
Gamble Aware
Bet Know More
Breakeven
Gamfam
Gamlearn
Gambler's Anonymous
GAMSTOP
Gamban
Whysup
Gordon Moody
ARA

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH

Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133

If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling

You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
https://prison.radio/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful must-listen episode of Hold or Fold, Steve sits down with Naman, whose extraordinary journey lays bare the complex intersections of gambling harm, culture, faith, and the Criminal Justice System.

Naman opens up about how his religion shaped both his addiction and his recovery, a belief system that ultimately helped save his life. He reflects on how cultural expectations kept him silent for far too long, pushing him deeper into gambling as he tried to provide his partner with the love and security he felt his own mother never received

His story takes unexpected turns: being mistaken for the prison doctor, completely misjudging what life in an open prison would be like, and an almost darkly comedic, but ultimately dangerous, incident born from his naivety around drugs behind bars.

For Ben and Steve, who both served prison sentences for gambling-related crimes themselves, Naman’s story feels strikingly familiar, yet it also challenges them, revealing new layers of harm, identity, and resilience they haven’t explored before.

Raw, reflective, and at times astonishing, this episode shines a fresh light on the hidden pathways that lead people from gambling addiction to prison, and the unexpected forces that help them find their way back

USEFUL LINKS:

Gamlearn
Gordon Moody
Reframe Coaching
Gambing Harm UK
Gamcare
Gamble Aware

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH

Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133

If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling

You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
https://prison.radio/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Ben stepped back inside the prison walls to meet with a group of lads at HMP Berwyn. There he shared his own story of gambling and prison, took questions from the group and facilitated a powerful and meaningful conversation around addiction & recovery

After the session he spoke with Rob & Rebecca from the fantastic charity ARA: Recovery for all, to find out more about the work they do generally but also within HMP Berwyn. Ben also met with Ian, a former resident of Berwyn and a gambler of 47 years - Ian’s story is one of the most powerful and emotional we have ever shared on Hold or Fold and displays the power of recovery and how important it is that gambling harm support is offered within our prisons

USEFUL LINKS:

ARA
Gordon Moody
HMP Berwyn
Reframe Coaching
Gambing Harm UK
Gamcare
Gamble Aware

Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH

If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling

You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
https://prison.radio/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Howard first made an appearance on Hold or Fold when it was exclusive to National Prison Radio. At that point he was in limbo, waiting to see if his crimes would lead him to prison or not.

He waited 4 years for his case to land, served his sentence, and came out determined to turn hard lessons into real change. In this episode he talks about how gambling took over his life, the unlikely friendship he formed on the prison bus and the informal research he carried out on his wing to count how many people had been harmed by gambling.

USEFUL LINKS:

Gamcare
Betknowmore
Reframe Coaching
Gamble Aware
Epic Restart Foundation
Shannon Trust
Gambling Harm UK

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH

Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133

If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling

You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
https://prison.radio/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and powerful episode of Hold or Fold, Nottingham rapper and poet Jah Digga opens up about his battle with gambling addiction, and the creative lifeline that saved him.

Behind the viral hit “Addictions”, there’s a deeply personal story; nights spent haunted by visions of cards and chips, insomnia, and the relentless “chase” that drove him to near rock bottom.

Raised in a rough neighbourhood, Jah watched his siblings jailed or worse, and vowed to carve out a different path. Through writing, rapping, and poetry, he channeled his pain into purpose, and found an alternative route to the one laid out for him

He talks to fellow Nottingham lad Ben about how gambling impacted his life, how his mental health suffered, and the coping strategies that helped him reclaim his life - From playing 'games' against the casino to building structure with gym routines and art. He also reflects on the power of community, the importance of celebrating real achievements in disadvantaged areas, and why he believes that creativity can be a force for healing and hope.

USEFUL LINKS:

Jah Digga Linktree
The Track 'Addictions'
The Track 'Dissertation'
Reframe Coaching
Gambling Harm UK
Gamcare
Gamble Aware

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCH

Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133

If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...
📧: Podcasts@prison.radio
💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X)
✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

This episode is hosted by...
Ben Jones & Steve Girling

You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:
https://prison.radio/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.