Paul was hooked for 40 years, lost his wife and owes his rehabilitation to a long-suffering daughter.
He is among eight pathological gamblers whose life stories - and their successful battles to beat the habit - are featured in an RTHK television series, Lose and Win, beginning today on TVB Jade at 7.35pm and running each Saturday for eight weeks.
Each episode traces one gambler's story and examines what made them quit or seek counselling.
The series is sponsored by the Ping Wo Fund, which was set up by the government to support gambling research and counselling centres for gamblers following the legalisation of soccer betting in August.
Koo Kai-fai, who produced the series, said: 'We hope that, through these real cases, people will realise the seriousness of pathological gambling. Hopefully, that will make them to seek help.'
Paul, who is in his 50s, used to squander away huge sums of money in Macau casinos. His wife had to repay the hundreds of thousands of dollars he ran up in debts.
