Poker player becomes first woman to win UK tour main event

Xie said poker had also helped her to “develop resilience”, and become more aware of her emotions.

“Poker has shaped me into a stronger person. You have to be resilient and mentally strong. It teaches you social skills, reading body language, reading the flow of the game and understanding your own emotions,” she said.

Samantha Turton, head of helpline and online services at GamCare, said: “Many people in Britain do enjoy gambling and most of those are able to do so safely, but for those who struggle with the activity, the consequences can be significant.

“It is important that people are aware of some of the signs that a gambling problem might be developing.

“These include feelings of being preoccupied with gambling and not feeling able to take their mind off of it, spending more time and money on gambling than they perhaps should, using gambling as a way to escape challenges in their life or, most commonly, regularly trying to win back money they had previously lost while gambling, known as ‘chasing losses’.”

If you have been affected by the topic discussed in this article, support is available via the BBC Action Line.

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