Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty has spoken candidly about his long battle with gambling, revealing that he struggled with sports betting during his playing career.
The 32-year-old, who retired during the 2025 season after 184 games for Carlton and Brisbane, said his gambling habits began early in his career and were often hidden from those around him.
Docherty, twice a cancer survivor and an All-Australian defender, shared his experience as part of Gambling Harm Awareness Week, aiming to start more open conversations about the issue.
‘It’s easy to hide — there’s a lot of shame and guilt behind it’
Speaking on 3AW, Docherty admitted that betting became a coping mechanism during stressful periods of his life.
“I bet on a range of things across my life, horses and sport, I still gamble now these days,” he said. “I think these conversations are always about finding healthy ways to do anything in life, and for me, this has been gambling.”
He added that setting boundaries helped him regain control: “I always say I’m not here to tell everyone not to gamble, that’s not the story I want to tell … it’s about setting the parameters and having conscious thought and boundaries and habits you’re comfortable with to be able to do that.”
Docherty reflected on how the problem first took hold when he was between 18 and 24 — the same age range where he believes many young people face similar struggles.
“Gambling is a bit hidden,” he said. “You hide what you’re doing because there’s a lot of shame and guilt in behind it. So providing an environment that has these conversations … that’s the reason I said yes to this campaign.”