Tony Marini is a Senior Specialist Therapist at Castle Craig, where he leads the Gambling, Gaming, and Cryptocurrency Trading Behavioural Addiction Therapy Programme. Since joining Castle Craig in 2013, Tony has worked in a range of therapeutic roles before being appointed Senior Specialist Therapist in 2017.
Tony is a highly experienced psychotherapist, holding a Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from the University of Strathclyde and a Diploma in Integrated Counselling from Edinburgh College. He is also trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and is currently finalising his NCAC accreditation.
With over 20 years in personal recovery and two decades of professional practice, Tony has dedicated his career to supporting individuals and families struggling with gambling, gaming, cryptocurrency trading, and other behavioural addictions. His unique combination of clinical expertise and lived experience enables him to connect with patients on a deeper level, offering both professional guidance and personal understanding.
In addition to his therapeutic work at Castle Craig, Tony has become a recognised voice in the wider conversation on addiction and recovery. He has been featured in media interviews, newspaper articles, and podcasts, sharing his knowledge and personal insight to help break down stigma and raise awareness of gambling-related harm. Together with former professional footballer John Hartson, Tony delivers a nationwide gambling and recovery workshop, reaching communities across the UK. He has also been instrumental in helping to establish a safe house for recovering alcoholics and addicts, demonstrating his commitment to building recovery-focused support networks beyond the clinical setting.
Tony is valued by colleagues, patients, and the wider recovery community for his empathetic approach, clear communication, and unwavering dedication to guiding people towards lasting recovery. His work at Castle Craig continues to bring hope and practical tools to those facing some of the most challenging behavioural addictions of our time.
Tony Marini speaks to the media regularly about gambling, gaming, and internet disorders.
January 2025 – Tony Marini spoke to The Scottish Sun, to issue an urgent warning to parents regarding kids’ ‘gateway’ habit that could lead to further addictions.
October 2021 – Adriana Hamacher from Decrypt visited Castle Craig to interview Tony Marini and speak to former cryptocurrency gambler, Steven.
September 2021 – Reporter Charlotte Lytton at Daily Telegraph interviewed Tony Marini and reported on the announcement by PayPal that it will launch a dedicated e-coin platform and what happens when online ‘investing’ becomes an addiction.
July 2021 – Investing.com: Trading Vs Gambling: Same Psychology, Different Outcomes.
June 2021 – The Guardian spoke to Tony Marini to cover the risks of speculative trading in cryptocurrencies.
June 2021 – BBC The Nine: The highs and lows of cryptocurrency trading in lockdown
March 2019 – CNN spoke with Tony Marini, a Senior Specialist Gambling Therapist about cryptocurrency addiction and also to Mark, a former patient of Castle Craig.
March 2019 – TheHindu.com ‘Let’s talk de-addiction centres’
May 2018 – Sky News covered the cryptocurrency gambling treatment programme at Castle Craig
2019 – thenextweb – public Q&A session with Castle Craig therapists
February 2019 – Vice Motherboard filmed a news documentary on addiction to cryptocurrency
July 2018 – CryptoQuest Podcast with Tony Marini
Visit our Guide to Cryptocurrency Addiction for information on the risks of cryptocurrency trading addiction and what to do if you think you have an addiction.
References
- BACP Membership Register – www.bacp.co.uk
- John Hartson Recovery Workshop – www.johnhartsonfoundation.com