Online Gambling Postmistress Jailed After Stealing £71,000

It may sound salacious. A postmistress stealing thousands of dollars to fuel her online gambling habit.

While the "mistress" part sounds rather hot, we quickly learn this title is derived from her job at the local post office. Should we be concerned that she was stealing our mail also?

Janine Powell was found guilty last month of stealing from Cowleymoor Post Office in Tiverton, Devon, between March 2006 and February 2007.

Powell, 37, of Newbarn Park Road, Taunton, Somerset, was sentenced to 18 months at Truro Crown Court.

The prosecution said Powell had "literally put her hand into the till" and then covered up the thefts.

Judge Christopher Elwen told Powell: "Inevitably with gambling you were losing and seeking to recoup your losses by betting yet again, and at higher amounts, hoping everything would come right."

While online gambling can be a fun and profitable diversion, it can also lead to an online gambling addiction. There are many different definitions for problem gambling, including 'pathological gambling,' and 'compulsive gambling.' For some people, there is a stigma attached to problem gambling, but recognizing it as an emotional problem is the first step towards overcoming that stigma. Problem gambling is no different than any other type of emotional problem in that it's not advisable to simply ignore the issue and hope it will go away.