Paul Merson won two league titles, the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup with Arsenal. He played for England at the World Cup and European Championship.
He has also lost more than £7m to gambling in a life dogged by addiction.
In a new film Paul Merson: Football, Gambling & Me on BBC One on Monday, 11 October (21:00 BST), the 53-year-old sets out on a journey to try to understand where his compulsion comes from, explores why footballers may be more prone to risk than others, and what may need to be done by companies and the government.