Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks' James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) had a bout of bad luck on tonight's episode (March 2) after his gambling got away from him.
After his mum Marnie passed away in the village's explosion in January, James has turned to gambling as his coping mechanism.
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James' destructive behaviour continued tonight when he decided he wanted to celebrate after an investment had "come good".
Sadly, his partner Ste Hay wasn't in the mood to celebrate so James decided to call Luis after running into John Paul, who told him to be with the people he loves.
After suggesting that James might cheat on poor Ste with Luis, it was revealed that James just wanted a companion to join him at an elite gambling den.
When they arrived, James started flashing the cash, which he was warned against by the staff because of the disreputable types that hang around.
James grinned and said: "Tonight, I'm one of them." He continued gambling, even as Luis tried to stop him from throwing all of it away.
Related: Hollyoaks' James Nightingale takes major risks in 10 new spoiler pictures
Luis and James argued, with the former deciding to leave when James wasn't willing to listen.
James ended up winning loads of money, and ran into one of the disreputable types he was warned of, though James didn't seem to realise this.
It turned out that his new friends weren't so friendly, as James' head started spinning and he said: "I think I've been spiked."
He collapsed, and two men dragged him away to rob him of his money and belongings, including Marnie's heirloom, before dumping him in an unknown location.
Related: Hollyoaks star Gregory Finnegan reveals devastating scenes for James
Finnegan previously told Digital Spy that James' troubles are only just beginning, and this will be part of a long-running storyline over the coming months on Hollyoaks.
He said: "James really is just feeling incredibly destructive. He doesn't see the point in any of it – in his relationships or his work.
"James thinks that the easy thrills from gambling give him a chance to forget and feel something. He's pretty numb to life at the moment."
Hollyoaks airs new episodes from Mondays to Fridays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first-look screenings at 7pm on E4. Selected omnibus episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video.
Read more Hollyoaks spoilers on our dedicated homepage
The National Gambling Treatment Service offers free, confidential help for anyone who is worried about their gambling, or someone else's gambling. Call the 24-hour freephone National Gambling Helpline on 0808 802 0133, or visit begambleaware.org. Further information and resources can be found on the Gambling Commission's website.
