Hello, I have lost 10,000 in one week gambling. I had gave up my bank card and didnt get a new one so i couldnt gamble online, I recently got a new one sent out by the bank as they do when one expires and so it happend i was ready for a new one, I have bi polar and hear voices and my mental health isnt good, I have recently suffered a mental breakdown, this last week is a complete blurr and its only hit me today when i have logged onto my online banking, my question is does anyone know of any way if the sites will refund money in exceptional circumstances?, I go for regular councelling for my addiction and have put things in place to prevent me from gambling. however recent happenings have lead me to this, thanks for reading.
Hello RedskyDay,
Well done for joining the forum, and for telling us a little about you, and about the week you've had recently.
It is good that you have regular counselling for your addiction and that you've put arrangements in place to protect you from gambling. You might already be aware of the National Problem Gambling Clinic, where they provide therapy particularly for people who have complications in their recovery from problem gambling, for example people who have the additional challenge of managing bipolar or other mental health issues. https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/cnwl-national-problem-gambling-clinic/refer/
Relapses can highlight where there may be gaps in the protection you may have put in place, so you could discuss this with your therapist to see if there are any extra layers of protection that might keep you safer from gambling, for example some of our forum members choose to register with GamStop and to install blocking software.
https://www.gamstop.co.uk/contact-us
http://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-advice/what-can-you-do/blocking-software
Other arrangements sometimes mentioned by our forum members include allowing someone to supervise your banking, so that your spending on gambling can be detected and discussed with you, and scheduling your time with other activities so that you have company and support for focusing your attention on other interests.
About whether gambling companies will refund money in exceptional circumstances, you would need to find out directly from them; they will probably be keen to help you to self-exclude from your account with them when you make them aware of what has happened to you. Although it is understandable that you would like your money back, another way of looking at refunds is to wonder how it might impact your recovery, whether it would make it easier for you to stop gambling or not. Some of our forum members have said that having access to money allowed them to gamble, and limiting their access to money made it easier for them to become gambling-free.
You're welcome to call us on 0808 8020 133 if you'd like more support.
Take care,
Forum admin.
I believe, but dont @ me on this.
That when you sign up for online betting sites, one of the T&C's is that you're in a fit mental state and able to make the appropriate decisions given that your capital is at risk, or something along those lines. To cover them from this sort of "its not my fault" type of thing. Otherwise there would be millions ringing them every saturday night.
I would go as far as saying if you need to quit gambling and are on the road to recovery, the money back would be the worst thing you could do.
E
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