Mobile games - 'Pay to Win'

Yeah I have had this..

infact it’s down to mobile games that hooked me back in without realising .

i played coin master and before downloading didn’t know it’s a slot based game 

all was fine but eventually after a couple days I was paying real money to unlock more spins to get higher in the game.

fifa ultimate team was also a problem for me I spent far too much paying real money on fifa packs.

All able to play by kids on a mobile or PlayStation but all with a sinister addictive gambling nature, hows that work?

Thanks so much for your reply and sorry to hear about your experience.

It's quite shocking like you say that all these games are able to be played by kids as well and I wonder whether this will become a bigger issue for lots of people in the future. My husband said that this is a strategy type game where you're part of an online community so there's an element of peer pressure to spend as well - from the sounds of it there's lots of people spending similar amounts if not more to try and progress in the game. 

Any advice from anyone about the best way he could go about getting support with this etc would be great. At the moment he's stopped playing the game  and wants me to have his phone until he can try and block his apple account as he thinks this will help. But I'm thinking this isn't really going to help long term as if he wanted he can go on games lots of ways.

Thanks 

Dear @j_ ,

really sorry to hear about your struggles. It is an unfortunate fact that many of the online games on phones, consoles, computer include a hidden element of gambling. Although society is aware that this is a serious issue, even just developing a problem with gaming itself, not just the spending element and the financial implications, there is not a lot of support out there.

You could have a look at OLGANON  which is peer support for people with an online gaming problem, this would be the closest to your husband's particular issue.

Also the National Problem Gambling Clinic has recently started offering treatment to people with an online gaming problem: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/cnwl-national-problem-gambling-clinic/about-us/

You are right, just blocking the account is not a long-term solution, it sounds like a lifestyle change would also be helpful. When it comes to problem gambling we generally recommend blocking/limiting access to the three things people need to gamble: money, time and place. So perhaps just getting a cash-card that he can't use online would also be an option. And finding new hobbies, other things he can occupy/entertain himself with that takes away focus from the game.

Please make sure that you also look after yourself and allow your partner to take charge of his own recovery. It is his problem, it is his job to resolve it.

Wishing you all the very best,

Eva

Forum Admin

Thanks so much Eva that information is all really helpful. I absolutely agree with him taking charge of this and I think he is which is great he's in the process of arranging to meet  1-1 to chat it through which I think is a great step. 

Sorry that should have said in the process of arranging to meet with a counselor 1-1