£700 Lost To A Fruit Machine!

I have just joined today having put my €400 rent money in the roulette in the bookies I am an absolute wreck...feeling sucidal it's my own fault i ve contacted gamcare and I hope this is the last time I do this. ...ive progresivly got worse over the years my shift work means I wander into a bookies through boredom and start putting money into the machine it never pays as much as I've put in so I increase the stakes and I inevitably loose more...This is the way bookies are enjoying exploiting people

Just so you know there is no limits in the last year I have put in between 18 thousand and twenty thousand pounds so no matters what any bookmaker machine's say about percent paid out nobody I know who is honest actually runs out a winner. .They use desperation physcology to furl their. ..funds

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Last month I thought I had cracked it after putting my entire wages into the roullette machine (including an unexpected bonus of £500 which in total was £2200) I decided to loan £100 off a good mate I managed to live on it without going in to the bookies for a month but this morning my mindset changed I thought I'll have tenner on the Cheltenham festival I ended putting everything I had in my rent my savings. ...so now I've joined gamcare in hope I can get professional help

I am hoping the next government will ban f.o.b.t.s.... as I'm fed of going to bed praying I won't wake up ..One day I was so worked up I drank a bottle of whisky and downed a bottle of pills ....surprisingly it didn't kill me but I was seriously ill for a on while

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Joydivider,

If you find you are depressed continually it may be worth having a chat with your GP.

Doing sports and or hobbies to beat the boredom. It should also lift your mood. Gymwork seems to work me.

Take Care Now.

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Hi Joydivider

I hope you are doing well mate. Just been reading your post. My addiction began with fruit machines and it was so easy to get hooked. I know just how addictive machines are, so I can totally sympathise with your situation. We become machines ourselves when playing the machines, and yes it is a very effective for of escapism. I'm 7 days in myself, following an addiction to fixed odds betting terminals. It's not as easy as simply stopping, but in a way that's I and countless others on the site are doing each day.

I eventually saw through the con of fruit machines, feeding my money in for no return was stupidity. As a gambler I simply believed the fobt machines could be beaten. As a compulsive gambler, you will only ever lose, no matter what your strategy, convincing yourself that you have a system or lucky numbers will never work.

Depression is awful, I found gambling put me in the driving seat. If I lose then I'm no worse off, a wing simply allows you to keep on gambling. I said in my last post that I have "decided" to stop gambling, which sounds contradictory for a compulsive gambler. However, that is exactly what I am doing. Everyday, hour, minute and second will go in to NOT gambling. I have simply put measures in place to limit the harm that I can cause. My biggest goal was to set up some standing orders, to limit the money in my main bank account. I have one account for outgoings, some savings tied up in premium bonds that are not easily accessible.

Post everyday and get the help and support you desperately need. I think gam care is brilliant, posting here and getting comments from others is spurring me on. Chin up mate, you can beat this.

Paul.

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Hi, Joydivider,

Was reading your recent posts - thanks for your kind words but v sorry to see that you're struggling again.

Back to standard advice to take whatever action is needed but please please do it. It is YOUR choice whether or not to gamble, regardless of temptations or pressures. The DWP have a lot to answer for but they don't make you gamble.

A few people have suggested seeing your GP if you're depressed. Have you? Also, try GA or give it another chance, it helps my husband. And or get counselling from GamCare and go to it. You need external help so take some.

Tell your parents and explain to them that they shouldn't give you money - they need to take a united stand, it's no good your mum giving you your savings and your dad trying to restrict your access to cash.

Self exclude permanently. In your case maybe cash is your downfall and a visa debit card is the way forward, although there is a big risk of being tempted to deposit. So keep the account balance low, if your dad is willing to help, set up DDs for Mondays to transfer your benefits to his account for safekeeping. He should dole out minimal spending money, if he's on line, Internet banking is easiest to do this. And do thank him for his trouble!

Do what it takes and take care of yourself, you can get back on track.

CW

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Hi, Joydivider,

I wanted my husband to go into the bank with me to sort things out, it would have taken one meeting in the branch but he was having done of it, too embarrassed. So we compromised; I achieved the same result by writing letters that he signed the head office, setting out the arrangements that we wanted. He didn't want the letters to mention the G word which was ironic because he deposited on line with a well known website and all the transactions on his bank statements showed exactly where his money had gone and how often. However, if you do this, you may need to spell it out because cash withdrawals on bank statements are anonymous. The postal addresses for the Customer Service Centres are available on line. Quote your name, address, phone number, date of birth and account number, explain the problem and ask them to set a low cash withdrawal limit for you.

re use of cash, if on line deposits are not your issue, then use contactless, visa and the mobile banking app to pay for shopping etc wherever possible. In particular, supermarket chains don't have a minimum for card payments.

When I was at GamCare for counselling, I noticed that the leaflets about self excluding included details of telephone numbers for the main chains. If that would be helpful, call GamCare to follow this up or indeed to see what other help they can offer? Otherwise, get and complete the self exclusion forms and return them to the arcades and shops by snail mail.

re the DWP, I deal with them but not personally, they do move in mysterious ways but they have added to or even caused your pressure, they haven't made you gamble. And as a former office bod, you have paid in to the system when you worked, don't feel bad about them paying out now.

Finally, nit picking the small print, you have the support of the Forum but recovery is about you and your choices. I hope you follow everyone's advice but if you do, you do it first and foremost for you, because you want to change for the better. Not to please anyone else.

You're doing well, keep going. Look after yourself, enjoy your Earl Grey.

CW

hi i no the feeling ive just lost all my money to online slots i hope u get all the help u need