Admitting a problem...

Newbie here, signed up following a glance through some eye-opening reading.

I've just hit GamStop for the third time (two previous one year exclusions), only this time I've hit the five year button in a bid to stop being sucked in to online slots.

I had somewhat begrudgingly signed up to GamStop previously as I was going to be applying for a mortgage, so couldn't have gambling deposits on my bank statements and I knew I'd slip (basically knew I had a bit of an issue).

I'm earning a decent wage (>£100k) and have only ever considered myself gambling with disposable income, but I've been coming to the reality that my pot is near-on evaporating on me each week. I've kept well disciplined on my deposit levels, only ever depositing £100 at a time, but I have very little control over re-depositing. I've allowed myself to keep this up, on account of never falling too deep, but I've regularly exhausted my available funds by jumping from casino to casino once deposit limits are hit.

Across all casino's, I've probably got a deposit limit of over £2.5k P/month and I'm regularly hitting them, and daily attempting to deposit until one of them comes available. I've been kidding myself that I'm in control, but the reality is I can't go a day without spinning and I've sat here tonight and chewed through the best part of £400 without blinking.

I've never stolen, taken loans, borrowed off anyone to gamble, I've no credit card to exhaust and I'm meeting all my bills, but I'm not in a good place and there's every chance I could fall deeper... So I've for the first time actively chosen to press the GamStop button and admit I've a problem. I've a young family, a house we're in desperate need of renovating and we're getting married next month. Time to get a grip of it and accept there's only one winner. We've not had a holiday in eight years (largely down to trying to save the deposit whilst caught in the renting trap), but in all honesty if I'd kept away from the spins we probably could've had a few, which is a god awful thought.

Thank you to all who have been brutally honest with your experiences on here. Whilst I haven't slipped to harrowing levels, I can see it coming and you've helped me try and nip it in the bud before I get too deep.