Regarding slot machines. It's possible to self exclude from all land based and online casinos with a bit of effort but it's impossible to self exclude from betting shops and arcades because there are so many of them and they refuse to have a membership or ID requirement. The amount you can win on a machine at a betting shop or arcade is a small amount (£500) but the machines are capable of taking many thousands, especially if played over a number of days or weeks. If it isn't deliberately planned by the gambling industry / commission they should require a self exclusion system that actually works the same as land based or online casino in my opinion. I believe they deliberately allow this so they can still take huge sums of money from people suffering from gambling addiction, without even risking having to pay out a lot because the maximum win is limited.
Hi SOE,
It isn't just planned, it's planned by the government too. They want us to think they're doing their bit to reduce gambling addiction whilst the gambling industries are bringing in millions in tax revenues into government coughers. Within the establishment & the gambling industry no-one's on our side.
Best Wishes
AL
You're so right but nevertheless I hate the hypocrisy when those in society who claim to be supportive are having their palms greased.
Best Wishes
AL
Gambling is a business big business they want as many punters through the door as they can get
Is it morally right to try and exploit people
Well no it probably isn't but it goes on everyday in all cultures and industry's around the world anyway
As someone has mentioned above , we all have the ability to exercise our own willpower
You can't expect society to always have a safety net for you too fall in
The world just doesn't work like that
Hi
The gambling establishments never made me do any thing I di dnot want to do.
The gambling establishments never hurt e I hurt my self.
The gambling establishments never lied to me I lied to my self.
All the time I focus on the gambling establishments I am not focusing on my recovery.
Just for today I do not want or need to gamble.
Just for today I want to love my self.
Just for today I want to respect my self.
Just for today I want to heal my pains.
Just for today I want to face my fears.
Just for today I want to reduce my unreasonable expectations of life people and situations.
Just for today I want to be the healthiest person I can be.
Just for today I want to live for today.
Just for today I want to learn from my painful past.
Just for today I do nto want or need to gamble.
Love and peace to every one.
Dave L
AKA Dave of Beckenham
Interesting and valid points. I still believe the way the industry is set up or left open is deliberate. I was unable to trade in a video game controller for £8 today at CEX because I didn't have my CEX membership card or ID, it would be so easy to set up a similar system at betting shops, libraries also manage to have a similar system for borrowing books.
I have to agree with the hypocrisy of it all. The so called measure's introduced to protect player's are almost comical in my opinion. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many unavoidable and targeted gambling advertisements pushed on people every day. There are so many millions if not billions spent on advertising that must generate healthy financial returns. Gambling is everywhere also, high streets, phones, casino's, lottery and scratch cards in supermarkets and convenience shops, pubs, service stations.
I'm not expecting anything or asking for the slightest bit of sympathy just describing the way certain things appear to be deliberate in my opinion. I know how much it would help many people to able to be able to self exclude from all betting shops, it's shame they refuse to have a membership requirement the same as casinos, libraries or CEX.
I'm lucky to have regained a good amount of control over gambling even though it has taken me over a decade. Unfortunately many aren't so lucky.
Not sorry for ranting on, just felt like it.
Hopefully in the future gambling advertising will be banned just like tobacco advertising is banned. I'm sure it will be eventually.
If recreational drugs are so harmful that they should be illegal then gambling should also be illegal.
Self exclude from as many of the big places, they can extend it to others I believe. And I did have my photo taken for a few of them.
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