GAMSTOP - what's the point offering 6 months?

Hello all!

I was last here back in 2013 due to the compulsive need to s***k all my money on online roulette every few days after a bottle of wine. All money lost is bad, but also relative to the person's circumstance. Between 2007-2013 I lost, what to me was a fortune, being at the time unemployed & on benefits. The seductive promise of the 'casino' drunk - my only chance to win my way out of the grinding poverty I found myself in. (Grinding is used for a reason).

I've lost my log-in details so signing up again due to a stoopid lapse of judgement yesterday, in the hope that I might help anyone who's forgotten the pain of losing, or complacently thinks they've 'got over' their addiction.

I've always read these threads over the intervening years, and it saddens me to see a new generation of suckers. I know I won't be popular around these parts for floating the idea of it not being an 'illness' or 'disease', I seem to be one of those people who gambled the odd fiver/tenner on a footy acca since the early 90's, and still do, without any problems at all. I win - I buy an extra few treats for myself / I lose - I get annoyed for 10 mins but console myself that I've had a good afternoon's entertainment watching a good game, living in hope, excited.

However, when it came/comes to Roulette I have no control whatsover. I must chase, chase, chase, like I'm following a line of coke up the navel of the most beautiful woman in the world. Irrational, incomprehensible, crazy.

Thanks in part to the posters here back in 2013 I stopped for 6 years. I limited my betting account to £20 per week, and did the occasional £10 footy bet - most weekends I left it alone due to no interest. But last weekend a friend phoned me and asked if I could place a £5 acca bet for him, as he was abroad and couldn't access his account. A crazy outside bet, but he said he'd paypal me the tenner. I said sure, why not..?

It won! Well done friend! I always lose, so I'm glad someone at least won!

From only being able to deposit a maximum of £20 a week to my account.I had £580 suddenly dwelling in my account.
A saturday night, online, indoors, drunk, alone & mildly depressed... You can guess what happened next...
"I'll just try a 'cheeky' (god I hate that ffing expression) £50.

Lost. Ball hit the number next to mine.

"I DESERVE a bloody win, I've not played in 6 years, and it's only 'free money' won from a five bet anyway. Spin again..."
Lose.

Chase, chase, chase.
Lose. Lose. Lose.
Insufficient funds, please redeposit...

Thank GOD at that point, despite the booze, I stopped, in part because of my £20 weekly limit. But then my friend phones all excited - "Please paypal me the £580, obviously take your £10 stake out of it, hell keep £70 for yourself, so just send me £500."

Great! Thanks! (How little he knew!) I transferred him £500 out of my bank account. Feeling not only had I just lost £500, but I'd also just 'given' him £500 as well!!!

That night around 1am I had a massive panic attack, feeling insane, ill, scared, lost - the heady cocktail of all the old feelings I'd not felt since 2013.

IT'S REALLY NOT WORTH IT! If you have an issue with any or all forms of betting and have forgotten just how low you can feel - next time you're tempted to place that 'cheeky' tenner. PLEASE DON'T.

For me in that cold sweaty mad moment at 1am it wasn't about winning or losing money; it was about keeping or losing my soul, my sense of self, my self-respect. What price would you put on that? "Here's £500,000 but in return you will feel emotionally dead, guilty and worthless for the rest of your life! Fair exchange?"
Yeah? You want? You fancy that?

Anyway, I'm rambling, but if you've read this far - the whole reason I was posting was to ask the question - GAMSTOP: I signed up just now, fearing another "cheeky little spin". It asked me if I wanted to exclude for 6 months / 12 months / 5 years.

What is the point of the 6/12 months? Who, admitting they have an issue with online gambling such that they're signing up to Gamstop anyway, thinks - ah 6 months should be enough, then I'll be cured and can get straight back into it. Yes all I need is a 6 month break to regroup then I can think about it!! Ha! Anyone got an opinion on why they offer it?

All the best to all you who through pain and suffering at the hands of a spinning algorithym have become self-aware enough to realise you/we/I have a problem with roulette. My strength is your strength and I sincerely wish you well.

Best wishes,
Max