Hi I've been up and down gambling for far too many years now. My last blow out was last Tuesday when popping in a bookies ended up costing me 500 pound , lost mainly on machines that apparently are 2 pound maximum stake, we all know that's not true and they basically found a way round that rule . I've had a week of trying to work out another way of stopping this happening . I'm on GamStop so can't bet online which has helped for the last few years so really only need to stop entering a bookmakers, sounds easy eh. I've had many bad times when I've spent money on other things re nights out, shopping etc and thought to myself I'll try to win some of what I've spent back and it'll make me feel a bit better. Sometimes this has worked but usually ends in turning it into a massive loss. I now know this is a bad way to think . I know now no gambling has to mean no gambling at all. No more I'll just have a few bets as this never ends like that . When you are losing vast amounts of money especially on them machines it doesn't hit you until later what you've actually just done. I find that first night after is when you realise. Lying in bed , heart beating , hardly sleeping , having to go to work the next morning feeling tired and depressed. I know this sounds very simple but the fact is if you have that first bet of the day you are in danger, the only way to combat getting to that awful feeling is not having a bet at all. With me that means not physically entering a bookmakers which to millions of other people would be no problem at all. Anyway it's a week today , that horrible empty feeling is wearing off a bit but to be honest it's when it wears off completely that the problem reoccurs. I know what I have to do and I can rescue my Xmas by being strong.
Good luck to everyone fighting the same fight . Be strong
Hi there Simon,
im subscribed to this thread and I get emails whenever anyone adds to it and I read yours from my gmail and I related so hard I thought I’d sign in and comment back.
When I moved to the area I currently live in and have done now since May 2021 I remember feeling this feeling in the pit of my stomach after I viewed the flat once I noticed a Corrbett just 3 mins down the road. Apart from that everything felt ideal. When discovering I was successful after all their checks etc to take the flat I called up the Multi Operator Self Exclusion line which I already had an ongoing exclusion with and I added that Corrbett and any other bookies that were close to me to that exclusion. Anyway despite that I found I was still able to go in I thought partly due to the fact I had to wear a mask when I was in there and nobody was asking me to take it off and I thought I was on to a winner. I’d leave up occasionally but most of the time I would leave with nothing after spending a fortune on those machines as well. Once the mask mandate ended I was eventually told to take my mask off when I walked in there and they took a look at my face and then said I was welcome to put the mask back on if I wish but they needed to now start seriously checking peoples age etc now there is no mandate.
Anyway months and months went by and I was still able to go in there unchallenged without a mask. For some reason I remember the date 21st October 2022 i wrote a letter to them and delivered it by hand. The letter said basically everything I’ve just told you. That when I moved to the area I added this branch to the MOSE scheme and I’ve been able to freely come and go unchallenged, I take full responsibility for my own actions but please take this letter and attached image of my face as another effort on my behalf to be unable to enter the location and place any further bets. If you’re anything like me maybe doing something similar to the bookies near you might help?.. Or if you didn’t know about it add yourself to the Multi Operator Self Exclusion as well?, maybe the staff in the branches near you will challenge you should you relapse.
Anyway you’re not alone and it does get better. A massive weight left my shoulders when I walked out that Corbbett for the last time after handing them that letter detailing my wish to be barred from that place. I 100% would have been in there this month trying to add a few extra ton to my Xmas allowance for gifts etc which I would have most definitely lost. I definitely would recommend it for added insurance to your recovery.
All the best
C
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