Long time since I posted on here.
I joined at the back end of 2012 when I was bang in trouble with gambling and had just gone into partnership with a family member to open a new business. I was determined to get on track and stop wasting every penny in the bookies.
For about six months I was absolutely fine, but had a bit of a relapse when times got tough at work and started throwing money at the FOBT's again. Luckily I got hold of it early and started to find other things to do with my time to stop me constantly thinking about gambling. Installed K9 security on the home computer (lifesaver!) and calmed it right down.
In the year or so following that I steered clear of online betting, FOBT's and casinos (self excluded from both in my town). I still had very occasional bets on the football (never more than £20 and only if I was going out watching it in the pub) and I still played the fruit machines to an extent, ten quid here and there and no loss chasing, which is very hard to do, especially when you get the sensation that someone else is just waiting for you to come away so they can drop that one magic pound coin in and empty it.
Anyway fast forward and God knows why but last Summer I started playing the FOBT's again. I went in with a mate, we played a few different slot games and one inparticular really got hold of me. The next few months were spent playing it every day - leaving work early, heading straight there in lunch break, finding excuses to get out of the house at weekends etc. That one game led to others and I ended up back in trouble. Every spare penny went in that bookies and it was no small amount, sometimes a couple of hundred a day.
December wasn't bad - everyone got presents, which is a d**n sight better than when I was gambling years ago, but I was still spending too much. Promised that my new years resolution would be to stop them and on New Years Eve after work I lost about a hundred quid, which seemed a fine note to end on.
Resolution lasted until Sunday Jan 3rd, when I went in again with £180 and left with nothing (having doubled it once!)
I've gambled almost every day since, so this is the end of it now - i've beaten it once and I'll do it again.
I intend to start a diary to be updated a couple of times a week and see what I can do with the support of this site.
Hi i got a big problem. I love these machines n cannot stop playing them. I lost 5000 pounds in three days. I'm not walking to cash point, i just use my card n tell the person behind the the counter in bookies to recharge my machine with 500 pounds each time n betting max 100 pounds each spin n before you knw it i lose 2 to 3000 pound in the matter of an hour. I owe my parents almost 15000 pounds n keep on lying to them. I hate myself for that n having mood swings n take it out on my family. I seriously need help. I rang Game care today and the person was very helpfull n told me someone gonna call me in two days for face to face conselling. I hate myself for what im doing. I really need help. I been gambling for last 15 years n always knew i got a problem, But now i really need to stop. I cannot talk to my family as im muslim n its just wrong in my religion to gamble and i cant be a loser in my family eyes.
You've done the right thing..and made the first step.
Well done you x
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