Lost all my money in online gambling!

I know how you feel, I always gamble my wages away within at most 48 hours. I have taken out numerous payday loans over 3 years, have credit cards and other debts. Every time my children are on school holidays I feel sick that I have no money to take them anywhere decent, and my husband doesn't earn a lot either. I'm only on day 2 of not gambling but something feels different tonight to the last times I have wanted to stop. I was thinking to myself that although I have lost thousands I have to make peace with those losses and put them in the past. I believe this is key, you have to accept the losses and stop thinking you will win them back. This is the vicious cycle of gambling addiction. I work full time and I know over a few years I can make money and turn things around. If I keep in gambling I know ultimately I will lose more than I could ever win, and will spiral deeper and deeper into debt. Make oewve with your losses. Accept the money has gone and isn't coming back, but know you have a job and you can always earn more money. i am starting to realise that money won't make me happy, I have o try and find happiness through the things I used to love before gambling. The high of winning big amounts was a nice feeling but the lows of losing are hell. I don't want the rollercoaster anymore, the anxiety, the dread, the panic, the self loathing. I just want to be at peace and happy with my lot. You can get over this, we all can. We just need to support each other and get the help we need. Good luck

Hi there, thanks for sharing your stories and the words of encouragement. Im currently on my break now but this time I'm on gamcare and not in online slots. I don't have money since Friday so I can't play anyway plus I have excluded already. Still thinking of my losses and debts though.

Hopeful, I had several pay day loans last year too which has now destroyed my credit rating. It came to a point that I can't pay all my required payments to them that's why I can't get no more payday loans or any loans now.

-Hope17

Can I just say that I have been reading an article on a site called debt camel recently. It explains that if you have had any payday loans out which you kept on using, rolled over, or couldn't pay , you can write to them with a complaint and ask for a refund on all interest payed plus a statutory 8% of interest back too. I know there are some companies that do all the work for you, but they take a big cut of any refunds. The site debt camel tells you step by step how you go about clamining it back yourself. If your interested just type refund on payday loans debt camel in on google search. The lady who runs the site also answers questions or any quearies and support you need regarding it. I have put in complaints to all companies I used now as if I do get any refunds it will go towards paying other debts. People have had thousands written off, thousands back in compensation and the most important for me the debt removed from their credit file. Worth a shot

Hope17 wrote:

Hi there, thanks for sharing your stories and the words of encouragement. Im currently on my break now but this time I'm on gamcare and not in online slots. I don't have money since Friday so I can't play anyway plus I have excluded already. Still thinking of my losses and debts though.

Hopeful, I had several pay day loans last year too which has now destroyed my credit rating. It came to a point that I can't pay all my required payments to them that's why I can't get no more payday loans or any loans now.

-Hope17

It's nice to hear other stories to help it makes you feel less alone.... I feel confident this time as I've never used a forum ... we can all do it... if I get the urge it's usually about this time of the night when I can't sleep ... but I've gone 3 days gamble free... i do usually only gamble probably once a month so I'm hoping in a months time I can still be sat here saying I'm gamble free .. I'm trying to put a plan together where I just save £10 per week in a seperate account to build back my savings slowly!!!! Hopefully this will help me feel like I'm gaining money back and re building my life !!! I'm keeping very busy and not allowing myself to think of gambling

Ps I read somewhere that in 2018 they are bringing out a self exclude for online gambling where you self exclude once and can't go on any gambling site again !!! I can't wait for this to come into place

Hi,

This is embarrassing and very bad but I did it again , opened another site early this morning and used all my bank salary. Good thing it's just £200 this time, excluded again afterwards and gave empty card to my husband who's now speechless. Sorry

-Hope17

Hope ive read on here many times that some people give control of their finances to someone else. It could be an idea to hand over all cards to someone until the urges are controlled

You've had a little set back. Don't let it stop you from moving forward and beating this.

Good luck hope

Hi Hope,

Tomorrow is a new day. What's done is done. You can do this!!!

Hi, this is my first time on the site and I'd like to share briefly my recent issues with gambling.

I've been gambling reasonably low key for years but the last 6 or so months it's intensified to the point that I've lost all our savings and built up credit card debt. Whilst I'm in a position to manage this financially, I continue to get the urge to gamble on online slots. I'm worried that if I continue then I will have real financial difficulties which as I said are manageable at the moment.

I keep closing accounts, then I get the urge and find another one I haven't used before and start again.

I can't imagine telling my wife and feel so guilty towards her and my girls. She has no control over the finances and I can probably hide it but feel so guilty.

I've been gambling almost daily and then managed to stop recently for about 3-4 weeks and just had a mad streak on Monday which continued all week.

Need help to stop, this has to stop today forever !!

United2017 wrote: Hi, this is my first time on the site and I'd like to share briefly my recent issues with gambling.

Dear United 2017

Welcome to the forum. It's good that you've joined and are asking for help. You will probably get more responses if you start your own thread rather than posting in Hope's. If you're not sure how to do that, you go to the 'New Member Introductions' section, scroll down to the bottom and there should be a button marked 'new topic'.

I am sure you will get a lot of responses and advice here on the forum, so I won't say too much just now - just know that you can contact our HelpLine on 0808 8020 133 8am to midnight every day, and you can also chat 1:1 to us on the NetLine.

Best wishes

Forum Admin.

Hi United2017,

I understand how you're feeling right now, after closing all my accounts last week. I opened one again the other day and lost. Felt so sick and close the account again. This time my husband knows and I volunteered to hand over my card to him. He also advise me not to bring my phone during payday at work in case I will play on break time or while on the bus. As one of our colleague here says, tomorrow is a new day, we start again.

hi, my name is Patrick I have been a gambler for the last 10 years, with always the same result win lose win lose & you always lose at the end of the day...I lost so much money, time and much more...it is the worst thing I have ever done in my all life I think.

today is the first step to make things better for me and my family I want to stop so badly !!

pat

Hello my name is Ronan , just lost £700 today and looking for some help

Hi Ronan,

You might be feeling so low now but tomorrow will get better. Since closing all my accounts didn't work for me I gave my card to my husband. Try to close all your accounts and handover your bank card to someone you trust.

10 days still not gambled and I actually have money in the bank to gamble and still not !!!! I did have a bad day yesterday and nearly cracked and was on a downer Monday as I feel disgusted in the amount of money I've lost but back in a positive mind frame... trying to think of things I can do in spare time to earn extra cash like selling on eBay etc fingers crossed I can do this I know I can ... it's soooo hard though on the bad days