Hello all,
Have just joined on here to get some advice and help for what has been a lifetime ruled by gambling. Lost relationships, properties, must have used about 10% of my wages over the years on myself and the rest on gambling. This is a horrible horrible addiction and no matter what I have done about it before I always seem to relapse and convince myself I can win longer term which is of course never going to happen. Recently I won a 5 figure sum on casino slots, within 5 hours I had lost it all and all my remaining wages. I have taken loans, borrowed from family, even stolen to fund this habit before and I cannot break out of it.
As much as I admit responsibility for my actions here I also feel that all of us are badly let down by online casinos. There are casinos where I have complained, begged to shut down my account and they have simply said things like "Don't give up, here is a cash bonus of XXX pounds, give it another go". How is this part of the GC responsible gaming policy? These casinos and shops couldn't care less about us, only about how much they are going to get from us.
Its a terrible state of affairs and something needs to be done long term or this problem is going to spiral out of control if it hasn't already.
Cut your losses. Permanently exclude yourself from the dangers of online gambling. Your story is similar to mine.
i am 44 days clean mate and the amount of texts to my mobile phone from casinos telling me i can get bonuses an stuff is unreal and i cant stop some of them they wont give me an option to get them to stop sending texts to my phone they are s**m bags they drive you insane
AddictedGambler wrote: Cut your losses. Permanently exclude yourself from the dangers of online gambling. Your story is similar to mine.
Do you have the uncanny ability of not being able to open up to family or indeed anyone about it as well? It feels like a personal hell at times!
Glad you are clean and have gone that time without it! Despite selfexcluding from almost every operator out there I continue to get these same messages. Coral sent me one the other day which sums it up! "10% CASHBACK ON LOSSES" "Spend £2500 get £250 back" "spend 5000 and you will get a fantastic £500 back" The "cashback" is nothing of the sort either, its a bonus with 30X wagering! When you sit back away from it you can actually see that it is criminal what these companies are getting away with.
alexs100 wrote:
i am 44 days clean mate and the amount of texts to my mobile phone from casinos telling me i can get bonuses an stuff is unreal and i cant stop some of them they wont give me an option to get them to stop sending texts to my phone they are s**m bags they drive you insane
I have just today opened up to my family of my gambling addiction. They have been very supportive but my partner not so much. It was eating away at me and I had to come out and tell ppl. My partner has said I have lied and there is no trust. It was my money that I lost not his but he won’t support me to get this all sorted. I have spent thousands and all my savings have gone. I’m lucky in a way that I have realised this problem before I got into debt. I find that gambling helps you to go into a different world and everything and everyone you zone out from.
EKJR,
Welcome to the forum.
My first observation is that you are getting far too 'hung up' on the behaviour of the betting companies (even to the extent of having read the wagering requirements on a proposed bonus). You shouldn't even be getting to the stage of reading the small print. You need to do everything possible to put blocks between you and the casinos, self exclude, 'opt out' of all communications and put blocking software on your computer and devices.
There is a tendancy to try and apportion blame during the early stages of recovery but, in order to progress, you need to focus solely on yourself. Despite my efforts, I still get promotional texts and emails from companies but they don't even get opened any more. Of course the online casinos are going to try and tempt you back, they're businesses and you were their customer in a highly competitive industry.
I'm not saying that there isn't room for further regulation in the industry but don't let that be an issue in your recovery. Use the determination you have now to get real blocks in places and make a solid foundation for your recovery.
Read my post "It's not my fault!" in the discussions section.
Good luck in your recovery.
Phil
Yawn...More breath wasted.
Step 1: Rant about losses
Step 2: Complain about 'unfair' practices from gambling companies and how the 'big nasty bookmaker' made you feed all your money into the machines (at gun point no doubt)
Step 3: Avoid personal responsibility
Step 4: Ignore all advice given by established members
Step 5: Despair at lack of a 'quick fix' and disappear until the next time
Relapse and...Repeat (see step 1)
Sorry if this sounds like a rant but it's such a depressingly familiar cycle. I really hope, if you're still reading this thread, that you have taken the advice on board that many of us (not just me, I'm not the oracle) have given you.
I do of course wish anyone and everyone well in the battle with addiction but we need to take personal responsibility. I'm not some 'holier than thou' preacher, like all of us, I'm a compulsive gambler who can't be trusted to control my actions. This is why it is so frustrating to see people not get the best out of this forum and from Gamcare as a whole. There is a plethora of experience, great advice and support out there but ranting about bookies and casino offers is not a quick fix (the is NO quick fix).
All the best to everyone on the forum.
Phil
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
