Hi all I am new to this forum and have had a gambling addiction for over 10 years and have joined this to help me combat this horrible addiction as it is ruining my life. Over the past year my addiction has got to the point where im getting loans and credit cards to pay for this addiction as i have used up all my savings(£15,000) and getting into serious debt that I cannot afford to pay back. I find it extremely hard to walk past a bookies without going in and playing on the roulette machines and since i lost my job in December 2013 my gambling has been even worse as i have more time to myself. In 2014 I have already lost over £4,000 of savings and over £2,500 in loans and credit cards and I cant continue what im doing. I woke up this morning and the first thing on my mind was going the bookies and try my luck on the roulette so I went to *********** (I have 6 bookies in a 5 minute walk from me with 2 next door to each other) and within 30 minutes all my money had all gone(£700) but the thing that annoys me with *********** machines is that I know what number it will land on when I press spin (im sure most people who play them know this) but if I have big money on the machine "flicks"/jerks and skips a few numbers and gives me a number that shouldnt have been usually a number with either nothing or a small amount on and this only happens in *********** even though I go other bookies and have varied success there aswell. I've been on other sites and other people have said the exact thing about *********** machines aswell! It's got to the point now where im in a situation where I cant afford to pay my loans and credit cards off and my rent is due next week and I cant afford to pay that either but hopefully i will be starting my new job in March and that will help me to pay off these debts. My girlfriend knows I gamble and has seen me gamble £2,000 and lose in an hour and is trying to help me but I feel by writing this and reading other people's stories will help me fight this addiction.
Hi reno28,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting. You have taken a very good step by coming here, and yes you will be well supported by reading and posting on this forum, as the people on here are very supportiove of each other, however your determination to want help is what is going to get you through this.
I am hearing that you feel your gambling is worse at centain places you gamble than others, what do you want to do about your gambling reno28? That is what you can do, if you want help for your gambling there is help, if you have not already spoken to an advisor here at gamcare you can come and speak to one of us on our Free Telephone Helpline on 0808 8020133 or Chat with us on our Netline at http://secure.gamcare.org.uk/netline/. We are available 7 days a week from 8am to 12pm everyday.
We will be able to help you with stratergies that you can put in plave to make it less easier for you to gamble or for you to stop if that is what you want.
reno28 the first step to recovery is to admit that your gambling has become a problem for you, that way you can be helped.
We also give free counselling in most areas in the country, if you would like to look at the underlying reasons why you gamble we can put you in touch with our counselling team. However way you would like us to help you contact us and we can try and help.
Regards
Florence
reno
welcome to the site. Well done on admitting your problem. And for sharing this with your partner. Im so pleased she is supporting you with this terrible addiction.
Start a diary and record all your thoughts. There are great people on here who will help and support you through this.
In response to your post re the FOBT's. You said it yourself. Its a fix. If the machine has a payout of 93% then it cant be random! If you pick a number, say number 1, and load it with £50... and the machine is already at 93%... then number 1 CANT be allowed to come up... because it cant afford to pay you £1800.. So it cant be random!!!!!!! the machine only ALLOWS you to win when it decides to. But i guess even though you worked that out, it wont stop you playing. Because lets face it... its not about the money really is it! And its not the bookies fault tbh. As much as i hate them. Its the destructive compulsive gambler within you.
The good news is you can win mate.
'The greatest gambling win I will ever have, is to learn I can never win gambling'
All the best
Kyle
Hello KRS
Thank you for taking the time to write on this thread and everything you have said is true I know the machines arent random but yet I still play them over and over again. Even if I win a hundred pound or so the next day I still want to go and win more and the next day and so on until I lose it all and extra I am just greedy lol. I know its hard and I havent been since Friday even though I have money on me to gamble and I have an "itch" as I like to say to go and gamble but im on this site now and this is helping me not to gamble at present.
I also like your motto at the bottom of your message as it is true the bookies always win!
good stuff. well done mate
get a diary sorted and post on it as much as you can. Wrire everything dow. good and bad. i have learnt so much about myself from reading my old posts. i could even tell when i was going to relapse.
You can beat this. Im 17 months without gambling. And i feel great. some of my posts from years ago are practically suicidal, and yet .. here i am.
Be honest with yourself. we CG's are so brilliant at lying we can almost convince ourselves of our own lies. one day at a time. dont be afraid of a slip. if it happens... learn from it. its a long process. main thing is you came here because the core of yourself wants to stop. CG is like a cancer it eats away at you. sometimes you dont recognise yourself. you lose control. be mindful of decisions you make that you convince yourself are for the best. its almost like you are schizophrenic. sometimes i would make a decision that i knew was going to lead me to slip up... but convincing myself it was for the best. crazy
well good luck my friend. one day at a time. learn your triggers and your moods. stopping gambling leaves a big hole. you need to fill that hole with other things. wonderful, rewarding, exciting other things. it will be so much better. have a goal... work to it. you will be amazed what you can achieve
all the best
Kyle
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