Self excluded, but allowed to gamble

Hello AK171528,

Please call us on our freephone or netline if you'd like to talk with us about your experience in more detail.

If you haven't already, you might like to register with GamStop. 0800 138 6518 is the freephone for GamStop, the national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, they're available 8am to midnight, 7 days a week.

https://www.gamstop.co.uk/contact-us

As GamStop covers most but not all gambling companies, it can help to have an additional layer of protection in the form of blocking software on the devices you use to go online, so that your browser blocks you from opening gambling website pages:

https://www.gamcare.org.uk/self-help/blocking-software/

You could also ask your bank to block gambling transactions from your bank account.

If practical measures like these are insufficient, please consider using our treatment services to support your recovery.  A weekly appointment might help you to achieve and sustain more resolve and focus, if you have found that your motivation is slipping at times.

If you are looking for consumer advice or legal advice, some of our forum members have used Citizens Advice to find out about local law centres that can offer free advice.  

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/

Take care,

Adam.

Hi there!

I can relate to what you're saying completely. I always had Gamban installed on my devises but the moment this lockdown kicked in i signed up to Gamstop too for double protection while im indoors. I have since relapsed and found an offshore casino to give all my money to instead 😛 which ive now informed Gamban of to which they've now added the site to the blocking software. My 2 cents to you would be that if you won tonight and the gamble paid off you would be buzzing wouldn't you?, and there would be no way you would be wanting to take these casinos to court for anything you would just want your winnings, am i right?. 

It's difficult but you just have to own up to it. You have to treat it as a lesson learned and try be better every morning to who you were yesterday. Dont get me wrong im not defending the bookies by any stretch as the worst ones are crooked as hell. But taking them to court for duty of care because the bet didn't pay off tonight isn't the way forward. Hold your head up high, you've made a really healthy first step signing up and posting here. Have your next steps be signing up to Gamstop. Be honest with them and tell them all your e-mail address and all your home addresses and anything that could tie you to any accounts. I also recommend Gamstop for a double layer of protection.

Keep your chin up youre doing amazing.

Best wishes

C

You should start by focusing on yourself now. Persuing rights or wrongs by bookies is both messy and time-consuming. You need to focus on you. What do you need ( except for money) to feel better? Use the hotline the admin gave you. You will be amazed by what a good chat can do to make you feel better.

Thanks for your replies everyone. Yes, I hear you. Take responsibility. That's the problem with addiction, for me definitely - the immaturity of my actions and passing the blame. I've been trying to stop gambling since I was around 28 years old. 20 years on, still trying to stop.

To answer your question, if you self excluded and then re-registered with the exact same details, name, same email and so on then potentially with a lot of effort you could prove a lack of duty of care, but if you set up another email address, for example, to skirt the exemption, then there is no chance of prosecution as you have deliberately circumvented the exemption to play and that is on you, not them.

Great news though, you're on here now and been told about Gamstop and Gamban so there's a good chance you can get some proper blocks in place.

Good luck.

Chris.

Hi Chris. Thanks for reply.  Definitely new email (to bypass the self exclusion?), but my name, address, dob, etc all same. Surely they need to check against names and dobs, rather than just an email?

The fact that you tried to get around the system puts this on you. There are a lot of people with the same name and dob but your email is unique and that's what is initially checked. I'm sure potentially over time the casino's algorithms may have picked you up but I think you have to put it down to an expensive lesson.

I've tried to find get out clauses myself when I've been desperate but they've never worked for me or for the better. Just try to see this as your starting point again.

All the best

Chris.

I agree it's on me.

I'm currently asking the question of liability on bookmakers part. I'll keep you posted.

I'll recommend they check all details in the future. Will help others (and myself no doubt).

Hi AK and welcome.

You will get the truth here. The gambling dens are no angels and they are not blame free but you have to take responsibility and stop gambling.

I say to everyone that gamstop style blocks and exclusions are not enough on their own. This is an addiction that has you in its power. Its in your bones...it laughs at half hearted attempts and casual willpower.

If you want this to stop you need a born again moment. You need to tell people close and restrict your access to money, location and time. The money aspect will do it if done properly but people are so scared of facing that they have no control of their own mind when it comes to gambling.

That should scare you along with the money lost into getting some proper help. I would put you on a sandwich allowance and you would be bringing me receipts. Its not about treating you like a baby...its truly caring enough to save your life!

Its a drug addiction. They are the pushers. You can complain if you like and see where it gets you. However you are on shaky ground and have little in the way of righteous indignation to rely on. If they do pay back it will be because they are scared of the regulators pulling their licence. They dont give a monkeys about you.

This is just another messy symptom of your addiction. 

I state again that gambling is not an income scheme and its not the answer to your feelings during lockdown.

Im going to lose my job and will have to retrain. However smoking drinking and gambling to escape my feelings will actually do nothing about the overall situation but harm me. As an addict gambling is highly dangerous to you and you need help.

I would spend some time building yourself up to a born again moment where you reach out for all the help you can get.

You have allowed these gambling dens into your home and you need to start seeing them as the enemy they are. I repeat that gamstop is not enough. Self exclusions are not enough. They are not foolproof methods of stopping You have already shown that you will just steer around them.

When your foundations are in place and you have told your partner or your parents, resticted access to your own money...then you can add gamstop and exclusions to the list to back it all up.

Far too many people are just signing up to blocking software without building the strong foundations to fight an addiction

Its the people that sound tough that you will thank most when you are in a proper recovery.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Yh, I done the same thing lost £1600 in last 24 hours. I’ve banned myself from all online casinos. But used someone else’s account. Like everyone has mentioned, had I won - I would be standing tall. 

I was doing so well 12 months ago, being clean. For at least -two years. Started a business- paying off debts gradually, buying nice things . Now I’m back in debt and just in a rut. I just need to make a new plan a set new goals and finally knock this on the head.