Monday/Tuesday this week was probably the lowest point in my life.
Late last year I knew I had a problem, so I signed up with Gamstop. I partially stopped for 6 months, the odd accumulator here and there in the shop in the village however I stayed off the slots, which is where the problem lies.
However, about 3/4 months ago my partner let me put the odd accumulator on her betting account and I registered my card on there, and I’d keep myself logged in every time she let me put a bet on. Back came the slots, and I struggled to stop. I’d binge for maybe 3/4 days at a time, then log out when I’d either spent too much or won. This continued, until this Monday she got an email from the betting company checking if everything was ok as there was some unusual activity in her account. I’d hidden this from her, and it all came out... She’d found everything. The actual numbers that I’d deposited etc aren’t huge and it was always within my means, however I’d been lying to everyone saying I hadn’t been gambling, yet the 17,000 transactions on slots said otherwise.
I told my partner, my parents on the Tuesday that I’ve got a problem, and it was a huge weight off my shoulders. We went through my red flags, what to avoid etc, and I’m now 7 days gambling free with no urges to gamble. The problem was I was keeping myself in the gambling loop by putting football bets on, which gave me the craving of needing to win, hence why I started on the slots again.
Ive got far too much to lose to start gambling again, and as I’ve put in the title above, this is the first week of the rest of my life.
It’s a journey that I’m actually looking forward to, being able to save money that I have left over every month, not spending it on gambling!
Hi WinterSpen,
Well done for posting on the forum just thought I would check in with you and see how things are going.
Do let us know and don't forget you are welcome to speak to an adviser on our helpline either via the netline or by calling our free phone number 0808 8020 133. We are available 24/7.
We also run chatrooms twice a day where you can talk to other members of the forum and get peer support.
All the best
Forum Admin.
I’m doing really well thank you. I haven’t gambled in 2 weeks now, and I’m still not getting the urge to do so.
I’m avoiding all of my red flagS, and it seems to be doing the trick. To be honest, reminding myself of the reasons I’m doing this and remembering how I felt when it all came out is the thing that’s keeping me going. I don’t want that feeling again, and I’m already seeing the benefits with the money that I’m saving.
I’m sure the urges will come, but I’m determined to stay on track.
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.
