Was doing so well

Harryh123 you are 100% correct there and thanks for taking the time to comment.

It will be nice to have money again and not have to lie about my every move

Here's to positive times

Hi Kev,

I struggled for 20 years to stop gambling, including stopping for several months, several times.

In the end I realised that willpower wasn't enough, so decided to put as many blocks in place.

It seems strange, but actually depressing oneself straightaway can be a strange, but good idea. For me it was a good spur on was to look at how much I was spending gambling each month and how much I was spending in general each month. It really motivated me, in to how much I could save by stopping.

Even if it is offline gambling, I'm pretty sure you would remember how much, on your last five - ten session. Looking at cash withdrawals on bank statements would help. I got as many blocks into place as possible, some embarrassing like having to give my mum my bank cards, some simple measures, like closing down online acccounts.

Online or even offline spending, the best thing you can do, is to get a savings account that doesn't allow instance withdrawal and therefore doesn't have an ATM card. If you have money to gamble, you have money to save. Each month immediately you get paid, put cash in the savings.

At first you'll be cautious, because you'll expect to need more money than you do, but as time goes on the amount will up, because you'll realise you have more spare money than you thought. Strangely that could even be, because you still gamble, or hopefully, it'll be because you've started to really budget.

It's not easy, but putting in restrictions and complete blocks, is half the battle won.

Very true iv been playing roulette in the bookies for 8 years lost easy £50k never stop ed before longer than 2 days. But stoped for 8 days then it got to me and lost my wages in 1 hour.

Gutted. And it felt so bad restrictions are in place now self exclusion. Online and all the shops giving it the best possible chance.

Forget all this losing money and start winning by not going.

Good luck to you all

I'm going to try to stop gambling as my 2016 New Years resolution, I've already self excluded myself from pretty much every online site. But I could do with advice on self exclusion from the local bookies, has anyone tried this, how successful is it? I cyncially feel it would be nigh on impossible to enforce, even if they actually wanted to?

It took me 4 hours to get round them all. Take plenty of photos with you because the bookies want two photos. And if your doing the bookies do the cashino aswell.

Make sure all the staff see you and you can't go in there. Plus if you do and get seen you look a fool.

Make sure you go to the ones that are a bit of a drive aswell so you can't just nip to one near you.

It's long but worth it. I gamble at the bookies and stoped so went online now I'm excluded form the lot.

Gives you a better chance of stoping if you can't go anywhere.

Hope that helps good luck

Barry Chuckle wrote:

I'm going to try to stop gambling as my 2016 New Years resolution, I've already self excluded myself from pretty much every online site. But I could do with advice on self exclusion from the local bookies, has anyone tried this, how successful is it? I cyncially feel it would be nigh on impossible to enforce, even if they actually wanted to?

Its an interesting point and I think it relies on whether you ever think you would try and sneak in or find somewhere else.

For me I had a history of visiting one arcade then in June that expanded to include three bookies. I would spread my losses around them under the misguided and ridiculous feeling that at least each one was getting less. Still the same disasterous total for me though

After 10 months of thinking willpower could do it, I finally self excluded from all the places I have ever gambled. It was a great day like I was doing something worthwhile for once.

I rely on casual anonymity so I couldnt relax under a ban or get paid any winnings so I wouldnt break the exclusion. I feel the shame of even trying the door would be too great and it will draw a line under it. I would look a complete fool and total loser which is a key point. I also saw as many staff as possible in the arcade and said Im.... and make sure you escort me out if you ever see me. I handed the forms in and the £5 on photographs was the best money I have spent in ages

I may even mention it in the cheap pub I rarely drink in...infact I will when i go in...Im not letting these people put machines around the place without mentioning that I am not to use them

You should do it starting tomorrow. Its simple and I spent months thinking it was embarrassing. I should have done it last February and I would have had £1500 to spend on my online purchases and my rent would be up to date now. I cant dwell on that because it hurts.

Dont worry about how they enforce it. Go in and say please do not let me gamble in here again. You will feel a great sense of relief

Barry Chuckle wrote:

I'm going to try to stop gambling as my 2016 New Years resolution, I've already self excluded myself from pretty much every online site. But I could do with advice on self exclusion from the local bookies, has anyone tried this, how successful is it? I cyncially feel it would be nigh on impossible to enforce, even if they actually wanted to?

Barry from experience of GA meetings I know of many people who have tried self exclusion in the bookies but with no joy as staff change and are some don't really care. However, there are some shops that will help you so please don't see that comment as all negative.....you can but try.

However, and you might not like hearing this but just don't go into a bookie any more. If you want to stop you will. Consider a betting shop as a place that causes you stress and upset and pain so just stay away. I'm not being flippant here so please don't think I am, I've been there but if you set yourself a daily target of staying out of a bookmakers the feeling of actually being in one will eventually go away

Good luck with everything

Wow so much useful advice from you all, thank you.

I've always stopped things I shouldn't be doing in the past by wanting to stop, whilst I was having weekly counselling I stopped for over 6 months because of the reporting back each time.

Self exclusion is something we discussed with the counceller but not implemented. I only have one live account on line that has a £5 limit that I haven't upped in 2 years and don't really use. At one stage I think I was up to 12-15 accounts online!

Hello,

If you're committed to stopping gambling, why do you need that account?

And if using one account led to opening fifteen plus accounts previously, why won't it again?

CW

Thanks again for all your help, think I'm just going to use will power to avoid the bookies. Perhaps its cynism, but I agree many of the staff who work in bookies either don't care or want any confrontation. Also have you noticed that FOBT's are usually right next to the door, perhaps to 'allow' people to use them un-noticed? Also I do know a few people who've worked in these places and they have sales targets to fulfil.......

"The excitment of hitting a single number with £5 on is just too much"

You might want to consider why this is giving you such excitement. It's probably because other aspects of your life are unfulfilling and that you are disconnected from your life. I know that sounds harsh and that I don't intend offence. And I bet it applies to every gambler, and applied to myself.

Water can taste like the sweatest liquid ever if you're really thirsty. Appreciation of anything is relative. On a more scientific level - you are getting dopamine hits when you gamble which you are not getting elsewhere. Yummee, I'll have some more of that.

How can you raise the quality of your life so that you don't rely on the hit of gambling? Are you living the life you want to lead? Is there anything you've always wanted to do but somehow talked yourself out of doing? Did you want to join a band, write a book, start a football team, join a choir, volunteer, do an evening class, start a family, get good at cooking, ask a certain girl on a date, arrange a weekend away with your mates, just randomly take yourself off on to a train somewhere and explore a new place?

Obviously, you must focus directly on the quitting aspect through barriers etc. But re-connecting with your life in other areas is the most effective long term barrier IMHO

Best wishes
Louis

Barry Chuckle wrote:

Thanks again for all your help, think I'm just going to use will power to avoid the bookies. Perhaps its cynism, but I agree many of the staff who work in bookies either don't care or want any confrontation. Also have you noticed that FOBT's are usually right next to the door, perhaps to 'allow' people to use them un-noticed? Also I do know a few people who've worked in these places and they have sales targets to fulfil.......

And you would be making a great mistake. You are not ready to stop gambling and you are using all the excuses I had.

An exclusion gets you back in the land of the living. There is no confrontation needed. You simply walk in with some pride and say I really cant be and dont want to be gambling here. You would be the only clever person in there.

It doesnt matter what they think about losing a customer and it doesnt matter where the machines are. You wont guarantee to be able to cash any winnings anyway. Are you seriously going to sneak around in there when you have self excluded?

Theres no shame. A compulsive gambler cant stop and youve been ignoring the odds. Ive seen them all this year and its tragedy to see addicts. One woman said she had just blown £400 like it was just one of those things that happens...its scary to see

You are reading too much into it. The onus is obviously with you not to try and break the exclusion. Would you risk looking an utter fool and an addict. You have all the fears and excuses. I fear you will lose much more because you are not ready to put the correct measures in place.

Very true. Block the lot off them