Hi everyone, I’m 38 and have been gambling since I was 15-16, it all started when I went down to the fair/arcade with my mates playing on the the machines in an arcade down the fair ground, 1p, 2p, 5p then 10p, I was young I enjoyed it, I was doing that for a couple years then I started to work in a bar when I was 18 and then I started playing the machines in there 25p stake for a 35 quid jackpot, then i started to play the 50p stake, I was living at home paying my dad 20 quid board and most of it went on gambling, it was weekly pay and I was skint within the first couple days after being paid, this went on until I was 30 until I got a new job and I was getting paid monthly, then I started doing the same thing, I had moved out of home and moved into a flat with my now wife, I paid the bills that needed to be paid then with all the spare money, u can all guess I spent most of it on gambling and was skint within a couple days and I had no money for the rest of the month, my mates used to keep asking me to do stuff and I had to borrow off people to be able to go out, it was a never ending cycle, this has happened to this current day, I have done all the gambling that there is to do, fruit machines, horses, virtual horses, the dogs, betting shop machines and most recently online roulette, slots, game shows, my circumstances could be about to change so I need to stop, the only good thing is that I’m not in any debt, no overdraft, loans etc, I feel sad thinking about all the money I could of had if I hadn’t of gambled for so long ( I’m guessing it’s in the thousands and thousands) I but I need to forget about the past and focus on the future, has anyone else been in a similar situation? I have kept this bottled up to myself all this time, only my wife knows about this, I feel as if it would help me if I talked to people who have the same problems
positive thoughts 😊
Hi hodgy
sounds very similar to my life .. I started on the slots when I was 15 . Used to put all my wages in almost every week when I was 16.. the feeling you feel when you’ve worked all week and u have just put it in the slots , u feel stupid and the feeling of despair.. then it was the horses, spending way too much.. I’m now in my 50,s and realising it’s not just about the money it’s also about how u feel. U are disconnected from the real world when u are gambling.. if I go to bookies in the morning and put a horse racing lucky 15 on . All I will be thinking about all day is .. the bet .. and when it loses I will feel depressed and stupid.. my day is ruined.. if I don’t put a bet on I have a clear mind.. so now I’m hoping to ditch the gambling and focus on the future.. have goals .. reach goals…..choose life
Hi hodgy
sounds very similar to my life .. I started on the slots when I was 15 . Used to put all my wages in almost every week when I was 16.. the feeling you feel when you’ve worked all week and u have just put it in the slots , u feel stupid and the feeling of despair.. then it was the horses, spending way too much.. I’m now in my 50,s and realising it’s not just about the money it’s also about how u feel. U are disconnected from the real world when u are gambling.. if I go to bookies in the morning and put a horse racing lucky 15 on . All I will be thinking about all day is .. the bet .. and when it loses I will feel depressed and stupid.. my day is ruined.. if I don’t put a bet on I have a clear mind.. so now I’m hoping to ditch the gambling and focus on the future.. have goals .. reach goals…..choose life
Hello Hodgy
Thank you for coming forward with your story
There are lots of support available to help you stop gambling online including Gamstop, the UK's online self-exclusion service and Gamban, blocking software that will prevent gambling sites and apps getting on your phone.
There is also practical support for the families of people who gamble including Gam-Anon
You can also phone our helpline and speak to an advisor, we are open 24 hours a day seven days a week
Thank you again for your candour and continue to strive for a gambling free life
Take care
Forum Admin
@h9z7p2ioj8 thanks for your reply, I feel exactly how u do, it’s gets me down, I put this post on Saturday morning and by Saturday afternoon I was meeting people for a few drinks and walked past an arcade and I thought I would just put 10 pound in and that’s it but I ended up spending 100, I was so annoyed with myself and it put is on a bit of a downer, I have opened up now to my best mate and she’s going to try help me too, I will get there it will just take time, hope you get where you need to be too 😊😊
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