hello,
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i'm really sorry if i'm posting in the wrong place or if this is against the rules!
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i'm only 20 years old, i've engaged in occasional gambling since just after i turned 18, but generally only once a month. it was pretty safe to start with. however i feel that in the last 12 months the number of times i've gambled has been increasing. its getting to a point now where i'm starting to lose a little bit of money and i feel a bit out of control.
i used to restrict myself to buying a lottery ticket around once a month, this was fine to start with. then a while back i started buying cheap scratch cards. only infrequently at first and only 1 at a time. but then it turned into 2 at a time, and then 3.
around 2 weeks ago i stayed up late at night i lost around £30. i got my card blocked and i felt super guilty and embarrased. i had to phone the bank the next day to unblock my card.
for about 2 weeks after that i was clean but today i spent another £7.50 on the euros, I almost won quite a lot but i messed up the numbers and lost out. my instinct after just missing out was to enter the same numbers for the next day but instead i've come here.
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i know this doesnt sound so bad but i feel that this is a bit worrying now, i have wanted to stop but i feel like i'm starting to lose control a bit! i'm not really sure what to do or who to contact but i feel really stupid for having to ask this. i was raised to always ask for help when i needed it so i guess this is me doing that now.
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if anyone has any advice on what i should to to stop this from getting worse (and hopefully fix this and quit) please let me know.
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thank you so much!:)
Hi Kat,Â
Welcome to the forum, and thank you for your post.
It sounds like you are experiencing some anxiety in relation to your gambling behaviour, and you are looking to nip any potential problem in the bud, before it becomes more of an issue for you.
If you are looking to protect yourself from online gambling, you could consider registering with GamStop for self-exclusion from online gambling, and using blocking software on your devices, like GamBan. https://community.gamcare.org.uk/forum/welcome-to-the-gamcare-forum/talkbanstop-access-a-free-gamban-license-now-through-the-gamcare-forum/#post-1993231
You could also select settings on your banking App to block payments to gambling sites.
If you are looking to avoid spending on gambling in the hight street, you might like to call us for more information on additional measures, like money management methods. If you are based in Britain, you can call us on our freephone 0808 8020 133, or Live Chat or WhatsApp.
Take care,
Adam.
Definitely put blocks in place. £30 might not seem like much but it's how we all start. I remember stressing about losing £10. Then £100. Then one night I lost £3000. Eventually I lost £25,000 and got into debt. That was all within the space of a year, having never gambled before (and I'm mid 40s).
The more you gamble, you more you'll get numb to losing larger and larger amounts of money, and more and more time.
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You’re not alone in feeling this way—it takes a lot of courage to open up about what's happening. Gambling can be a tough cycle, especially when it starts young, but there’s hope and help out there.
GamCare offers free, confidential support via phone, live chat, WhatsApp, or in the forums right here, whenever you need it. If you want peer support or someone just to listen, Gamblers Anonymous is also a solid option that many of us have turned to.
You’ve taken a big first step by reaching out. It’s okay to ask for help, and you don’t have to face this on your own.
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.
