How much have you lost gambling?

I would say around 30k in 5 years currently owe and paying back around 12k 🙁

My family, the trust of people and my self-respect it took me about 20 years to eventually loss all this. I am in debt to the few who stuck by me and those who helped my get through each day.

When I finally stopped I was 16.5k in debt (currently 9k outstanding) but I'd say I've lost easily double that over the years gambling.

I lost my fiancГ©e as well although there were numerous factors on both sides of which my gambling played a part (I'll add my gambling got totally out of control like never before after the breakup)

I lost all value of money. At one stage I thought I was losing my mind also

Total of 18.5k over 3.5 years of gambling. I did not have savings. I never gambled before in my life....This was credit cards and overdraft money. Currently i owe 16.5k.

Hi myfreedom,

A topic which will resonate with many on the forum I'm sure, it can be good to acknowledge what's been lost, if that helps you to acknowledge the loss and move on. But perhaps also remember that however much the loss, if it's a problem then it's a problem.

Often it can be the non-monetary losses that are the worse type of loss for people anyway, such as loss of relationships and trust.

Best wishes

Forum admin.

Yes Its a question that must be faced when you are strong enough to do it

When talking it through its a good idea to write the figure down. It may be a near approximation as I was deluding myself for years what I was actually chucking away. Even properly adding up just a few sessions should have scared me into realising how fast it was actually mounting.

I(the addiction) was a master of self delusion and the real figure could be as much as four times higher than I was trying to believe when riding my losses. Its like having two people in the same body and just cant believe I did it now

Over 25 years its been up to several thousand per year with a few years off not through any real control. Even when on the dole I gambled nearly £3000 in one year which is a huge percentage of the money paid to me and even more crucial to live on.

Lets be blunt about this because people recognise monetary terms. Thats a crazy addicted amount of money when I would also wonder if I could afford a £15 kettle or a £40 bike wheel. Im still wondering if I can afford things now which that money would have bought years ago. I cant avoid that thought but Ive learnt to calmly shelve it and let it go. I will mention it here though

Ok Im still here and I have put the money behind me with thought processes, time and healing. Im not going to bury my head in the sand about it because its a clear indication of what gambling is really all about.

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

Owe 48k in debt from gambling..yet still manage to bet the odd 300 each month which i cant afford. Help!

Over 30 years I've probably lost in excess of 120k, might be less but could be a lot more, cant remember. Debts currenty around 4k, zero income atm, it's going to be a problem. Context, since January 2015 I've had 3 laspes and played fruit machines, lost around £100, that's not too bad, all things considered.

Wouldn't really have a clue of the financial cost. ...and without sounding flippant or flash...I'm not bothered. ...it's gone. ..
Hours..weeks...months..years...
That's a different matter...
Excuses made for my absences..in person...and in mind....countless times when I should have been with family and friends instead of sat at my laptop with my supposidly best mate...online slots !
The money in our lives will always come and go...
The time lost with family and friends has sadley passed....and can never be replaced. ..
I've accepted that....painfull as it was...but its given me the strength to fight to never loose any more precious time ..

Yup, same here...Losses are all relative & I don’t think it’s entirely healthy to be reading that some people have only lost minimal amounts compared to others because I’m sure that is the sort of thing I would have lapped up when trying to consider whether I had a problem. Although I was somewhat relieved to know that I wasn’t the only daft fool spending money I could ill afford. All those years of throwing money @ it, I was losing time & as hard as the financial loss is, I have to face that somewhere along the line, I lost me! My biggest debt is to myself & because I’ve been cruising along in oblivion for so long, figuring out how to pay that back takes more than a bit (reads loads) of extra overtime!

Some great points above. Whilst the money is enivatably the thing you focus in the most, it's the other stuff that really counts. Personally I was sick (and still am sick) of my mental and physical well-being as a consequence - the lack of sleep, constant headaches and stomach aches, the self hate, the sweating whilst gambling and then some.

Whilst I lost the entirety of my savings which will take me years upon years to get back through my lowly salary, savings were just that. They were a number in the bank which I wasn't planning on using at at any point in the near future - a rainy day if you like.

That's not to say its any easier of course to kiss goodbye the money, but your health and wellbeing is something we too often neglect

I have debts which have continued to accumalte & grow over the past 18 years. The financial implications of the gambling have long been an excuse on why i have continued or returned to gamble. I have had numerous counselling, hypnotherapy & support but have always fell back onto the same filthy curb.

But when i consider what i have really lost the money is nothing. I lost my marriage, the opportunity to wake up with my daughter every day and experience and share all the wonderful new things that she sees in her young life. I still see her 50% of the week but im a devoted father who lives for my little girl.

I often wonder why i always return to the one thing that has been so destructive, & made me so miserable in my life but that is addiction all over.

I have picked myself up so many times but this time feels different. This time i feel inspired. This time im going to conquer this demon once and for all!!

Day 1 of the rest of my life complete 🙂

I have debts totalling 10k it’s not just the money aspect it’s self respect also. I think we would all agree you get that buzz when the odd win comes and and then it’s the sick feeling in your stomach also when your chasing your losses. This year I decided to self exclude and to tell my fiancГ© of my gambling problems so I can address my gambling issues and sort my debt out. I’m in a good job, well paid although I look back and instead of enjoying holidays and luxuries in life I’m paying debt off. Although I have self excluded online I admit I have had the urge to go back into a casino although now I have decided to hand my finances to my fiancГ© to manage. I’ve been gamble free since 23/10/17 I know it’s goigg to be a hard task to kick the habit buti must do it.

Financially lost at least £50,000 but gamblers lose a lot more than just money.