Hello,
This is my first post.
I am a 20 something man, and I think I have today accepted that I have a problem with gambling. I have had several stints with gambling and gamstopped for 6 months a couple of times. A couple of weeks ago I thought I was ok and removed the gamstop ban (mainly so I could have a Saturday football bet) but today my obsession took hold again, online slots.
I was home alone, bored, and for some stupid reason I decided to just deposit £50 to have a bash on the slots. Well that £50 lasted 2 minutes and needless to say I was chasing from there. I ended the session -£2k. Which for me, is a substantial amount and the most I have ever lost.
It was as if I couldn’t stop, but I eventually did, in tears. When my partner got home I couldn’t bring myself to tell her, not when she was so excited for new flooring (which is what the £2k was saved for).
The day went on, and eventually in bed, I had to tell her, it immediately felt like a light relief, I cried, she cried, but ultimately accepted what I had done.
I think now I have to accept I have a problem and need help. I haven’t gamstopped yet as I do enjoy a weekly £10 bet on the football which I can afford. But I think it may be the only way forward.
I’m not sure what I’m looking for by posting this, but i felt like I just needed to type it somewhere. I know to many this will seem small and insignificant but to me it’s massive. I still have ‘that’ feeling in my gut and not sure when it will pass, but reading some other posts on here has helped.
Cheers and thank you for listening
Dear @unawaretiger,
I am so glad that you have written this; it sounds like you’re struggling at the moment with your decision on how to move forward but please know that you are not alone and there is a lot of advice, and more importantly support, available to you.
You have made a really positive step today just by reaching out. As I am sure you will find, the Forum is a welcoming and supportive space which allows you to talk to others who may also be experiencing similar issues to yourself.
I would encourage you to contact the helpline on 0808 8020 133 or via our live chat available from the website https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/ both of which are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and where one of our advisers will be able to talk, for as long as you need, and look at all the support available to you.
Wishing you all the very best,
Jo
Forum Admin
Hi.
Look at gambling like building a wall. For every brick and mortar, you lay the taller and higher and more solid that wall will become. That's it. So the advice is to stop building the wall. Change the cries to smiles. Save money buy the floor instead of wondering how to get the money together. There are no good alternatives. Even if you did win a fortune you would be using that on more bricks and mortar to build more wall and believe me this wall you can leave all together. Build something else.
Best
C
yea i got caught in exactly the same situation about a fortnight ago and rinsed about £350 over the course of a weekend
i was fortunate i had a real bad run of luck and i got bored of losing and managed to snap myself out of the trance or it could have been hell of a lot worse
lockdown boredom and compulsive gambling is an absolutely lethal combination
fortunately the weather has began to turn and we can get out a little more
get the gamban mate
Thanks for the advice, I feel like today is as good as any to move on, I have Gamstopped and have already planned on ways to make back the money (odd jobs etc). For me I hope it was a blessing in disguise, that has made me realise gambling is a losers game.
I don’t think having a £10 per week flutter is really helping matters, that’s like a smoker having just one f*g a day or a drinker having a sip from the whiskey bottle.
If you have acknowledged there is a problem and have used GamStop in the past then why do you think having a £10 per week bet is gonna help? The betting account will still be open and the opportunity to gamble is present.
I know how you must be feeling and you’re no doubt feeling ashamed, embarrassed, disappointed etc because you just blown £2k but once those feelings pass when will you again deposit £10, £50, £100... chasing the loss.
You clearly give the impression there is a problem, I would advise getting GamStop and blocking your cards from gambling transactions.
If you think that you have a problem with gambling, do you think that it is a financial problem or it is more than that?
Whatever you say, if you have a problem, eventually it doesn't matter about the money, it becomes about you. If it is about you, then why would you keep feeding something for £10 a week that ultimately will drag you down to a level you can't even comprehend yet. Think it was bad having to tell your partner you had lost the floor money? Imagine that weekly. Imagine no food? Imagine having no money for food for your children? Imagine your partner walking out after years of pain because what kind of a life is this because you think you'll be okay with a £10 saturday football bet?
Do you think your life would be any worse by not betting? Maybe try it, because gambling will never go away, so try it and if it's not for you, gambling will be waiting.
Find a GA group or go on the chat rooms here or just read some of the other posts about people who tried to do what you're suggesting.
I promise you it doesn't work. Close those accounts, resign up to Gamstop, get some help, have a happy life. Or don't.
Chris.
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