Limit how much you spend

Hey Smiler - I guess I'd never thought of it that way.......it's almost an admission of "we know you're going to lose, but let's just try to help you prolong the agony".

I've never thought that there is any form of social responsibility with bookmakers, but this new code within the industry that is proclaimed to be a huge step to "supporting the very small minority of people who develop a problem" is such a lame attempt at appeasing a weak government - who will inevitably lay off them for another year or so as a result.

Hope you're doing OK mate - I read your posts often - they always make sense!

Take care,

Mr Brightside

I saw this too Smiler from the top of a bus as we passed a well-known high street betting shop. I think my fellow passengers must have heard me muttering to myself. Their claim "supporting the very small minority of people who develop a problem" made me smirk. Oh yes? I'd like to know where they get their statistics from!

Bearing in mind how difficult it is to admit you have a problem, I wonder how many people in a survey would answer truthfully? We all think we are in control for a while until BANG! I'd be interested to know how many people make a profit, bank it and never go back to lose their money again..... 'a small minority' methinks.

Well said smiler! It's an interesting thought but I know myself I said over and over tonight I'm only going to spend x amount - usually £50 which I see now as a stupid amount of money to waste - but then my initial deposit would be gone and I'd carry on playing until I'd wasted hundreds.

I like the idea of 'limit what you spend' but in reality (for a cg anyway) I think this is impossible. DO NOT ENTER is a far better phrase!!

I know for me, I can walk in to a restaurant with fifty quid for an night out and spend just that. I can walk into a shop for a new gadget or gift; ditto. Walk into the bookies or casino and I won't come up for air. I thought I had squeaked through a social episode that involved gambling last week where I genuinely only spent thirty then obsessed about it for two days and fell off the wagon anyway. If we bet we lose. Do not enter is the only way to go.

I don't think I have even seen a sign like that in a bookies here in Ireland. If I did it would make me laugh, they know exactly what they are doing and are happy to just keep taking your money, if an alcoholic is in a bar and has had enough the bar man will refuse to serve them would never see that in a bookies if you have lost a few hundred in a day they will happily take the rest off you as well

Know personally there has been so many times I have been betting online and lost and have actually logged out of my account but the hope of that 1 big win lingers in my mind and il log back on later that night and try win it all back but just end up losing more

Slowly the bookies are admitting that they entertain people with a weakness for their product. Unfortunately it is allowed to continue. I guess it is the individual's responsibility to limit their loses. As stated here I chose to not bother as I like my money in my pocket. Time after time I have gone from one bookies to the next so the cashier cannot see my pain. A real insanity if ever there was one. It is a form of entertainment but as a CG I cannot stop!

I think the bookies & casino operators are peddling far more than entertainment; they're pushing a highly addictive activity which has drug-like effects. They know full well by looking at customers' (users) accounts that they have problems, but many addicted gamblers do not self-exclude themselves or limit their deposits knowing that if they do the substance (gambling) will be curtailed, & that's the last thing they want even though it's actually the best thing for them.

Best thing for anyone is not to gamble at all, there are far better things to do with money (which is often borrowed money) than to waste it in a rigged roulette machine.