MAKE THE BOOKIES SUFFER

Loxxie wrote: ""A gambler is a person who contributes nothing to society "" How f*****g dare you insinuate that I ...as a gambler ( not for nearly 5 mnths ) contribute nothing to society I run my own pub...work a second job...am now open honest and caring to all who I meet in what ever walk I take....I assist people when and if I can...however I can....so don't you dare come on here saying that we are all non contributors because we are gamblers. ...I'm not interested in the other debates on your posting....well maybe will just say that at least the staff employed by the gambling industry are at least working to contribute to society....you are just a ""donkey mole "

A gambler contriutes nothing to society, period.

A person who owns a pub definitely contributes but when you're gambling you're not - I wasn't talking about you or about other people's other jobs or other things they do in their lives, but when a person gambles he contributes nothing to society, that's the truth.

SwordFish wrote:

I have flagged your response to Alan as abusive. You bring nothing to this forum. I suggest you leave

You work for the gambling industry and interested in deleting threads of this kind, you are interested in censoring people who tell you the truth about the industry you work for - that it ruins lives, shattering families and destroying people's lives - there is nothing abusive about revealing this because it's just a fact and that's the real face of gambling.

Don't like it? Fine ... but this is not abusive, so just beat it.

I think what your trying to say then.... is.." gambling contributes nothing to society " !
As in the "act of gambling"
Very different to " the gambler"

Loxxie wrote: I think what your trying to say then.... is.." gambling contributes nothing to society " ! As in the "act of gambling" Very different to " the gambler"

Correct, thanks.

No problem ...
Like I said...I do whatever I can....for whoever I can
I'd even kiss a toad so he could live happy ever after as a handsome Prince... : )

DWG I don't live in the UK (Canada) and not sure what your point is about leaving the UK to escape gambling. We don't have near the number of betting establishments but if there is a will there's a way and from what I have seen in my Gam Anon group there is plenty of "will". Do I wish my son never set foot in a casino at the age of 18... absolutely. Did the gambling industry have anything to do with him becoming an addict... in my opinion absolutely not. He is unfortunately one of the 3-5% of the population that becomes an addicted gambler.

Gambling is a business - entertainment for the more than 90% of the population that can and do enjoy gambling.

Again as I think Alan said

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Hello to everyone on this thread.

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Wow its getting really intense!! Guys we all have very strong opinions lets not get personnel. Bottom line is no one forces someone to lay a bet. Thats ur choice! Some people gamble responsibly others like me its like a tap u start and the handle comes off. I dont blame the bookies it was my choice.

This is good everyone. This is the meat and bones of the debate. Its a good thread because it gets us talking. There is no need for anyone to get offended

I am not alone in my opinion and fully agree with a good few other people on here. DontWantGamblin has put it very well and I fully agree

The statement that nobody forces us keeps coming up. This is a misunderstanding. The temptation is in place...the flashing lights. the casino games, and the advertising in the window of the big win that will almost certainly never happen.

The mere fact that they are there is creating addicts every day. People try it and they get hooked on the process. It stirs something within them because its calculated to be that way. Its designed and calculated to break down control. Thats the whole point. If you walked in with some control it soon gets broken down. When they design a new machine or sports accumulator its a top priority to make it highly addictive

No act of gambling is "responsible". Its about throwing caution to the wind and the feeling that creates. Its all about the risk and the feeling of expectation. Even a pound is a throwaway act given the odds of winning the lottery or the first spin of a machine.

They are selling a dream which is extremely unlikely to happen. Its no wonder people got addicted because its human nature to go wheres my dream then as they keep playing and losing. Its human nature to ignore the odds and focus on what "may" happen. I think there are more people with compulsive and addictive personalities than the figures suggest.

So they dont need to frogmarch us in. They have psychologists and advertising experts to ensure they dont have to do that. Its a complete non argument to say that gamblers have only themselves to blame.

Gambling actually sucks the life out of communities. Im surprised that anyone with a past/present gambling problem would defend the gambling industry in any way.

Some people seem to be saying oh they are ok.... leave them alone because its entirely the fault of naughty gamblers who cant keep control

I disagree.

The priority for any addict on here is addressing his/her own addiction and this has to be given full attention.

Obsessing about the gambling industry is, quite clearly, a form of distraction/avoidance. It's the exact same avoidance behind the act of gambling itself. By focussing on the industry we are not accepting what we are. Focussing on your recovery is the golden rule here.

I repeat focussing on your recovery is the golden rule.

But it's ridiculous to deny the clear evidential link between de-regulation and the mushrooming of problem gambling.

Would those arguing in favour of the present de-regulated gambling industry agree that all drugs should be readily available in high street shops. Because, after all 'we have a choice' and so are masters of our destiny. And, in spite of what the media tells you, taking drugs CAN be fun (and hey, it's often pushing the same stimuli as with gambling). I assume not.

The notion it's purely down to the individual is true on a micro level, when we examine the individual. But it doesn't work on a macro-level, ie when we talk about the government taking big decisions. Like it or not, these big decisions have enormous effects on the population.

Deregulation just allows huge private corporiations to hoover in cash, mostly from poorer people (and syphen it into off-shore accounts to minimise tax). Economically and socially gambling's a massive black hole. Regulation itself is almost a dirty word these days, which is largely because large corporations have made it thus, as regulation gets in the way of profit. Regulation in fact is essential in order to make a better society (eg climate change).

I'm not afraid to say that the gambling industry goes very deeply against all of my values. If I worked in the gambling industry I would be deeply unhappy as I would acting contrary to MY values. I'm not pushing my morals on anyone else. If peope's morals tell them it's ok to work in the industry, fair enough, that's down to the individual. But people who do work in the industry, or who have family and friends working in it, should expect that many people will find the gambling industry morally offensive ... on a website for gambling addicts (of course I disagree with personal abuse)

Louis

I don't think there is any thing wrong with saying you "loath" the gambling industry because I agree to some extent. Athough no-one ever forced me to place that first bet I quickly got sucked in for lots of reasons which I have explained in my diary. I never had a problem with anybody who worked in the bookies I went into regularly apart from one manager who was very sneaky and persuasive when it came to setting up a connect card and online account. When I was going into his shop he was like "Hi Phil! How's things? Fancy a cuppa?" Now I'm self-excluded from his shop and I bump into him in the street he blanks me. However as I have said before one of my best mates is a manager at BF and he has been very supportive since I self-excluded from his shop.

I'm getting the impression that whatever we think of the gambling industry per se most people are trying to emphasise that the forum is to discuss recovery and personal responsibility during that journey. If I broke my leg would I dwell on how it happened or how to go about getting it mended?

Hi half life , I'm not going to debate this thread anymore as I think there's omly so much that can be said from either the Blame / No blame camp but I just wondered as the wife of a CG ? Sorry I don't really know your story as there seems to be no intro page but how does your Husband feel about the industry ? and has he ever used this site during recovery ?, I'm not looking for an argument just interested .

So do I HL but my main interest is in sustained recovery one day at a time. I have found most of the posts interesting mind.

Ok thank's HL , It's just interesting to get a bigger picture sometimes and see what does or doesn't spur someone on , I can also understand his feelings of the past .

Many thanks .................. Alan