I spent pretty much all day today learning about addiction. I've finally self excluded from my only way into gambling (for me anyway). The last betting exchange I had an account with as laying football scores was all I did, simply not interested in any other form of gambling. I learned a lot today and took comfort in knowing I'm not alone. What really gets me though is the thought that there will be a percentage of people growing up today that will become hooked on gambling. It's sad that more is not done to make people aware of the dangers. Maybe an impossible task?
I wonder what the actual percentage of problem gamblers there are. Alot of people don't admit to themselves that they have an issue. It's so easy these days to become addicted. The amount of tv adds, new account offers etc.
I obviously have a biased view, but I think GA is one of the worst addictions, due to the fact that there is no obvious signs to friends or family. For alcoholics, drug abusers, problem eaters etc, there are clear signs of addiction. Friends and family can obviously see when there is a problem or when they have fallen off the wagon. With a gambling addiction, so many addicts suffer in silent, or only tell one person. And sometimes it can be too late, before something really bad happens.
Hi Tim
I think it will be higher than the official figures suggest. I hid my addiction for 3 years. In all that time I was losing money hand over fist. I agree, there can be no signs other than looking tired 24/7. No one is immune either, it's not as if intelligent people are immune. I genuinely feel sad for others right now. I'm slowly picking myself up after another relapse. I watched a couple of I tube videos yesterday from a guy who's been clean 9 years. That guy taught me that addiction really is for life. No matter how cured you think you are, you aren't. Got to keep the guard up always.
Gambling addiction has become an epidemic in my opinion. The gambling industry itself is there to make profits at the end of the day and it's up to them to find ways to entice and keep problem gamblers playing. The figures aren't a true reflection of the scale of the problem, i.e. including Annie from down the road who plays the lottery once a week in the same statistics as John who bets on women's under 19 volleyball in India is a bit silly. There are so many 'undiagnosed' or secret problem gamblers out there also. The glamorisation of gambling is a bit sickening, dressing it up to be just a bit of fun. The adverts during football matches - kids are seeing them for goodness sake! It gets them acclimatised to the idea of gambling at an early age. Then you have the bingo and casino adverts during the daytime targeted at the stay-at-home parents (usually mothers) creating problem gamblers that otherwise never would have been. You also have the now infamous FOBT's which are nothing but moneyboxes for the bookies. I could go on and on. The industry would dispute these things and defend themselves to the hilt of course which is their right but it's time our government looked past the £££££ they receive in taxes and did something before it's too late. Maybe it already is.
If it wasn't for online gambling being so freely available I don't think I'd have ever had a gambling problem. I have no interest in bookies whatsoever. But the ability to privately, right from your mobile phone, bet on pretty much anything without seeing the physical cash disappear is very dangerous. Of course there are those that like the convenience of it all and can leave it alone when they feel like it, but for those who get hit with that buzz that's like no other feeling, it's a hook into a life of what can be hell.
If only there was a compulsory test when signing up that told you 'your personality is xyz type, there is a high risk you could become addicted'.
Hi guys,
I'm like you Tom. If there was no such thing as online gambling I doubt I would be in the position I am now. It's so easy nowadays. And the fact that they accept credit cards as a form of payment is disgusting.
My boys are both under 10 but both love watching football on the TV just like me. But I'm thinking of cancelling my sports package with Sky as everytime you switch on Ray Winstone appears making gambling look glamorous. I've actually heard one of my boys saying to the other that its a way of making money. We had a long chat after that.
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