Hello and thank you for everyone taking the time to read this post.
I first started gambling aged 12 from memory. A fruit machine at a local chip shop! Why on earth a 12 year old was allowed to play the machine I will never know (however it was most likely a source of revenue and actually sets the stage for this post).
I have taken the time to read many different posts and there is one common theme, we all struggle, we are all possibly a bad situation away from falling back into old habits.
There is one thing for sure, nobody asked for this awful addiction but step one is admitting there is a problem. Step two is finding the solution to getting rid of it and to stop lining the pockets of this very immoral and curupt industry.
I rasised my hand in 2012 and told my mum whilst breaking down in tears that I didn't want to gamble anymore. It was a horrible moment but yet did I know far worse would happen in the future. The thing is 7 years ago I decided I didn't want to gamble but the relentless ever available on-line betting platforms and encouraging adverts made it impossible. To make life worse still someone who obviously knew how highly addictive some casino games are replicated them on fixed odds terminals e.g. fruit machines!! Yes, everyone here knows the FOBT is morally wrong !!!!!! I have lost £1000's on what is a fixed machine, preying on vulnerable people and creating addiction as a healthy revenue stream for all involved.
The point is a casino is where all casino games belong!! Not on the high street or on-line. Who ever allowed this to happen!! Seriously it's absolutely disgusting and it's ruined so many lives just to line the pockets of immoral curupt businesses. Some might challenge that.... 4 machines earn £250,000 per annum without the bookmaker lifting a finger !! I doubt the machines are audited or checked regularly (I don't know for sure) but from personal experience I have lost, lost, lost, lost, lost and never actually managed to get in front from the out in my last 30 attempts in various different shops. Essentially all the same, seemingly on there just to take money and make healthy profits at our expense. I mean what can you do after losing £700 in less than an hour ?? Complain ??
So, the question is, why have casinos (that are fixed) been allowed to trade on out high streets? Why was this ever allowed? No controls and until now 2019, no action taken? How very poor is that!!!
On-line casinos? Again many games that are addictive, fixed and designed to create addiction to essentially make obscene profits at our expense. Why not? I mean that's not an issue ... is it??!! Why has this been allowed, it's morally wrong!!
Back in 2014 I wrote to the Gambling Commission (possibly the wrong people) with a multi exclusion idea. One stop shop for all !! ... 5 years later GAM STOP ... which was forever delayed to allow time for on-line companies to make the adjustment (so their business favoured over people's well being) .. just shows how serious the government are taking the issue. Always delays and excuses in favour of the curupt businesses and not us affected by them.
So, I want to see a one stop shop on the high street, on line and land based casinos. If you have a serious problem you sign up and their systems link up to exclude you from all services. Although addiction is similar no matter what the problem, gambling is almost encouraged these days and there is something that can be done to help people. You could easily make it so that people who literally want to stop can actually stop. I have an idea to help us and I'm working on it.
I am trying to start a fresh and I want to help others affected !! I called for help over 10 days ago from Aquarius who helped me before but have heard nothing. I going to do this alone but for me it's probably the best way for me this time. I know what needs to b done in the absence of any real controls over the problem at government and regulatory level!!
There's chatroom Monday with member of parliament 1pm. There's your chance
They might listen but ultimately this issue has been growing in their back garden and they have neglected it. I have little faith in a government or their representatives, where delaying a solution for on-line self exclusion in favour of the operators was deemed acceptable. I mean seriously, this should of been implemented without delay. If the majority could implement it then the minority will just need to cease to trade until it's done (SIMPLE). But that wasn't he case and it's likely to of cost people A LOT financially, mentally and physically. Even worse they delayed the reduction of the maximum stake on FOBTs. Again, in favour of the operators!! Yes it will cost people jobs. There was a solution, make it members only (like on-line) use a card to play and if you exclude your card is revoked. No excuses they are and still are GREADY. The senior guy from Ladbrooks (don't care what his name is) who I saw on a recent interview saying the machines should stay and it's up to people what they do with their money needs a good talking to!
Tracey Couch quit over this !! It's been absolutely awful the approach taken. I do want to stop gambling but since GAM STOP a relapse would see me in the bookies playing roulette with absolutely no chance of wining and zero controls. To self exclude is a shambles !! Absolute shambles and I have spoken to a Ladbrooks manager who said the same. They have 100 photos and can't be expected to recognise people.
I take responsibility for my actions I just don't like the fact we live in a society, which allowed some num nuts to manufacture a fruit machine that had visuals of a roulette wheel and a spinning ball (in order to encourage addiction) and such high stakes.
Criminal!! Literally
Until a membership scheme is introduced no controls will ever work, they won’t do it but should be forced to do it....a swipe card before any bet is placed or machine played is the only way to stop the shops.
Yes, the Bliar government's deregulation of gambling was a supremely bad thing for countless people who would otherwise never have discovered they had a propensity to a gambling problem, yes the industry preys deliberately on the vulnerable and yes, governments of every flavour could and should have tightened regulation especially as more and more evidence of the social harm caused comes to light but the fact is they're too invested in the tax take to do it. That said nothing has made it 'impossible' for you not to gamble.
Don't expect significant change any time soon. Read the advice on here and act on it.
the industry & the goverment do not give two hoots about us
the industry is profit driven and problem gamblers are the best sources of profit on the planet each of us are just account numbers in a never ending money making machine
even when speaking to the "live support" that the live casinos provide they're word is gospel and anything you say is just run off with spiel
i remember i found a bug within the online webpage of a major operator that caused the players stake to be doubled everytime they entered into the chat function with the live croupier on roulette
i immediatley rasied this with "live support" only to be told this was impossible and i must of imagined it, i think it was then i realised these people really really dont give a s.h.i.t
the goverment is a waste of time too full of upper class toffs that dont have a clue about what living in the real world is like
its just an old fashioned boys club with a couple of women and minorties chucked into to keep up apperances
this country is on its knees
They have introduced 2 simple controls that have made my life much better. Whilst not prefect it certainly has helped!!
1. GAMSTOP
2. FOBTI max stale £2 !!!!!!!
Both could have and should have been introduced YEARS ago !!
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