Time Since Last Bet : 1hr
Gambling debt Paid : 169.26
Money Gambled : 0
Total Gambling debt : 56826.35
Time Since Last Bet : 1 day
Gambling debt Paid : 180.73
Money Gambled : 0
Total Gambling debt : 56814.98
Michael35 wrote: Just joined up to Gamcare, but would really like to share my story with you.
Up until 2008, I never really gambled, maybe the Grand National once or twice, or the odd fruit machine now and again - but once in a blue moon and never more than a few pounds. During Sep-2008 I was looking for ways of earning a little extra money (we'd just taken on a hefty mortgage) and I saw that some of the On-Line Casinos were giving cash incentives when you joined up with them. Also some of the cashback sites were giving Cashback for these Casinos. So I signed up for one and I played with £10 and won £200. I then did the same thing with another On-Line Casino, and won £300 - so far £500 for £20 gambled. I then lost a few hundred, felt bad and tried to win it back, and then it started - gambling EVERY day. Fast forward 5 months, as I sit in floods of tears confessing a loss of £53K to my wife through on-line gambling. This was Feb 2009. I then confess all to family, and they help by covering half of my losses. My wife forgives me and I vow to pay back every single penny. For the next 2 years, I attend Gambling Addiction counselling and I take every single opportunity to earn extra cash through overtime at work, selling on *******, completing on-line surveys, Mystery Shopping etc etc. and I claw back the money I've lost pound by pound, EVERY day - 70hrs / week. Jan 2011, things are looking up I've paid off £20-25K from the Credit Cards and I'm about to pay off my family as promised. I then take stock of what I've achieved, and start thinking about the On-Line Casino's where I lost my money (with my run of luck I cannot help but think that some must be rigged). I get annoyed to exact revenge on them, I stupidly decide to have 1 final fling, and I cross that line and log on to the Casino. Fast forward 4 months, I've lost another £15K - that's nearly 2 hard years work, lost in the space of a dozen or so nights Gambling at the on-line Casino. I can't believe the stakes I've been putting on compared with the effort I've put in to make that money - a day's pay gone in 1 bet on Blackjack !! Absolutely ridiculous!! My wife doesn't know about this, and for the sake of our relationship, and our kids, I'm going to carry on where I left off - I've done it once, now I can do it again.
I'm 40 years old, with 2 terrific kids, a loving wife, a decent job with good pay and a fantastic house. I should be enjoying my life at this time, not trying to pay off Gambling debts - but unfortunately, I have to work every day, missing alot of quality time with my family to get these debts paid off and it's all my fault.
I cannot believe how stupid I've been, and how utterly determined I am to stop. I want to install Gamlock now, but I have about £5000 winnings in pending state in one of the Casinos and it'll probably be some days until they are processed. I'm checking every morning now to see if the money has been paid back to my credit card. As soon as it is, Gamlock will be installed.
Over the last 4 nights, I've lost £800, lost £1900 and won £3800 and today, lost £500. I've Gambled heavily and I'm now sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I feel like I'm teetering on the edge of the abyss. If I don't stop now, then I believe that I stand to lose everything. I need to stop NOW - I have too much to lose. Day 1 starts tommorrow, hopefully I'll be able to get Gamlock installed straightaway, but until then, I have to remain strong and focussed.
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