DaveUK - New Diary

No more gambling but too much 'what if-ing'. Have set my router to block gambling sites which should be helpful.

DaveUK

'I cannot win as I cannot stop'!

Have spent a couple of hours reading my old diary posts and posts on them from members of the site.

Since joining the site I have had 3 diaries the first starting on 2 December 2006, the second starting 3 April 2009 and the current one which started on 31 May 2010.

Having compared the dates to my banking transactions I now know I did count losing winnings as a total loss ie if I won £100 but then lost £120 treated it as an overall loss of £120. With this in mind I haven't lost as much as I thought but it is clear I have been very upset when things have gone wrong.

FOBT's were the biggest problem but have gone away, it took self exclusion but they no longer interest me, in fact knowing what the can do in a matter of minutes frightens me. I have dabbled online and always took action after losing even if it was previous winnings. Gambling sites are now blocked so again it should have sorted out the online temptation.

Suppose in a way its as well I am a bad loser !

I will keep adding my thoughts from time to time.

2016 will be the year when my 5 year self exclusions expire (in April). I would have to physically revoke them so unless I ask permission to go in again the exclusions will remain in place - I have no intention of revoking them.

I have read all my diaries over this last week and its a great reminder of how much encouragement other members give and also reinforced how much I hate losing. I seem to get just as disappointed losing previous winnings as when I just lose. Given we always lose in the end it's best I stay away.

In the 9 years or so I have been on the site it has only ever been roulette I have gambled on, originally on the FOBT's then dabbling online. I have been to a casino a few times (2/3 times a year) but this has been more of a social thing with a friend so not been a problem. For me a casino is a very controlled environment.

The FOBT's are history of this I am sure - they frighten me and I can't go into the shops anyway. As for online, I have no doubt I will be tempted so hopefully my recent blocking of gambling sites on my router will be useful.

I am keeping my commitment to save £20 a week and have £5,040 to date - I aim to hit my target at the end of July 2017 and will probably stop then as it will have been a 6 year mission completed.

I will never know totally what I have lost but know my weekly saving enterprise will cover it. I know its not getting the money back but if it makes me feel better why not!!

I wish everyone on the site a Happy New Year and look forward to keeping in touch on the site.

Dave

Giving back my online winnings plus more was now 2 weeks ago.

Nice trip to the coast earlier and feeling hopeful I will be resilient this coming year and beyond. As always, there is only the need to take care of today and the rest takes care of itself.

Another good day.

Dave

I cannot win because I cannot stop!

(£0)

DaveUK wrote:

2016 will be the year when my 5 year self exclusions expire (in April). I would have to physically revoke them so unless I ask permission to go in again the exclusions will remain in place - I have no intention of revoking them.

I have read all my diaries over this last week and its a great reminder of how much encouragement other members give and also reinforced how much I hate losing. I seem to get just as disappointed losing previous winnings as when I just lose. Given we always lose in the end it's best I stay away.

In the 9 years or so I have been on the site it has only ever been roulette I have gambled on, originally on the FOBT's then dabbling online. I have been to a casino a few times (2/3 times a year) but this has been more of a social thing with a friend so not been a problem. For me a casino is a very controlled environment.

The FOBT's are history of this I am sure - they frighten me and I can't go into the shops anyway. As for online, I have no doubt I will be tempted so hopefully my recent blocking of gambling sites on my router will be useful.

I am keeping my commitment to save £20 a week and have £5,040 to date - I aim to hit my target at the end of July 2017 and will probably stop then as it will have been a 6 year mission completed.

I will never know totally what I have lost but know my weekly saving enterprise will cover it. I know its not getting the money back but if it makes me feel better why not!!

I wish everyone on the site a Happy New Year and look forward to keeping in touch on the site.

Dave

My positive for you Dave is your trying to work your program on a daily basis. Keep that up. Keep up the posts. Well done. tri

Thank Tri - am certainly going to take your advice and post in my diary on a regular basis

Dave

I cannot in because I cannot stop (£0)

welcome Dave and thanks for posting on my diary. very much appreciate the support. ((tri))

A good day again - busy with post-holiday catch up with work.

Dave

I cannot in because I cannot stop (£0)

I have often noted how I loved the buzz I used to get from a win (temporary loan).

It struck me today the enjoyment you can get from spending the stake money (which is always lost in the end) on better things far outweighs the short term buzz that those wins used to give.

Money seems to last forever when the gambling isn't happening.

DaveUK

I cannot win as I cannot stop (£0)

To much 'dabbling' so have taken the sensible step of self-excluding from all the online accounts I reactivated a couple of months ago. Should never have bothered in the first place.

I quite clearly cannot be trusted when I have access to sites so all access now blocked.

Dave

'I cannot win as I cannot stop' (£0)

Clearly I am only able to completely stop dabbling in the gambling world when I completely cut off access to the source. Self-excluding worked and brought to an end playing the FOBT's and has done the same with online gaming.

As I reflect on January 2016 I would say it has ended successfully but with too much unnecessary hassle along the way. After an initial week of no gambling and blocking gambling sites I drifted back. I tried lowering the daily deposit limits but again it was too tempting and easy to change it back. During January I have at best been £380 up but slowly (and of course inevitably) gave it back and when I finally decided to self exclude had £80 left. So no loss financially but disappointed I gambled at all. Now that I have self-excluded from the sites I previously used I know the problem has gone away.

I have to mention what happened last week. I have never accepted a free deposit bonus before but for some reason one of the sites automatically added £200 to my £100 deposit. Well I got it up to £1900 spinning the wheel but when I asked how close I was getting to keeping any of it was told my £100 was lost first and the £200 they added had to be staked 35 times and not only that roulette didn't count only the slots did lol. So effectively the £1900 was worthless and I would have had to turn the £200 they added into £7000 most probably at £1 a spin before I could have withdrawn anything - needless to say I added them to the self exclusion list. If I didn't feel like a mug before I deposited the initial £100 I certainly did afterwards.

Dave

'I cannot win as I cannot stop' (£0)

As I suspected self-exclusion has solved things online.

Was away with work and was a place where many years ago I used to play the FOBT's - I left them behind along time ago.

Things much better.

Dave

'I cannot win as I cannot stop' (£0)

Absolutely nothing to report. So, so bizarre that now I have self excluded online I don't even think about gambling let alone do it.

Dull but quite a nice dull.

Dave

'I cannot win as I cannot stop' (£0)

Update for February 2016 - nothing to report whatsoever !

Dave

'I cannot win as I cannot stop' (£0)