Panorama 12th sept 2016

Yeah cheers mate I have to watch that

No worries I'll be watching it myself as those things are why I'm on here. Don't think it'll tell me anything I don't know but interesting to see the governments stance on it as from what I can see the problem is only increasing. I mean when you've got bookies open at nine in the morning it's certainly not for horse racing!!!! 🙁

Thanks New beginning, have to give that a watch!

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These fobt have pretty much ruined my life so I be watching. Can understand why somebody would commit suicide because you feel like these machines have a hold on you and they no way to stop playing them. You get so desperate when playing them it's unbelievable

No worries

Remember 20:30 bbc1 tonight.

The average fobt player loses £6.75 according to the association of bookmakers?!?!! Aye right! s**m bags 🙁 that programme made me incredibly angry at these bookmakers who are more interested in profits than people (something we all knew anyway) If something good came out of that programme it was the fact it's strengthened my resolve never to play a fobt again in my life!!!!!!!

An average is worked out per spin so on average 6.75 per spin is lost meaning profit. It means they can put a spin pardon the pun using averages. Making it look as if there are more players

Yeah I know it's worked out on average etc but these things are immoral. I only see the problem getting worse sadly. I hate them so much and I wish I'd never played them but the past is the past. Nothing in this life is guaranteed except death and taxes but I am going to put my heart and soul into staying away from fobts and remaining gf and maintaining good mental health 🙂

I'll gladly join you on the gf train

Deano I am delighted to hear you say that. Your a top man and someone who I notice has had his ups and downs but always actively encourages others. All aboard lol

New beginning.

I hope you don't mind me throwing my own thoughts out on the panorama programme this evening.

I have to say that I was overall pleased with the picture the programme painted but I believe it missed the boat on a few key issues.

Firstly the statistician stated that the sequence of numbers displayed on previous draws meant nothing because I believe that there's a strong link between the 'nearly' wins and the continuous repeated gambling, I was hideously addicted to the fobt,it was my own nemesis, my escape. The amount of times the number next to the one I had gambled upon came up in what is supposed to be a randomly selected outcome was staggering and I recall getting the same rush of adrenaline when it did so

Is this the outcome of clever research and manipulation of a system, one I believe travels back to the beginning of my gambling life . fruit machines, arcades were the place where I began my own compulsion to gamble, and I link the same thing occurred repeatedly, say two jackpot symbols landing on the win line and the other directly above or below. The result for me a rush of compulsion to play on because those oh so close outcomes gifted the same rush of adrenaline.

The failure of the association of British bookmakers to comment spoke volumes and I am pleased that they didn't bring their own brand of arrogance towards the programme as they have in others.

I am equally saddened that neither gamcare or GA were mentioned once in the entire programme, I can only assume that it was to ensure that the programme was as hard hitting as possible and the industry couldn't justify any actions by saying that the issue is being dealt with.

I will end with this, as written by my own admittance I simply cannot accept gambling in any format in my life, yes the fobt was the most destructive form of gambling for me but with honesty it all started on fruit machines that gifted a jackpot of £4.80 in tokens.

I believe that without personal acceptance of this fact addiction would have a found another format for my compulsion to become as hideously compelled to play.

I sat bewildered in a GA room once whilst visiting another city where the room were looking to campaign for far lower stakes to be placed on the fobt,a lower jackpot for a lesser stake.

My answer to that would be simple.

For me the compulsive gambler that bares no sense,it wouldn't stop the compulsion, I would just prolong each episode of gambling.

I hope again you don't mind me invading your thread,well done for highlighting the fact that the programme was to be aired.

It did make me wonder how many folk sat uncomfortable watching it, hiding addiction from the folk around us is a tremendously destructive part of the addiction we have.

And I close with that fact, I love the way that the industry and government label it as 'problem gambling'

Not the ADDICTION it without doubt is.

My name is Duncan McQuilken i am a recovering compulsive gambler no bet today.

Duncan thankyou for posting you are more than welcome and I tend to agree with what your saying. Having the sequence of numbers from previous spins is simply to encourage us in case "our numbers" weren't out but this didn't matter to me. I played set numbers and if they weren't out then I thought they must be due and if they were out then it was in a roll! Also if it was red seven spins in a row then surely it must be black next.... Displaying the sequence of numbers is just another tool to keep you playing. I used to hate playing the machines when they were just on and I had no "information" to study! Laughable I know! And as for us so called problem gamblers the only problem we have is stopping! As for lowering the stakes it's a nice idea but just another cop out as like you stated it means people will only play longer. God if I was still gambling at the rate I was before and it was £2 stakes then I'd be out the house for days! Lol It's like asking an alcoholic to drink lower strength beer there just going to drink more. Sadly we live in a society where its profits over people but that's not a new thing. Anyway I thought it was a reasonable programme and not the usual stitch up blaming the gambler,maybe it'll encourage people to share there addictions or even just to dissuade people from trying these things. Thanks again Duncan hope this message finds you well 🙂

I watched the program I also noted the lack if information about support out there. They did mention the bbc action line which does give details of Gamcare, Gamanon and GA.

Fobts was never my problem I've had the occasional £20 but it scared me how quick it went and I liked to study my bets rather than the spin of a wheel

It was sports all the way for me. I coukd still relate to the bear miss part and lots of others. I would be intrested to be medically tested to see if I am wired different.

Pleased I decided to watch it

KTF