Football and gambling addiction

[hibsbollah]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4doAmd2v5A2xhoVyxpxjOD?si=0yQQTYJsRIif_wSeDM3dVA


Really important podcast i listened to today, a largely underreported catastrophe is going on in the UK.

[Northernhibee]

I knew someone who was earning about £60k a year who was struggling to pay rent and put food on his table - if you probed and asked questions you'd find he was gambling hundreds on things like Estonian U21s football and things like that. Every time he self excluded from the gambling websites or shops, it was way too easy for him to make a phone call and he was back on it again. Very little safeguarding in that respect - "I've changed, can I start gambling again?" and that was it.

I work in the alcohol industry and see the way that gambling companies have reacted to legislation is completely different from the alcohol industry. Although gambling is similarly illegal for U18s, U18s are bombarded with gambling adverts when they switch on the TV to watch sports, at the grounds, every fourth shop on the high street seems to be a bookies in the most poverty stricken areas and "mugging the bookies on a nice acca" is seen as an achievement. If there were perfect conditions to normalise gambling, that's it and the adverts in the shop windows saying things like "Celtic to win 3-1 and Edouard to score - 25/1" always have the example bet put up as a tenner stake or something like that - it's not the case of putting a quid on it. The normalising of punting a reasonable amount of money on a game has already happened.

Alcohol companies have to not only not serve to U18s but they cannot even be seen to potentially appeal to U18s or be in areas that could do so - and if the legislation wasn't there the people I know in the industry would show the same care and attention.

There was an excellent BBC3 documentary where they gave some comedian a couple of grand and access to betting experts and when he was making even one or two smart bets on games (putting fifty quid or so on an U21s game where word had come through that a few first team players would be playing for one of the teams) the bookies suspended their online account just for making a "clever" and informed decision. This wasn't betting on a fixed match, just using actual information to stake on something that was still a competitive game.

They'll take your money if they think you're a mug but if they think you may be even moderately successful they'll stop you as quickly as possible.

The gambling companies are wildly immoral but due to who the owners donate to, the much needed overhaul of gambling legislation won't be happening any time soon.

[matty_f]

There was a story in the paper the other day about a gambling company (I think it was Paddy Power) hiring a woman to lure a known high value customer who had an existing gambling problem from another bookmaker. Utterly despicable behaviour. They should have been closed on the spot, IMHO.

[Northernhibee]

There was a story in the paper the other day about a gambling company (I think it was Paddy Power) hiring a woman to lure a known high value customer who had an existing gambling problem from another bookmaker. Utterly despicable behaviour. They should have been closed on the spot, IMHO.

TBF, a gambling company taking their most profitable (in that they lose the most money) customers to cup finals, grand prix and the same is no different. The entire industry is rank rotten and I've stopped giving them a single penny. I also wouldn't buy any replica strip that has a gambling sponsor on them for that reason.

My partner also had a partner who was a problem gambler and the first she knew of it was when her card was refused in a petrol station as he'd logged onto her computer and used her saved cards to bet every single penny that they both had. The card wasn't under a joint name so gambling that amount of money on someone elses card should have immediately been flagged up.

Bookies are the **** of the earth.

[lord bunberry]

There’s now a thing called Gamstop that excludes you from all online gambling, you can’t change your mind during your exclusion period and all bookies are signed up to it. Not enough people know about it as it’s not well advertised. When you set up an online account you should be sent details of this service imo.

[stu in nottingham]

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4doAmd2v5A2xhoVyxpxjOD?si=0yQQTYJsRIif_wSeDM3dVA


Really important podcast i listened to today, a largely underreported catastrophe is going on in the UK.

Thanks for sharing this link mate. I'll look forward to giving it a listen.


There’s now a thing called Gamstop that excludes you from all online gambling, you can’t change your mind during your exclusion period and all bookies are signed up to it. Not enough people know about it as it’s not well advertised. When you set up an online account you should be sent details of this service imo.

Yes, Gamstop is a very useful tool. It's been around since May 2019 and to my mind is a no-brainer to anyone wanting to curtail their online gambling. Sign up in a few minutes online, it's totally free and you can exclude yourself for 6 or 12 months, or 5 years. Important to note that it works on UK gambling sites/apps only. https://www.gamstop.co.uk/

I usually prescribe it alongside blocking software such as Gamban and suggest that clients use both alongside each other. Gamban costs around £25 a year and can be dowloaded to all your devices. https://gamban.com/

It should be said that neither is absolutely infallible (no method is). The best way to think of them is as deterrents that give you a little thinking time when you experience uges and cravings.

If anyone here would like a bit of friendly and confidential advice feel free to drop me a pm. I've been employed as a psychologist working with gamblers for a good few years now.

[matty_f]

Gamstop and gamban sounds like what happened after you get married.

[jonty]

Gamstop and gamban sounds like what happened after you get married.

along with matestop, pubstop and kidstart

[matty_f]

along with matestop, pubstop and kidstart

That’s the one!

Apologies for taking a very serious and worthy thread off topic.

[Itsnoteasy]

along with matestop, pubstop and kidstart

You forgot seamanstop.

[I'm_cabbaged]

TBF, a gambling company taking their most profitable (in that they lose the most money) customers to cup finals, grand prix and the same is no different. The entire industry is rank rotten and I've stopped giving them a single penny. I also wouldn't buy any replica strip that has a gambling sponsor on them for that reason.

My partner also had a partner who was a problem gambler and the first she knew of it was when her card was refused in a petrol station as he'd logged onto her computer and used her saved cards to bet every single penny that they both had. The card wasn't under a joint name so gambling that amount of money on someone elses card should have immediately been flagged up.

Bookies are the **** of the earth.

My mate who had stopped gambling for 3 months got a “we’re missing you” from a leading online bookie with an invite to Lords with full hospitality!!!

[calumhibee1]

My mate who had stopped gambling for 3 months got a “we’re missing you” from a leading online bookie with an invite to Lords with full hospitality!!!

That’s a disgrace.

I’ve an irrational hatred of gambling. I’ve never been interested in it in the slightest but can’t believe the stuff I read about it.

[Keith_M]

That’s a disgrace.

I’ve an irrational hatred of gambling. I’ve never been interested in it in the slightest but can’t believe the stuff I read about it.


I'm almost the same as you... but mine is a perfectly rational hatred of gambling.

When I was a kid, my Dad was an Alcoholic and also addicted to the Bookies. Some weeks we literally didn't have any money for food and often had our electricity supply cut off because of unpaid bills.

That was long before the days of the internet, and I dread to think what it must be like now for some families with people like that wasting all their money.


Sadly football has sold it's soul for advertising.

[Andy74]

I'm almost the same as you... but mine is a perfectly rational hatred of gambling.

When I was a kid, my Dad was an Alcoholic and also addicted to the Bookies. Some weeks we literally didn't have any money for food and often had our electricity supply cut off because of unpaid bills.

That was long before the days of the internet, and I dread to think what it must be like now for some families with people like that wasting all their money.


Sadly football has sold it's soul for advertising.

I find it really sad now for sport to be so dominated by the now various ways you can break it down and gamble on it.

I don’t see the appeal in any way and I hate it when threads on the football start to go in the direction of odds.

I can sort of see the fun in a one off day at the races or even the odd bet on a game you are going to like a first scorer to add a little side interest with mates etc but I think that is about the limit of what I understand as in any way interesting about it.

[stu in nottingham]

Another useful link for anyoe that might want to self-exclude themselves from a series of local betting shops.

The Multi Operator Self Exclusion Scheme (MOSES) is a comprehensive and painless way of excluding yourself from betting shops of your choice without having the possible embarrasment of doing it in person in the shops, one by one. It just takes a phone call.

https://self-exclusion.co.uk/

[stu in nottingham]

A few thoughts to begin with for anyone needing to make changes.

On Gambling Urges And Cravings

https://stuartfrew.wordpress.com/2019/02/23/on-gambling-urges-and-cravings/

[McD]

That’s a disgrace.

I’ve an irrational hatred of gambling. I’ve never been interested in it in the slightest but can’t believe the stuff I read about it.


I've never had the itch to gamble, never set foot in a bookies.

I can imagine somewhat the urge, and the sometimes desperation to keep going, or to chase your losses. Keith Gillespie's autobiography is very eye opening, and it must be 10 times worse now, with the internet and wall to wall advertising and apps.


I can also imagine (and have occasionally seen) how gamblers can twist facts to ignore the problem. I once went into a restaurant with a mate, which had 3 one-arm-bandit type machines. He put 7 quid in the first one, won nothing. Then put 8 quid in the next, also won nothing. Finally he put 4 quid in the final one, and won a tenner. He smiled and said 'love it when you're quids in'!!! I replied saying you're not, you're down. You've spent £19 to win £10. He replies 'naw, you're not looking at it right, you've got to see the overall picture'. To which I replied 'yeah, down 9 quid'. He didn't want to hear it

[calumhibee1]

I've never had the itch to gamble, never set foot in a bookies.

I can imagine somewhat the urge, and the sometimes desperation to keep going, or to chase your losses. Keith Gillespie's autobiography is very eye opening, and it must be 10 times worse now, with the internet and wall to wall advertising and apps.


I can also imagine (and have occasionally seen) how gamblers can twist facts to ignore the problem. I once went into a restaurant with a mate, which had 3 one-arm-bandit type machines. He put 7 quid in the first one, won nothing. Then put 8 quid in the next, also won nothing. Finally he put 4 quid in the final one, and won a tenner. He smiled and said 'love it when you're quids in'!!! I replied saying you're not, you're down. You've spent £19 to win £10. He replies 'naw, you're not looking at it right, you've got to see the overall picture'. To which I replied 'yeah, down 9 quid'. He didn't want to hear it

:agree:

Scary stuff. I’d gladly see it abolished. No chance of that of course but the world would be a better place without any form of gambling.

[Pedantic_Hibee]

I signed up to Gamstop in January.

Now if I want to put a bet on I need to physically walk into a bookies. That alone has saved me thousands.

[Northernhibee]

My mate who had stopped gambling for 3 months got a “we’re missing you” from a leading online bookie with an invite to Lords with full hospitality!!!

If a pub left a bottle of vodka on the doorstep of a recovering alcoholic’s home they’d be shut down within hours.

It should be the same for them.

[Rocky]

If a pub left a bottle of vodka on the doorstep of a recovering alcoholic’s home they’d be shut down within hours.

It should be the same for them.

I agree with this. I honestly have no idea what proportion of gamblers have a "problem" but I suspect it's higher than the proportion of drinkers who are alcoholics. I feel like I have a healthy relationship with gambling, I enjoy a flutter but very rarely more than a quid on a match. Usually at weekends I'll do just under a tenner on a variety of accas, probably around forty games in total, so there's plenty of interest through the weekend. Over the past couple of years I've done well, I haven't deposited in 30 months and I've taken out £500. I'm under zero illusions though, that will make it's way back to the bookies at some point. I see it as entertainment, I expect to lose every pound, I'm paying that money for the enjoyment I get from it. I couldn't care less about Spanish fitba etc, but putting a quid on it through some kind of convoluted bet builder makes it interesting to me.

Having said that, it's absolutely clear to me that the"controls" in place are nothing but window dressing. The tools Stu has posted sound very effective yet I'd never heard of them before. Yet I have daft controls forcing themselves on me, like trying to log me out if I've been logged in for over an hour. Of course I've been logged in for an hour, I'm checking the scores!

And I agree with others too that the amount of exposure that betting companies get through fitba to impressionable young people is completely unacceptable.

Long story short, I still think there's a place for gambling, it should and can be fun. But much more needs to be done to prevent problem gambling. They can make a perfectly healthy profit from mug recreational gamblers like me without preying on the vulnerable.

[stu in nottingham]

A bit more information for those who are interested.

Gambling Urges And Cravings - What Are They?
https://stuartfrew.wordpress.com/2019/09/08/gambling-urges-and-cravings-1-what-are-they/

[calumhibee1]

I agree with this. I honestly have no idea what proportion of gamblers have a "problem" but I suspect it's higher than the proportion of drinkers who are alcoholics.

Without meaning to offend any regular gamblers on here, I’d massively agree with this statement to the extent that I’d argue that the majority of regular gamblers seem to me to have a problem.

That may be because I’ve no interest in it and am too tight to lose money and also because the horror stories are what you read in the media rather than the guy that puts 5 £1 bets on at the weekend but I genuinely think that the majority of people who talk to me about their bets they have on come across as having a problem.

[Peevemor]

Without meaning to offend any regular gamblers on here, I’d massively agree with this statement to the extent that I’d argue that the majority of regular gamblers seem to me to have a problem.

That may be because I’ve no interest in it and am too tight to lose money and also because the horror stories are what you read in the media rather than the guy that puts 5 £1 bets on at the weekend but I genuinely think that the majority of people who talk to me about their bets they have on come across as having a problem.

There are a huge number of people who (in normal circumstances) spend far to much time and money in pubs but aren't alcoholic (I know - I was one).

There are also many people who gamble regularly without being addicted - again I was one. I used to drink fairly regularly in Leeries on the corner of York Place & Dublin Street. With a bookies next door and the casino across the road the majority of the locals were regular gamblers. It was often harmless fun, eg. there was normally a £1 each kitty on what would be the first advert on at half-time during a televised match. Some however had a real problem to the extent that they weren't always great to be around - screaming at the tv depending on what weird bet they had on the spread (high or low on the scorers' shirt numbers...). Others, like myself, could take it or leave it and wouldn''t necessarily look to gamble outwith that environment.

[Rocky]

There are a huge number of people who (in normal circumstances) spend far to much time and money in pubs but aren't alcoholic (I know - I was one).

There are also many people who gamble regularly without being addicted - again I was one. I used to drink fairly regularly in Leeries on the corner of York Place & Dublin Street. With a bookies next door and the casino across the road the majority of the locals were regular gamblers. It was often harmless fun, eg. there was normally a £1 each kitty on what would be the first advert on at half-time during a televised match. Some however had a real problem to the extent that they weren't always great to be around - screaming at the tv depending on what weird bet they had on the spread (high or low on the scorers' shirt numbers...). Others, like myself, could take it or leave it and wouldn''t necessarily look to gamble outwith that environment.
Leerie's Lamplighter bar, that's a blast from the past!

[calumhibee1]

There are a huge number of people who (in normal circumstances) spend far to much time and money in pubs but aren't alcoholic (I know - I was one).

There are also many people who gamble regularly without being addicted - again I was one. I used to drink fairly regularly in Leeries on the corner of York Place & Dublin Street. With a bookies next door and the casino across the road the majority of the locals were regular gamblers. It was often harmless fun, eg. there was normally a £1 each kitty on what would be the first advert on at half-time during a televised match. Some however had a real problem to the extent that they weren't always great to be around - screaming at the tv depending on what weird bet they had on the spread (high or low on the scorers' shirt numbers...). Others, like myself, could take it or leave it and wouldn''t necessarily look to gamble outwith that environment.

I’m sure there’s plenty people of that ilk as well. I just reckon that when I think of folk that have told me they’ve a bet on, told me about what they’ve won/lost, see them shouting at the tv etc that I reckon that although they might say they don’t have a problem, they’d struggle to stop.

That might not be the case though, I’m just making a presumption. I always feel with the way a lot of gamblers talk about it (or have to me anyway) feels like they’re trying to convince you they don’t have an issue. Which I’d say is the kind of thing someone with an issue is likely to do rather than someone without.

The difference with the pub goers that you describe is that I think most could stop if needed. I think that’s a lot less likely to be the case with gamblers.

I do realise btw that I’m massively stereotyping :greengrin I think my hatred of the industry doesn’t help in that regard.

[Peevemor]

I’m sure there’s plenty people of that ilk as well. I just reckon that when I think of folk that have told me they’ve a bet on, told me about what they’ve won/lost, see them shouting at the tv etc that I reckon that although they might say they don’t have a problem, they’d struggle to stop.

That might not be the case though, I’m just making a presumption. I always feel with the way a lot of gamblers talk about it (or have to me anyway) feels like they’re trying to convince you they don’t have an issue. Which I’d say is the kind of thing someone with an issue is likely to do rather than someone without.

The difference with the pub goers that you describe is that I think most could stop if needed. I think that’s a lot less likely to be the case with gamblers.

I do realise btw that I’m massively stereotyping :greengrin I think my hatred of the industry doesn’t help in that regard.I don't have anything against the gambling industry. There are lots of gambles in life that don't involve bookmakers - insurance being an example. What I do "hate" is the apparent lack of regulation/control, specifically in terms of advertising and aggressive marketing.

[Smartie]

Thanks for sharing this link mate. I'll look forward to giving it a listen.



Yes, Gamstop is a very useful tool. It's been around since May 2019 and to my mind is a no-brainer to anyone wanting to curtail their online gambling. Sign up in a few minutes online, it's totally free and you can exclude yourself for 6 or 12 months, or 5 years. Important to note that it works on UK gambling sites/apps only. https://www.gamstop.co.uk/

I usually prescribe it alongside blocking software such as Gamban and suggest that clients use both alongside each other. Gamban costs around £25 a year and can be dowloaded to all your devices. https://gamban.com/

It should be said that neither is absolutely infallible (no method is). The best way to think of them is as deterrents that give you a little thinking time when you experience uges and cravings.

If anyone here would like a bit of friendly and confidential advice feel free to drop me a pm. I've been employed as a psychologist working with gamblers for a good few years now.

Hi Stu

Not sure if your PM box is full but I tried to send you a message and got an alert saying your box was either full or that you were not accepting incoming PMs.

I have a PM that I would like to send you - would it be possible for you to arrange space in the PM box or get back to me please.

Cheers.

[Hiber-nation]

I used to work beside this guy who was always going on about his ridiculous winning bets - I remember one Monday morning he showed me his slip for Djourou (of Arsenal) next goal - he had I think a tenner on at something like 33/1. Now that turned out to be the only goal Djouru ever scored for Arsenal which got me thinking....how many losing bets must this guy be putting on? He shortly left that job but I caught up with a mate of his a few years later who told me that Gary had lost his flat, his job and his partner....all though gambling. Managed to give it up but he was haunted by it. Scary.

[stu in nottingham]

Hi Stu

Not sure if your PM box is full but I tried to send you a message and got an alert saying your box was either full or that you were not accepting incoming PMs.

I have a PM that I would like to send you - would it be possible for you to arrange space in the PM box or get back to me please.

Cheers.

Hi mate, sorry about that. Yes of course, I'll sort that this morning and get back to you.

[stu in nottingham]

A bit more information for those interested.

Gambling Urges And Cravings (2) Why Do They Happen?
https://stuartfrew.wordpress.com/2019/09/09/gambling-urges-and-cravings-2-why-do-they-happen/

[Northernhibee]

A bit more information for those interested.

Gambling Urges And Cravings (2) Why Do They Happen?
https://stuartfrew.wordpress.com/2019/09/09/gambling-urges-and-cravings-2-why-do-they-happen/

Hope you don't mind, red some of your other blogs on gambling addiction. Very interesting and also quite scary.

[Hermit Crab]

Thanks for sharing this link mate. I'll look forward to giving it a listen.



Yes, Gamstop is a very useful tool. It's been around since May 2019 and to my mind is a no-brainer to anyone wanting to curtail their online gambling. Sign up in a few minutes online, it's totally free and you can exclude yourself for 6 or 12 months, or 5 years. Important to note that it works on UK gambling sites/apps only. https://www.gamstop.co.uk/

I usually prescribe it alongside blocking software such as Gamban and suggest that clients use both alongside each other. Gamban costs around £25 a year and can be dowloaded to all your devices. https://gamban.com/

It should be said that neither is absolutely infallible (no method is). The best way to think of them is as deterrents that give you a little thinking time when you experience uges and cravings.

If anyone here would like a bit of friendly and confidential advice feel free to drop me a pm. I've been employed as a psychologist working with gamblers for a good few years now.


Its been around longer than that. I signed up to it in 2018 and like Pedantic Hibee, its saved me thousands. It really does work.

[stu in nottingham]

Hope you don't mind, red some of your other blogs on gambling addiction. Very interesting and also quite scary.

Hi, no not all, pleased you find them interesting.

You know it can be scary world yes but once people feel able, with a bit of support and encouragement, to break out of that 'bubble' they've been stuck in, the world can become a lot less scary place quite quickly, it really can.

Alone and feeling unable to talk or unload about mounting problems, I feel the greatest sympathy for anyone experiencing that, having to internalise it all and feeling that nothing can help you bar winning the money you lost back (it never, ever happens - permanently) is not much of a life. It can be very different though and I happily see transformed lives all the time. That's when it can be a real pleasure and honour doing this work.

For anyone swithering about getting help, try and remember you will never be judged when taking support, only helped and supported through recovery.

[stu in nottingham]

Its been around longer than that. I signed up to it in 2018 and like Pedantic Hibee, its saved me thousands. It really does work.

May 2018 not 2019, beg your pardon.

[stu in nottingham]

A little more of the science around gambling for those interested.

Gambling Urges And Cravings - What Can Help With Them
https://stuartfrew.wordpress.com/2019/09/09/gambling-urges-and-cravings-3-what-can-help-with-them/

[calumhibee1]

I used to work beside this guy who was always going on about his ridiculous winning bets - I remember one Monday morning he showed me his slip for Djourou (of Arsenal) next goal - he had I think a tenner on at something like 33/1. Now that turned out to be the only goal Djouru ever scored for Arsenal which got me thinking....how many losing bets must this guy be putting on? He shortly left that job but I caught up with a mate of his a few years later who told me that Gary had lost his flat, his job and his partner....all though gambling. Managed to give it up but he was haunted by it. Scary.

Guy in my work lost £5000 on a World Cup/euros game (can’t remember which one).

Turned up to work with £5000 cash and told everyone how this bet was the easiest £1500 he would ever make and that he’d been putting on similar bets at similar odds but usually about £500 at a time and it was easy money. He lost it.

Apparently he then went on to put £15k on a match in the same tournament and lost again although if he did he was much quieter about that one. He also lost his house and moved back in with his parents in his late 30s. Scary, scary stuff.

[McD]

Guy in my work lost £5000 on a World Cup/euros game (can’t remember which one).

Turned up to work with £5000 cash and told everyone how this bet was the easiest £1500 he would ever make and that he’d been putting on similar bets at similar odds but usually about £500 at a time and it was easy money. He lost it.

Apparently he then went on to put £15k on a match in the same tournament and lost again although if he did he was much quieter about that one. He also lost his house and moved back in with his parents in his late 30s. Scary, scary stuff.


that gives me the fear just reading that

[calumhibee1]

that gives me the fear just reading that

Im not sure how true the second bit is because like I said he wasn’t nearly as open about it if he did it. If he did though then I’d hazard a guess that would have taken him about 18 months to earn that after tax and NI. All gone in two football games. Mental.

[heretoday]

Bookies are just bloodsuckers.

When the fun stops, stop.

Aye right!

[Green Man]

Several years ago now, I had a good run on a rolling accumulator, betting on over 0.5 goals in a game. It was entertaining, and I acquired some knowledge about previously obscure leagues - the Russian one was a favourite. I started out with £2 and got that up to £50, at which point I lost it all. It was the biggest bet I’ve ever placed, and I felt a bit sick at losing it, although it was tempered by the thought that I’d only really put in £2 of my own cash. The thought of even losing £50 that I’ve worked for, never mind thousands, is scary, but I can see how easily folk do it.

[McD]

Im not sure how true the second bit is because like I said he wasn’t nearly as open about it if he did it. If he did though then I’d hazard a guess that would have taken him about 18 months to earn that after tax and NI. All gone in two football games. Mental.


Just seems incomprehensible to me

Even the first bit is scary enough, walking about with £5000 to put on a bet?

[Northernhibee]

Bookies are just bloodsuckers.

When the fun stops, stop.

Aye right!

When you see them on the digital advertising boards on televised games, all their messages are about "Take control - set deposit limits - take a break - don't chase losses" and all that.

Still, the ease in which someone can remove themselves from voluntary self exclusion from one of the bookies own schemes is laughable - I seen that with my friend that he could place a phone call and it's as easy as that.

What these boards aren't saying is "gamble responsibily", they're just saying "gamble" and worrying about what the rest of it means later.

Gambling companies should be forced to use the likes of Gamstop and other similar, independent schemes as their method of protecting vulnerable gamblers and also subsidise these for the person as well. If someone self excludes - and it should be made as easy as possible - then this period should be a minimum of three months and cannot under any circumstance be broken and it is the responsibility of the bookmakers to show that they have done everything they can to identify and stop those from trying to place a bet.

As it is the current legislation is way too soft and easily gotten around.

[Itsnoteasy]

I on occasions put £200 a hand on blackjack at casino & you know your hearts working when the cards get dealt. The amount of times I've walked home from casino at 4 in the morning & not having bus fares.

I thought I liked a gamble till I went with a workmate. He was £150 a time spin on roulette wheel. One night he won £18000, went back the following evening & gave most of it back.

I personally think gambling is the worst addiction you can have. You can only drink & take so much drugs in a night. Gambling you could loose everything.

[Northernhibee]

I on occasions put £200 a hand on blackjack at casino & you know your hearts working when the cards get dealt. The amount of times I've walked home from casino at 4 in the morning & not having bus fares.

I thought I liked a gamble till I went with a workmate. He was £150 a time spin on roulette wheel. One night he won £18000, went back the following evening & gave most of it back.

I personally think gambling is the worst addiction you can have. You can only drink & take so much drugs in a night. Gambling you could loose everything.

I work in the alcohol industry and the message is simple - if you have suspicion that someone is vulnerable in terms of their drinking then they flat out do not get served. No ifs, buts or maybes. If they insinuated in the past that they have an alcohol problem, they do not get served. Some pubs will serve people but that's individuals - it's truly not possible to completely hide a drinking or drug addiction IMO.

Gambling, as you say, is a different beast and should be regulated more than the other industries not only because of this but for how little they've respected the intended spirit of the rules.

[matty_f]

When you see them on the digital advertising boards on televised games, all their messages are about "Take control - set deposit limits - take a break - don't chase losses" and all that.

Still, the ease in which someone can remove themselves from voluntary self exclusion from one of the bookies own schemes is laughable - I seen that with my friend that he could place a phone call and it's as easy as that.

What these boards aren't saying is "gamble responsibily", they're just saying "gamble" and worrying about what the rest of it means later.

Gambling companies should be forced to use the likes of Gamstop and other similar, independent schemes as their method of protecting vulnerable gamblers and also subsidise these for the person as well. If someone self excludes - and it should be made as easy as possible - then this period should be a minimum of three months and cannot under any circumstance be broken and it is the responsibility of the bookmakers to show that they have done everything they can to identify and stop those from trying to place a bet.

As it is the current legislation is way too soft and easily gotten around.
It would be interesting if there were regulations that put the responsibility for the duty of care towards the gambler on the bookmaker - i.e. if someone suffered significant losses the bookmaker would have to be able to demonstrate that they took every precaution to ensure that the gambler could afford the bet, that they didn't have a problem etc prior to claiming the stake for the bet, if not they refund the bet.

It would mean less convenience for the gamblers, but would be a much better safeguard against problematic gambling.

[Northernhibee]

It would be interesting if there were regulations that put the responsibility for the duty of care towards the gambler on the bookmaker - i.e. if someone suffered significant losses the bookmaker would have to be able to demonstrate that they took every precaution to ensure that the gambler could afford the bet, that they didn't have a problem etc prior to claiming the stake for the bet, if not they refund the bet.

It would mean less convenience for the gamblers, but would be a much better safeguard against problematic gambling.

Simply put, if I'm working at a farmers market I'm terrified of accidentally serving someone who's under 18 or not seen to be implementing Challenge 25. If someone's had a few I'm also not wanting to be seen to try and sell to a potentially vulnerable person. One is because of moral obligation, the other is because I'd get into a lot of trouble from both the law and my employer as they'd get hammered for it as well.

The gambling industry have had their chance to sort themselves out and failed. IMO shifting responsibility onto them is the only way to go. Banning gambling on credit cards (if it hasn't been already), challenging the way in which funds for gambling have been obtained (i.e. not through credit or loans and it's an affordable bet) and also safeguarding for vulnerable people (making it mandatory for self exclusion to be maintained by independant companies and not be able to be reversed in a certain time period) have to be implemented.

The simple way with that is to make it impossible to walk off the street or go online and put a bet on without being challenged for identification. A membership card with that persons details would allow to check for self exclusions, bet history, potential issues with problem gambling etc. immediately.

Much as the gambling industry would scream about it, it wouldn't be difficult to implement.

[stu in nottingham]

Gambling companies should be forced to use the likes of Gamstop and other similar, independent schemes as their method of protecting vulnerable gamblers and also subsidise these for the person as well. If someone self excludes - and it should be made as easy as possible - then this period should be a minimum of three months and cannot under any circumstance be broken and it is the responsibility of the bookmakers to show that they have done everything they can to identify and stop those from trying to place a bet.

As it is the current legislation is way too soft and easily gotten around.

Currently with Gamstop, the minimum exclusion period is six months I believe. One can also sel-exclude for a year or five years I understand. I find that far and away, the term that people exclude for is the five-year option. Three months really isn't enough I wouldn't say, considering the amount of times that gambling urges and cravings can still be present after stopping.

It is very easy to do and takes literally a few minutes online. I have known a few people tho tried to join online however and found it wouldn't accept their details. It can be done by post quite easily in those circumstances.

Gamstop, like other methods is not infallible and it's wisest not to treat it that way. I think of it in terms of giving someone 'thinking time' - delaying gambling activity while seeking distractions. Think of it in the same principle as the reason you can't buy a big bottle of headache pills but rather buy them in a smaller box with blister packaging. Back in the day you could pour a heap of pills into your palm in seconds if you wanted to harm yourself. What the blister packaging does is creates a time lag between initial harmful thoughts, pressing out umpteen paracetamol which takes crucial time, giving the person time to reconsider. This is the way I consider all self-exclusion methods.

[Green Man]

I was watching the cycling yesterday and noticed at least two gambling adverts on every break, for online casinos and bookies. Two things struck me - the “welcome bonus” nonsense where they’ll give you £40 but you have to bet £350 before you can claim it, and the constant “new ways to bet”. Ladbrokes were pushing a 5-a-side themed bet - no idea how it works, but it portrayed it as fun and exciting - almost not like gambling at all. They had their usual mandatory messages at the end, but I think the tone of the advert pushed the boundaries of acceptability.

[calumhibee1]

I was watching the cycling yesterday and noticed at least two gambling adverts on every break, for online casinos and bookies. Two things struck me - the “welcome bonus” nonsense where they’ll give you £40 but you have to bet £350 before you can claim it, and the constant “new ways to bet”. Ladbrokes were pushing a 5-a-side themed bet - no idea how it works, but it portrayed it as fun and exciting - almost not like gambling at all. They had their usual mandatory messages at the end, but I think the tone of the advert pushed the boundaries of acceptability.

They shouldn’t be allowed to advertise on the tv.

[Renfrew_Hibby]

I was watching the cycling yesterday and noticed at least two gambling adverts on every break, for online casinos and bookies. Two things struck me - the “welcome bonus” nonsense where they’ll give you £40 but you have to bet £350 before you can claim it, and the constant “new ways to bet”. Ladbrokes were pushing a 5-a-side themed bet - no idea how it works, but it portrayed it as fun and exciting - almost not like gambling at all. They had their usual mandatory messages at the end, but I think the tone of the advert pushed the boundaries of acceptability.

They're just grooming the next generation, the 18-25year olds.

[Northernhibee]

They shouldn’t be allowed to advertise on the tv.

It's an interesting one - alcohol advertising prohibits anything that could be contrued as attractive to children, could be seen as a message that alcohol will change your mood or be fun, have any sort of health benefits and the like. Fairly understandable stuff. It's why so many alcohol adverts are arty, vague affairs.

Why should gambling be allowed to push itself as something that will make you enjoy a sporting event more? Similarly, why are they allowed to suggest that putting on a winning bet is somehow a skill or a sign of intelligence?

I've long thought the adverts that go along the lines of "take control" of your gambling are a total misnomer. The bookies hold all the power - they set the prices and odds, what you can and can't gamble on, how they attract you into their premises or website and also if you don't use something like the services Stu has already mentioned whether or not you are self excluded or not, and indeed they control the settings on their sites that allow for deposit limits and the like. That means that they control if those are lifted if a problem gambler wishes to remove those.

There is no "taking control" of your gambling outwith using external sources and what those adverts are doing is still leading with the simple message "gamble with us". The balance of power lies almost entirely with the bookie.

[Northernhibee]

They're just grooming the next generation, the 18-25year olds.

I'm not entirely convinced that 18 is the lower age of who they're targeting. It seems that "putting on an acca" is being touted as a skill rather than a risk.

[hibsbollah]

They're just grooming the next generation, the 18-25year olds.

Of all the things I can’t stand about how gambling has its claws in our society, As a father, this is what worries me the most.

My 13 year old and all the other 13 year olds we know, spend every second they are allowed with their face in their device. These devices are the most convenient way for bookies to access their customer base. They do so by wall to wall advertising that is impossible not to view. This advertising is sophisticated and hits all the neurotransmitters that psychology tells us is almost impossible for young brains to resist. Many of these kids are addicted to gambling, in the form of virtual loot boxes and the like, before they even have access to a bank account of their own or regular access to money. It’s only when they get their first salary or first credit card that the real problems start.

Id vote for almost any politician that addressed this issue seriously.

[Northernhibee]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-36580678

Stuff like this needs to be looked at as well - the amount of "tipsters" who appear on social media and are potentially getting commission from the bookies.

[brianmc]

In the length of time it's taken me to read through the second page of this thread on my tablet I've had to dismiss ads from Ladbrokes, Corals and 888.com....

[hibsbollah]

In the length of time it's taken me to read through the second page of this thread on my tablet I've had to dismiss ads from Ladbrokes, Corals and 888.com....

:faf: Spoken in jest, yet...

[stu in nottingham]

Here are a few resources for anyone that might find them useful. In particular, the self-help resources area has a workbook in it that mirrors a course of treatment that's quite informative.

https://www.gamcare.org.uk/app/uploads/2020/05/GamCare-Self-Help-Workbook-2019.pdf

[andy1875]

Good Afternoon all,

My Dad brought this to my attention and i’m glad its here to raise awareness of this addiction and it’s one I’m always personally happy to talk about.

I am a compulsive gambler and it had a grip of me for a long long time. I first when to GA when I was around 22 year old and after a few months of abstinence, thought id “cured” the obsession of the mind and stopped attending meetings.......only to find myself back in the madness of gambling within days, not weeks or months.

Fast forward to August 11th 2018 and I’d had enough of the same life (and i use that term loosely) because a life with a gambling addiction is no life at all. It’s hell and strips you of the ability to live a “normal” life and have any sort of happiness. I couldnt plan a day ahead of myself with any real conviction if it involved finances because every penny I had was for a bet. If I was lucky enough to have a wee winning streak then fine but it was only a matter of time before I lost it all again.That was the vicious circle I lived for around 13 years approx.

Like I alluded to above. I’d finally had enough and got myself along to a GA meeting in Leith in the summer of 2018 and its been the best thing I’ve ever done. The meeting is a 12 Steps meeting (not advice) because for me to keep this illness at bay, I needed to first of all understand what made me go to gambling, what is it in my character that craves a bet etc etc. For me I had to do some self analysis of my own character/personality to then understand how this illness will then try and worm its way back into my life.

Theres more to the Steps programme but thats a very brief outline and its something I was willing to try as id tried self will, id tried counselling and nothing stopped me gambling. Being in and around others who had the illness and who were trying to learn about themselves is what has aided my recovery.

I am happy to bang the drum for GA and I aint scared or embarrassed to carry the message that recovery is possible once you admit you are powerless over gambling. Ive been there and it will take awareness, effort and mindfulness that I can never place another bet in my lifetime to keep me moving in the direction of recovery.

Each and everyone of us who has/is suffering/suffered from this addiction will know how crippling it is and whilst I would never offer advice to anyone, I would certainly happily talk to anyone who needs a word.

Stu - I will have a look at your links, always enjoy reading up on this topic for obvious reasons!

Cheers

[calumhibee1]

Good Afternoon all,

My Dad brought this to my attention and i’m glad its here to raise awareness of this addiction and it’s one I’m always personally happy to talk about.

I am a compulsive gambler and it had a grip of me for a long long time. I first when to GA when I was around 22 year old and after a few months of abstinence, thought id “cured” the obsession of the mind and stopped attending meetings.......only to find myself back in the madness of gambling within days, not weeks or months.

Fast forward to August 11th 2018 and I’d had enough of the same life (and i use that term loosely) because a life with a gambling addiction is no life at all. It’s hell and strips you of the ability to live a “normal” life and have any sort of happiness. I couldnt plan a day ahead of myself with any real conviction if it involved finances because every penny I had was for a bet. If I was lucky enough to have a wee winning streak then fine but it was only a matter of time before I lost it all again.That was the vicious circle I lived for around 13 years approx.

Like I alluded to above. I’d finally had enough and got myself along to a GA meeting in Leith in the summer of 2018 and its been the best thing I’ve ever done. The meeting is a 12 Steps meeting (not advice) because for me to keep this illness at bay, I needed to first of all understand what made me go to gambling, what is it in my character that craves a bet etc etc. For me I had to do some self analysis of my own character/personality to then understand how this illness will then try and worm its way back into my life.

Theres more to the Steps programme but thats a very brief outline and its something I was willing to try as id tried self will, id tried counselling and nothing stopped me gambling. Being in and around others who had the illness and who were trying to learn about themselves is what has aided my recovery.

I am happy to bang the drum for GA and I aint scared or embarrassed to carry the message that recovery is possible once you admit you are powerless over gambling. Ive been there and it will take awareness, effort and mindfulness that I can never place another bet in my lifetime to keep me moving in the direction of recovery.

Each and everyone of us who has/is suffering/suffered from this addiction will know how crippling it is and whilst I would never offer advice to anyone, I would certainly happily talk to anyone who needs a word.

Stu - I will have a look at your links, always enjoy reading up on this topic for obvious reasons!

Cheers

Great post. Glad to here you’ve kicked the habit and hope you keep working to keep it at bay for good.

[Pedantic_Hibee]

Well done, Andy. Keep going 💚

[Eaststand]

Good Afternoon all,

My Dad brought this to my attention and i’m glad its here to raise awareness of this addiction and it’s one I’m always personally happy to talk about.

I am a compulsive gambler and it had a grip of me for a long long time. I first when to GA when I was around 22 year old and after a few months of abstinence, thought id “cured” the obsession of the mind and stopped attending meetings.......only to find myself back in the madness of gambling within days, not weeks or months.

Fast forward to August 11th 2018 and I’d had enough of the same life (and i use that term loosely) because a life with a gambling addiction is no life at all. It’s hell and strips you of the ability to live a “normal” life and have any sort of happiness. I couldnt plan a day ahead of myself with any real conviction if it involved finances because every penny I had was for a bet. If I was lucky enough to have a wee winning streak then fine but it was only a matter of time before I lost it all again.That was the vicious circle I lived for around 13 years approx.

Like I alluded to above. I’d finally had enough and got myself along to a GA meeting in Leith in the summer of 2018 and its been the best thing I’ve ever done. The meeting is a 12 Steps meeting (not advice) because for me to keep this illness at bay, I needed to first of all understand what made me go to gambling, what is it in my character that craves a bet etc etc. For me I had to do some self analysis of my own character/personality to then understand how this illness will then try and worm its way back into my life.

Theres more to the Steps programme but thats a very brief outline and its something I was willing to try as id tried self will, id tried counselling and nothing stopped me gambling. Being in and around others who had the illness and who were trying to learn about themselves is what has aided my recovery.

I am happy to bang the drum for GA and I aint scared or embarrassed to carry the message that recovery is possible once you admit you are powerless over gambling. Ive been there and it will take awareness, effort and mindfulness that I can never place another bet in my lifetime to keep me moving in the direction of recovery.

Each and everyone of us who has/is suffering/suffered from this addiction will know how crippling it is and whilst I would never offer advice to anyone, I would certainly happily talk to anyone who needs a word.

Stu - I will have a look at your links, always enjoy reading up on this topic for obvious reasons!

Cheers

A very brave post and I'm sure everyone that knows you will be very proud of you battling against the terrible gambling addiction which seems to affect so many people.

Persevere

GGTTH

[stu in nottingham]

Good Afternoon all,

My Dad brought this to my attention and i’m glad its here to raise awareness of this addiction and it’s one I’m always personally happy to talk about.

I am a compulsive gambler and it had a grip of me for a long long time. I first when to GA when I was around 22 year old and after a few months of abstinence, thought id “cured” the obsession of the mind and stopped attending meetings.......only to find myself back in the madness of gambling within days, not weeks or months.

Fast forward to August 11th 2018 and I’d had enough of the same life (and i use that term loosely) because a life with a gambling addiction is no life at all. It’s hell and strips you of the ability to live a “normal” life and have any sort of happiness. I couldnt plan a day ahead of myself with any real conviction if it involved finances because every penny I had was for a bet. If I was lucky enough to have a wee winning streak then fine but it was only a matter of time before I lost it all again.That was the vicious circle I lived for around 13 years approx.

Like I alluded to above. I’d finally had enough and got myself along to a GA meeting in Leith in the summer of 2018 and its been the best thing I’ve ever done. The meeting is a 12 Steps meeting (not advice) because for me to keep this illness at bay, I needed to first of all understand what made me go to gambling, what is it in my character that craves a bet etc etc. For me I had to do some self analysis of my own character/personality to then understand how this illness will then try and worm its way back into my life.

Theres more to the Steps programme but thats a very brief outline and its something I was willing to try as id tried self will, id tried counselling and nothing stopped me gambling. Being in and around others who had the illness and who were trying to learn about themselves is what has aided my recovery.

I am happy to bang the drum for GA and I aint scared or embarrassed to carry the message that recovery is possible once you admit you are powerless over gambling. Ive been there and it will take awareness, effort and mindfulness that I can never place another bet in my lifetime to keep me moving in the direction of recovery.

Each and everyone of us who has/is suffering/suffered from this addiction will know how crippling it is and whilst I would never offer advice to anyone, I would certainly happily talk to anyone who needs a word.

Stu - I will have a look at your links, always enjoy reading up on this topic for obvious reasons!

Cheers

Cheers Andy, great post. Really pleased to read of how you tackled the problem. Any thoughts/contradictions on the below I'm happy to hear mate.

Regards GA, I think it is extremely helpful for many. It's probably depends on what the individual responds to best. I am pleased to see asolutely anything that works. In my own view, GA is a great option for after counselling. I think it's very good for a little self-monitoring and recharging the batteries and I always recommend it. The aim of tackling a gambling addiction is not so much about 'cures' - how could that ever be measured we might say. It's much more about maintaining a life with no gambling in it and observing a few things that do that. I'd liken this to managing a chronic illness. I need to be clear though and state that I'm not saying it is a chronic illness in itself.

After being discharged from counselling a recovering gambler is hopefully in a 'Maintainance' period (in effect indefinitely - without an end) in which it's useful to be able to consult others once in a while (or more often). I find though that people don't tend to go to GA meets after counselling ends, in spite of advice to try it.

Having been in a position of assessing gamblers previously where there was a need for some to attend meetings I found that hardly anyone wanted to. I have considerable experience of being in AA meets for training purposes which are run along the same Twelve Step principles The concerns I tried to address with clients about meets were largely as follows:

Feeling uncomfortable in 'public speaking' - in actuality, meetings are generally quite informal, supportive and friendly

Fear of confidentiality being breached from someone in the meet - the rule of everything said in the meeting staying in the meeting is stressed every meet. My belief is that people in meets become very much like a brother/sisterhood with everyone supporting each other and so rarely happens.

Feeliing that one-to-one counselling is the gold standard of care and that groupwork is in some way inferior - in actual fact, research tells us that groupwork works very well for gambling addictions

A person feeling that he/she doesn't want to share their story with anyone, apart from one single person/counsellor.

Some pros however are:

The great support you can feel regularly from others

The convenience of meet times for those who have a difficulty attending sessions in the day - meets are generally around 8pm approximately. Most large conurbations will generally have two meets a week.

You don't have to make an appointment and can turn up whenever is convenient for you at meeting times

GA meets don't feature counsellors, psychotherapists, gambling practitioners or psychologists. What they do have however in their strong peer support which is a powerful thing. It has attendees who have 'walked the walk'. That has to be worth a lot.

Easy to locate information about meetings (probably reverted back to Zoom again currently). Just type your postcode into the field on the front page of the site.

https://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/

Here are the Twelve Steps which Andy refers to. I'm not a disciple personally :greengrin and work quite differently but as can be seen with him, it works extremely well for many people.

[Northernhibee]

Good Afternoon all,

My Dad brought this to my attention and i’m glad its here to raise awareness of this addiction and it’s one I’m always personally happy to talk about.

I am a compulsive gambler and it had a grip of me for a long long time. I first when to GA when I was around 22 year old and after a few months of abstinence, thought id “cured” the obsession of the mind and stopped attending meetings.......only to find myself back in the madness of gambling within days, not weeks or months.

Fast forward to August 11th 2018 and I’d had enough of the same life (and i use that term loosely) because a life with a gambling addiction is no life at all. It’s hell and strips you of the ability to live a “normal” life and have any sort of happiness. I couldnt plan a day ahead of myself with any real conviction if it involved finances because every penny I had was for a bet. If I was lucky enough to have a wee winning streak then fine but it was only a matter of time before I lost it all again.That was the vicious circle I lived for around 13 years approx.

Like I alluded to above. I’d finally had enough and got myself along to a GA meeting in Leith in the summer of 2018 and its been the best thing I’ve ever done. The meeting is a 12 Steps meeting (not advice) because for me to keep this illness at bay, I needed to first of all understand what made me go to gambling, what is it in my character that craves a bet etc etc. For me I had to do some self analysis of my own character/personality to then understand how this illness will then try and worm its way back into my life.

Theres more to the Steps programme but thats a very brief outline and its something I was willing to try as id tried self will, id tried counselling and nothing stopped me gambling. Being in and around others who had the illness and who were trying to learn about themselves is what has aided my recovery.

I am happy to bang the drum for GA and I aint scared or embarrassed to carry the message that recovery is possible once you admit you are powerless over gambling. Ive been there and it will take awareness, effort and mindfulness that I can never place another bet in my lifetime to keep me moving in the direction of recovery.

Each and everyone of us who has/is suffering/suffered from this addiction will know how crippling it is and whilst I would never offer advice to anyone, I would certainly happily talk to anyone who needs a word.

Stu - I will have a look at your links, always enjoy reading up on this topic for obvious reasons!

Cheers

Fantastic to hear that you've done so well - really brave post and always brave to have to be honest with yourself that you need to make a change in the first place. :thumbsup:

[andy1875]

Cheers Andy, great post. Really pleased to read of how you tackled the problem. Any thoughts/contradictions on the below I'm happy to hear mate.

Regards GA, I think it is extremely helpful for many. It's probably depends on what the individual responds to best. I am pleased to see asolutely anything that works. In my own view, GA is a great option for after counselling. I think it's very good for a little self-monitoring and recharging the batteries and I always recommend it. The aim of tackling a gambling addiction is not so much about 'cures' - how could that ever be measured we might say. It's much more about maintaining a life with no gambling in it and observing a few things that do that. I'd liken this to managing a chronic illness. I need to be clear though and state that I'm not saying it is a chronic illness in itself.

After being discharged from counselling a recovering gambler is hopefully in a 'Maintainance' period (in effect indefinitely - without an end) in which it's useful to be able to consult others once in a while (or more often). I find though that people don't tend to go to GA meets after counselling ends, in spite of advice to try it.

Having been in a position of assessing gamblers previously where there was a need for some to attend meetings I found that hardly anyone wanted to. I have considerable experience of being in AA meets for training purposes which are run along the same Twelve Step principles The concerns I tried to address with clients about meets were largely as follows:

Feeling uncomfortable in 'public speaking' - in actuality, meetings are generally quite informal, supportive and friendly

Fear of confidentiality being breached from someone in the meet - the rule of everything said in the meeting staying in the meeting is stressed every meet. My belief is that people in meets become very much like a brother/sisterhood with everyone supporting each other and so rarely happens.

Feeliing that one-to-one counselling is the gold standard of care and that groupwork is in some way inferior - in actual fact, research tells us that groupwork works very well for gambling addictions

A person feeling that he/she doesn't want to share their story with anyone, apart from one single person/counsellor.

Some pros however are:

The great support you can feel regularly from others

The convenience of meet times for those who have a difficulty attending sessions in the day - meets are generally around 8pm approximately. Most large conurbations will generally have two meets a week.

You don't have to make an appointment and can turn up whenever is convenient for you at meeting times

GA meets don't feature counsellors, psychotherapists, gambling practitioners or psychologists. What they do have however in their strong peer support which is a powerful thing. It has attendees who have 'walked the walk'. That has to be worth a lot.

Easy to locate information about meetings (probably reverted back to Zoom again currently). Just type your postcode into the field on the front page of the site.

https://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/

Here are the Twelve Steps which Andy refers to. I'm not a disciple personally :greengrin and work quite differently but as can be seen with him, it works extremely well for many people.

Hi Stu,

Always happy to talk away on this subject mate.

I need to caveat my message above and this one with the important line of “i can only speak for myself and from my own experience”. Thats not a kop out or intended to make whats worked or not worked for me any more relevant or less relevant than anyone elses point. I just think its so important for people to know that each and every one of us will deal with things differently and what works for one person might not work for someone else.

The counselling and or self will (ie stopping gambling and not asking/seeking any help at all) or even GA advice meetings are all things I tried and it didn't stop me gambling.

I did get periods of abstinence as I described it above and in simple terms. All i did was “stay away” for a while from gambling bit it was always just a matter of time before the bet came. Once the first bet was placed, my obsession of the mind was back and it couldn't be stopped for anything or anyone.

Advice in particular is something I wouldnt give anyone.....advice in the context of “do this/dont do this” can work for one person but we are all different so its very unlikely to work for all. Again just my opinion.

The path I chose was the 12 steps programme. I am by no means a religious person by the way, I was just someone who was desperate to find a way of stopping gambling and staying stopped. Id tried the avenues above so the next obvious option was the 12 steps. I havent “finished” the programme, which wont ever be finished in the true sense of the word. i am on nearly on step 5 but the principles are something I at least try to bring into my life on a regular basis.

I have a sponsor that I work with regularly, which in itself is like a counsellor, the difference being my sponsor is someone who has the same issue as me. I will hopefully become a sponsor one day too and the snowball effect carries on.

For clarity, the illness I refer to is something I wasn't comfortable using or describing my “issue” as but today, I believe gambling was all bit a symptom of the emotional illness I believe I suffer from. The programme allows me to understand who I am, what makes me tick, what makes me depressed, what makes me feel happy and so on. Only by working the programme have I learned so much about myself.

Not easy at times, difficult even but I was/am willing to try anything because spending every penny, month after month year after year, losing relationships etc wasnt a life. Something had to give and it meant a bit of soul searching was needed. This is my medicine and GA Sundsy meetings are my most peaceful and dare I say it, enjoyable part of my week.

If someone had said to me sitting with people in a room with strangers (at first obviously) would become such a massive part of my life i’d have laughed you out the room but hey ho, life is unpredictable at times eh.

So in summary and for anyone who is reading this and wondering do I try GA, counselling, self will etc. Only you can decide because everyones journey is different. I wouldnt ever say do this or dont do that, I can only share what has “worked to date” for me.

Cheers

[Skol]

I consider myself to have been lucky as I could easily have ended in a bad way.

When I was first working I was pretty naive, didnt drink, didnt gamble and built up a sizeable sum in my current account. So much so that a guy from the TSB came out to my parents house and wanted me to invest the money wisely. before I did I started a new job and very soon I was going for a beer on a Friday bookies at lunchtime and casino on the way home. I very soon lost the money the TSB wanted me to invest.

I had a friend who took a loan to get a new kitchen. The loan was gambled before the kitchen was to be paid for and he had to get money from his parents. That was also gambled before he went to a loan shark. Think his future wife eventually bailed him out.

I pretty much gambled and drank every penny as it came in. I paid for tipsters and gambling formulae and lost lots on sure things. I had the odd bit of luck and on one fateful day I had an each way yankee on the horses with a 33/1, 16/1 and 8/1 winner but the 1/2 dead cert came in third and although I won a decent sum it wasnt what it could have been.

I met my future wife who was in a worse financial situation than me due to a shopping addiction and this was what broke the cycle as we worked together to repay our debts and get back on an even keel. I continued with the odd fixed odds coupon but luckily avoided getting drawn in to the addiction that I could have.

Up until 18 months ago I had a paddy power account but gambled just a fiver a week but I closed that and havent bet since

[Itsnoteasy]

I consider myself to have been lucky as I could easily have ended in a bad way.

When I was first working I was pretty naive, didnt drink, didnt gamble and built up a sizeable sum in my current account. So much so that a guy from the TSB came out to my parents house and wanted me to invest the money wisely. before I did I started a new job and very soon I was going for a beer on a Friday bookies at lunchtime and casino on the way home. I very soon lost the money the TSB wanted me to invest.

I had a friend who took a loan to get a new kitchen. The loan was gambled before the kitchen was to be paid for and he had to get money from his parents. That was also gambled before he went to a loan shark. Think his future wife eventually bailed him out.

I pretty much gambled and drank every penny as it came in. I paid for tipsters and gambling formulae and lost lots on sure things. I had the odd bit of luck and on one fateful day I had an each way yankee on the horses with a 33/1, 16/1 and 8/1 winner but the 1/2 dead cert came in third and although I won a decent sum it wasnt what it could have been.

I met my future wife who was in a worse financial situation than me due to a shopping addiction and this was what broke the cycle as we worked together to repay our debts and get back on an even keel. I continued with the odd fixed odds coupon but luckily avoided getting drawn in to the addiction that I could have.

Up until 18 months ago I had a paddy power account but gambled just a fiver a week but I closed that and havent bet since

That would have been some Yankee if that had came up. When I was at high school in the 80s, third year, I had pals in my class who would come to school with the Racing Post. I was 6ft at the time & used to put the bets on for them. Thats when I got hooked. Only ever got one winner for the time I was at school. Green Ruby 25/1, 50p on the nose. I did win a good few quid at pitch & toss.

[stu in nottingham]

Some information about how to Reduce Gambling Adverts Online

https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-blog/blog/how-to-reduce-gambling-adverts-online/

For anyone interested in tackling a gambling problem, a free, confidential call to the National Gambling Hotline will now give you access to three things as well as general advice:

Referral to free counselling through a Gamcare partner agency (national network)

Free license for Gamban blocking software, normally £24,99 pa. Blocks up to fifteen devices, sign up for between six months to five years.

Link and advice for Gamstop self-exclusion scheme.

You can speak with advisers one-to-one over the phone or via live chat every day of the year, 24 hours a day.

Phone: 0808 820 133

Chatline (secure and confidetial): https://aurapp01.mplaurora.net/chatapp/JoinChat.aspx

[stu in nottingham]

Chapeu Bolton Wanderers in taking this action. I hope that more and more clubs follow their lead.

Bolton Wanderers remove betting kiosks and end links with gambling organisations.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11672/12415531/bolton-wanderers-to-remove-betting-kiosks-and-end-all-non-obligated-links-with-gambling-organisations

[Sylar]

I can see how it can so easily rope someone into a bad place with very little effort.

I don't gamble - I've never gambled. Except for a period of 2 weekends last year. We (as a large family) decided to all pick some horses for the Grand National and chuck a quid on our picks. Easy enough. I'd also been given a few tips from a mate of mine who is an avid (and quite successful) gambler, so I decided to open a SkyBet account, chuck £20 in an account and see how far it could go. The National got me bugger all, but I put a few football accumulators on and did quite well! I immediately banked all of the winnings, except I left the £20 in to go again on the Sunday. Another accumulator, let down by one team. So I started to look for other ways to make it back. I was scouring for live games in play that looked likely outcomes - we're talking teams I've never heard of in leagues I've never heard of, just to try and recoup the earlier losses. I started playing in the roulette section of the app - initially betting small amounts (10p, 50p) to see where I could get to. Again, some moderate success resulted in chasing bigger successes and eventually 10p and 50p became £1 and £5...

I could feel myself getting agitated that I wasn't getting wins after a point and I knew I was starting to 'chase' my losses, so I transferred what was left in my account back to my bank account and decided to leave it. However, the following weekend, I was there again. I had more losses than wins the second weekend (same £20 approach) and I could feel that urge to try and get back to breaking even. I clocked myself feeling this way, transferred the remaining £15 or whatever it was back into my bank account, closed the app and deleted it from my phone. I haven't placed a bet since.

I know in my case the amounts are piddly and I didn't get into any real bother, but two weekends of 'feeling' the way I did - the high of a win followed by that feeling of needing to chase/recoup losses and I can really see just how troublesome gambling can be for people. My mate, who I mentioned above, seem to succeed week on week. He knows odds, and has structures in place that seem to cover all eventualities and it's rare he ever makes a loss. But I wonder how many losses his success masks?

It's a grim thing to get sucked into.

[heretoday]

Local bookie says they take more in football betting than horses now.
I don't suppose that adds to the debate really but there you go.

[Killiehibbie]

Local bookie says they take more in football betting than horses now.
I don't suppose that adds to the debate really but there you go.

I got told that the bookies could live without horses on a Saturday over 30 years ago. Much more football during the week than there was then.

[brianmc]

Devil's advocate here but where do you draw the line?

Alcohol free hospitality lounges because some people become alcoholics?

Shut down all the food outlets because there's an obesity problem?

When do people have to take responsibility for their own actions?

As I'm an overweight middle aged man who drinks too much (according to government guidelines and my wife) I feel these are reasonable questions.

I take full responsibility for the shape I'm in, why can't everyone else do the same 🤔

[calumhibee1]

Devil's advocate here but where do you draw the line?

Alcohol free hospitality lounges because some people become alcoholics?

Shut down all the food outlets because there's an obesity problem?

When do people have to take responsibility for their own actions?

As I'm an overweight middle aged man who drinks too much (according to government guidelines and my wife) I feel these are reasonable questions.

I take full responsibility for the shape I'm in, why can't everyone else do the same 🤔

I actually don’t disagree with that.

Regardless though, I’d love to see gambling completely banned.

[Just_Jimmy]

Devil's advocate here but where do you draw the line?

Alcohol free hospitality lounges because some people become alcoholics?

Shut down all the food outlets because there's an obesity problem?

When do people have to take responsibility for their own actions?

As I'm an overweight middle aged man who drinks too much (according to government guidelines and my wife) I feel these are reasonable questions.

I take full responsibility for the shape I'm in, why can't everyone else do the same [emoji848]There's a difference between an open bar at a stadium and every where you turn being gambling.

It's everywhere. It's inside grounds, it's on shirts, it's on phones, it's all over social media, it's all over TV, every second advert, bookend adverts during games at every break, sponsoring things. It is just absolutely everywhere and whilst someone like me who does the odd bet and knows when to walk away notices it and thinks it's far too much then surely those who struggle must be in hell.



Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

[stu in nottingham]

I got told that the bookies could live without horses on a Saturday over 30 years ago. Much more football during the week than there was then.

As a person who counsels people with gambling problems I notice that people with a problem gambling on horses is becoming rarer whilst football gambling is very much a growing culture, especially online via mobiles. It's one of the minority of gambling activities that can have a social aspect to it. Usually, I find people with the latter problem tend to enjoy football - or at least they used to do that is. Often it has come to the point where the matches are not enjoyable unless bets are placed. The focus can be largely on stats around the game rather than watching it for the pure enjoyment of the game.

Another growth area seems to be tennis as well as various minority sports that are just used purely as a vehicle for gambling, sometimes around the clock and played in different countries.

As one would expect, online gambling in general is the main growth area. Day after day I talk to people with problems betting on online slots and casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Fixed odds betting terminal (FOBTs) to my mind appear to be have had a bit of a renaissance too though I have no evidence for that, just many people telling me that since the £2 stake limit came in and after the resultant initial drop in interest, they have devised ways to pump a lot of money into the machines again to offer an adequate'buzz'. It is noticable that the gambling companies were making a lot of noise about having to close shops due to this restriction but that has gone rather quiet now.

[Killiehibbie]

As a person who counsels people with gambling problems I notice that people with a problem gambling on horses is becoming rarer whilst football gambling is very much a growing culture, especially online via mobiles. It's one of the minority of gambling activities that can have a social aspect to it. Usually, I find people with the latter problem tend to enjoy football - or at least they used to do that is. Often it has come to the point where the matches are not enjoyable unless bets are placed. The focus can be largely on stats around the game rather than watching it for the pure enjoyment of the game.

Another growth area seems to be tennis as well as various minority sports that are just used purely as a vehicle for gambling, sometimes around the clock and played in different countries.

As one would expect, online gambling in general is the main growth area. Day after day I talk to people with problems betting on online slots and casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Fixed odds betting terminal (FOBTs) to my mind appear to be have had a bit of a renaissance too though I have no evidence for that, just many people telling me that since the £2 stake limit came in and after the resultant initial drop in interest, they have devised ways to pump a lot of money into the machines again to offer an adequate'buzz'. It is noticable that the gambling companies were making a lot of noise about having to close shops due to this restriction but that has gone rather quiet now.
I used to see guys losing all their money in fotb's and thinking it was fixed. Most of them had no idea when playing blackjack that it was a fresh shoe every deal and completely random.

[Northernhibee]

The big problem is that gambling addiction is an easy addiction to hide from others. This gives gambling companies and as far as I'm concerned, individual employees, more responsibility in taking precautions against potential signs of problem gambling. I don't see that from the industry, I see adverts everywhere, big gamblers being invited to VIP events and the like.

I work in the licensed alcohol trade and when we're working events where we serve alcohol we refuse anyone who has clearly had enough. Security at events will often come up to us and say that "the person with the green hair and purple t-shirt (or whatever) is not to be served". We would never serve anyone who we knew had a drink problem.

People should take responsibility for themselves, absolutely, but when they're past the point of being able to do so then the industry has to step in and do the right thing. From what I see in the alcohol trade this happens, I'm not so sure about bookmakers.

[Peevemor]

As a person who counsels people with gambling problems I notice that people with a problem gambling on horses is becoming rarer whilst football gambling is very much a growing culture, especially online via mobiles. It's one of the minority of gambling activities that can have a social aspect to it. Usually, I find people with the latter problem tend to enjoy football - or at least they used to do that is. Often it has come to the point where the matches are not enjoyable unless bets are placed. The focus can be largely on stats around the game rather than watching it for the pure enjoyment of the game.

Another growth area seems to be tennis as well as various minority sports that are just used purely as a vehicle for gambling, sometimes around the clock and played in different countries.

As one would expect, online gambling in general is the main growth area. Day after day I talk to people with problems betting on online slots and casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Fixed odds betting terminal (FOBTs) to my mind appear to be have had a bit of a renaissance too though I have no evidence for that, just many people telling me that since the £2 stake limit came in and after the resultant initial drop in interest, they have devised ways to pump a lot of money into the machines again to offer an adequate'buzz'. It is noticable that the gambling companies were making a lot of noise about having to close shops due to this restriction but that has gone rather quiet now.One of my locals for a while was Leerie's at the West end of York Place. Being next door to a Ladbrokes and across the road from a casino, there were a few heavy gamblers who drunk in there.

One of them, a good pal of mine, was into spread betting in a big way. With swings of hundreds, getting into thousands, of pounds during a match, watching football with him became pretty much unbearable. We'd be commenting on normal things while he'd be going ape about the time of the 1st corner or the total of the goal scorers shirt numbers.

There were also some funny "kitty" type bets though, eg. £2 each on what would be the first advert at half time...

[Pretty Boy]

As a person who counsels people with gambling problems I notice that people with a problem gambling on horses is becoming rarer whilst football gambling is very much a growing culture, especially online via mobiles. It's one of the minority of gambling activities that can have a social aspect to it. Usually, I find people with the latter problem tend to enjoy football - or at least they used to do that is. Often it has come to the point where the matches are not enjoyable unless bets are placed. The focus can be largely on stats around the game rather than watching it for the pure enjoyment of the game.

Another growth area seems to be tennis as well as various minority sports that are just used purely as a vehicle for gambling, sometimes around the clock and played in different countries.

As one would expect, online gambling in general is the main growth area. Day after day I talk to people with problems betting on online slots and casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Fixed odds betting terminal (FOBTs) to my mind appear to be have had a bit of a renaissance too though I have no evidence for that, just many people telling me that since the £2 stake limit came in and after the resultant initial drop in interest, they have devised ways to pump a lot of money into the machines again to offer an adequate'buzz'. It is noticable that the gambling companies were making a lot of noise about having to close shops due to this restriction but that has gone rather quiet now.

The FOBTs are as bad as ever in terms of being able to eat money.

The £50 spins may be gone now but the bookies were always going to find a way round it. Now they offer a gamble type thing for 'super spins' or 'fortune spins'. Basically fill a bar or match 3 symbols to 'win' a certain number of spins in the main game. I've seen guys plough through a lot more than £50 and never see the main game. There is a similar feature on the roulette as well. Before you paid £50 for your 5 spins or whatever, now you have to 'earn' them by playing a gamble mini game beforehand.

It's predatory from them as the impression is that these fancy spins give a far greater chance of winning. They do increase the chance slightly but the percentage difference is so minimal as to be largely irrelevant, especially if it's cost you £65 to 'win' £50 in your 5 spins.

[stu in nottingham]

The FOBTs are as bad as ever in terms of being able to eat money.

The £50 spins may be gone now but the bookies were always going to find a way round it. Now they offer a gamble type thing for 'super spins' or 'fortune spins'. Basically fill a bar or match 3 symbols to 'win' a certain number of spins in the main game. I've seen guys plough through a lot more than £50 and never see the main game. There is a similar feature on the roulette as well. Before you paid £50 for your 5 spins or whatever, now you have to 'earn' them by playing a gamble mini game beforehand.

It's predatory from them as the impression is that these fancy spins give a far greater chance of winning. They do increase the chance slightly but the percentage difference is so minimal as to be largely irrelevant, especially if it's cost you £65 to 'win' £50 in your 5 spins.

Thanks for this information PB. I will be sharing that with colleagues.

[stu in nottingham]

The big problem is that gambling addiction is an easy addiction to hide from others. This gives gambling companies and as far as I'm concerned, individual employees, more responsibility in taking precautions against potential signs of problem gambling. I don't see that from the industry, I see adverts everywhere, big gamblers being invited to VIP events and the like.

I work in the licensed alcohol trade and when we're working events where we serve alcohol we refuse anyone who has clearly had enough. Security at events will often come up to us and say that "the person with the green hair and purple t-shirt (or whatever) is not to be served". We would never serve anyone who we knew had a drink problem.

People should take responsibility for themselves, absolutely, but when they're past the point of being able to do so then the industry has to step in and do the right thing. From what I see in the alcohol trade this happens, I'm not so sure about bookmakers.

I think the fact that gambling is not as 'visible' an addiction as some others is part of the lack of understanding and indeed empathy from the general public at times towards those struggling with it. Partners and other affected others sometimes ask the same 'why did you do it?' type question repeatedly afterwards without ever receiving an adequate answer - often because the gamblers themselves don't understand why themselves in any depth. It can sometimes be quite damaging towards relationships which are already under threat after the activity is disclosed or found out.

You make a good point with your comparison of the alcohol and gambling industries. The former is regulated in more ways than the latter is in several ways. Who hasn't witnessed somebody who's had a wee bit too much to drink being refused service and asked to leave. Betting shops can see punters being asked to leave of course but apart from those are who self-excluded, have to be pretty well kicking off for that to happen.

Online is a different story again with gamblers being manipulated and subject to abusive behaviour by gambling companies in the offers and other inducements they receive when in pretty deep trouble already. I can also think of countless occasions when I've known gamblers relapse after these inducements, including a lower-league footballer in a regular job who lost nigh-on £200,000 in one night after having been issued with some cash and free spins. The company had obviously noted he'd not used his account in some weeks (whilst in treatment) and clearly targeted him.

[Pretty Boy]

One of the things about gambling advertising that infuriates me is the presentation of it as being something that enhances an experience.

When advertising alcohol that is a strict no go area. Likewise emphasising speed in a car advert isn't allowed. With alcohol a company can show alcohol as part of an enjoyable social ocassion. What it can't do is show someone looking miserable, having a drink the suddenly feeling better about themselves. I think it's pretty self explanatory why that is off limits. With gambling Sky Bet can tell you it 'matters more when there is money on it'. That is by any measure telling you that gambling enhances the enjoyment of an occasion. There are countless other gambling ads that do similar.

I am someone who enjoys a bet. A beer and a bet whilst at the races is an enjoyable day out for me. I know I can't be trusted with FOBTs or online though. I'm totally self excluded from all online platforms which thankfully now prevents them from contacting me. When I tried to go cold turkey so to speak I was bombarded with offers of free spins, bonus machines, a free fiver on blackjack or roulette etc etc. It was constant and inevitably led to a few splurges. It's a bizarre thing because I can lose a tenner on the horses and walk away without giving it a second thought. Likewise I can have a decent win, say great, pocket it and spend it on something more worthwhile. On the other hand I could lose hundreds in online casinos and delude myself into thinking I could win it back. Then I would self loathe for a few hours before having another crack. If I won I would withdraw, then change my mind, convince myself this time I was going to ruin the *******s, reverse the withdrawal and lose the lot with interest (thankfully the reverse withdrawal option is no longer allowed).

In sports betting there is the whole murky world of affiliate schemes. Online 'tipsters' earning a share of the losses for every bet that comes through their links. That creates a scenario where they have to tip enough winners to stay relevant but they make real money from the losers. Who can't see the conglict of interest there? You can see why the bookies want to bring them on board.

I don't really have any desire to see gambling banned. I know loads of people who enjoy a bet without any bother, it's little more than a fun activity on ocassion. What I do want to see is far stricter controls on how and where gambling is advertised and also far more emphasis put on the duty of care gambling companies have to their customers.

[calumhibee1]

As someone who doesn’t gamble, is it just me or does it feel like the percentage of problem gamblers compared to say problem drinkers is huge?

I know very few people that don’t drink yet I know no alcoholics (as far as I’m aware of course).

I know lots of people that gamble. I know lots of people who in my opinion have a problem. For all the posts about how it’s harder to spot, I’ve certainly come across numerous times the amount of people who clearly have an issue with gambling than I have the bevvy.

[Paul1642]

I think the advertising has just gotten to a crazy level. It’s impossible to watch a game of football without being subject to advertising for multiple gambling company’s several times each. The shirts are sponsored by them, the pitch side is sponsored by them, and near enough every TV commercial before, during and after the game is for a betting company. It’s so full on it’s crazy and the profits these company’s are turning over without even providing a physical product is mind blowing.

An earlier poster made a fair point about alcohol and fast food but at least we can’t buy alcohol between 10-10 and have minimum pricing going on. Also alcohol addiction appears to me to take a lot longer to develop than gambling addiction, and is much more visible to those around you giving room for intervention.

Gambling can spiral out of control and one big bet on a “safe bet” gone wrong can lead to you chasing your losses which is a game few win. Needs treated like smoking IMO. No advertising and the sites should be as bland and warning filled as a modern day fag packet rather than the flashy fun sites we currently have. I’m glad I never got too deep into it but the £10-£15 a week losses quickly add up. If your gambling online you can message the company and ask too see your all time profit / loss. I was a few grand down over several years and decided to ban myself from all sites. Never regretted it since. Better in my pocket than theres.

[hibsbollah]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-60463593.amp

This case could set some sort of precedent and will be worth watching.

Also, a couple of MPs with very dodgy records of accepting cash or freebies for sports events and then making speeches supportive of the gaming industry in parliament shortly after.

https://www.nationalworld.com/news/politics/mps-given-gifts-by-gambling-and-betting-firms-repeatedly-supported-the-industry-in-parliament-3451665

[stu in nottingham]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-60463593.amp

This case could set some sort of precedent and will be worth watching.

Also, a couple of MPs with very dodgy records of accepting cash or freebies for sports events and then making speeches supportive of the gaming industry in parliament shortly after.

https://www.nationalworld.com/news/politics/mps-given-gifts-by-gambling-and-betting-firms-repeatedly-supported-the-industry-in-parliament-3451665

Such sad news. It will be interesting to hear the 'evidence' given by the Department of Health, seeing as in that period they did absolutely nothing to help people with gambling addictions to my knowledge. Free treatment was available to Jack Ritchie and others at that time but it certainly wasn't provided by the NHS - only charitable organisations. GPs still have little clue about the problem to this day in my humble opinion, gleaned largely from my clients and the fact that they refer so few patients for help.

Another sad loss of life. Rest in Peace young man.