[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Ha. I 'gave up' online gambling in October last year whe I signed upto gamstop thinking it would be a useful tool in stopping me gambling, as advertised. I wish that meant I had not done it but no..still an issue at times. Its only very certain times though, its not really something I think about constantly anymore, more..lapses that lead to like..10 hour night bouts of just being utterly ridiculous. Seems to be generally when am medicated, as have said, I also have to be very very bored, usually in a optomistic mood, sometimes have recently been stressing about something I want to buy/pay for but do not have enough cash, and then with these things present, also the voice in the back of my head saying 'no dont, it wont end well' also disappears..when I think 'ah, I could try my luck'. The once the first deposit of the night is made and the actual spinning starts, well at that point am beyond reason. Even if the voice comes back I argue with it about how 'nah, it will be fine, a big win has to come soon' and such Ugh.

Its even worse recently, well since October, than it ever was. Because I know I have no chance of winning anything at all, as anywhere that lets me play will pull the 'excluded card' if I do happen to win. Yet still do it. And cannot really explain it.

I have found out through personal experience that gamstop is absolutely not a decent tool for problem gamblers, if anything, it makes things worse as it just gives operators who do still let you play despite all crowing about responsible gambling and such..yet another excuse to deny legitimate winnings. So instead of having a problem where you spend more than you can afford, but sometimes get a big win which 'makes up for it', you have situations where you have not had a win paid in 9 months, but still deposit even though you know wins are at best highly unlikely to be paid

So you can deposit your money and lose but if you win they keep it for the best part of a year?... and they may never pay you because youre excluded if you try to withdraw? Wow :/
I did something silly, turns out addictions are transferable... a guy at work told me about his gf winning £500 on online bingo... so I had a go, and after a bit I won £500! Thing is then I was like a mad thing, staying up all night and within a week had given them £300 back! I told my daughter what was going on and my son deleted my account for me... but they don't make it easy to do, they ask you why you want to...if you'd rather set limits it was a mare

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

So you can deposit your money and lose but if you win they keep it for the best part of a year?... and they may never pay you because youre excluded if you try to withdraw? Wow :/
I did something silly, turns out addictions are transferable... a guy at work told me about his gf winning £500 on online bingo... so I had a go, and after a bit I won £500! Thing is then I was like a mad thing, staying up all night and within a week had given them £300 back! I told my daughter what was going on and my son deleted my account for me... but they don't make it easy to do, they ask you why you want to...if you'd rather set limits it was a mare

There might try and email you free bets just delete it

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

So you can deposit your money and lose but if you win they keep it for the best part of a year?... and they may never pay you because youre excluded if you try to withdraw? Wow :/
I did something silly, turns out addictions are transferable... a guy at work told me about his gf winning £500 on online bingo... so I had a go, and after a bit I won £500! Thing is then I was like a mad thing, staying up all night and within a week had given them £300 back! I told my daughter what was going on and my son deleted my account for me... but they don't make it easy to do, they ask you why you want to...if you'd rather set limits it was a mare

In a week?! Would have taken me a few hours to play that back

And yup, thats the situation. Its stupid, and I am stupid for keep going on them too but..I cant hep being stupid it seems

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

In a week?! Would have taken me a few hours to play that back

And yup, thats the situation. Its stupid, and I am stupid for keep going on them too but..I cant hep being stupid it seems

If work hadn't got in the way who knows lol... your not stupid addiction is horrible and you are NOT alone these places prey on us if they didn't market themselves to hook people in like they do , give you a little win a a sweetener then sit back when your depositing your wages they'd be out of business.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

If work hadn't got in the way who knows lol... your not stupid addiction is horrible and you are NOT alone these places prey on us if they didn't market themselves to hook people in like they do , give you a little win a a sweetener then sit back when your depositing your wages they'd be out of business.

This is 100% correct, and there's also literally NO "profile" of a problem gambler when it comes to machines. Tell me that someone is hooked on the horses or dogs and I can tell you that 90%+ of them are going to be men aged between 50 and 70. Tell me that someone has a football betting problem and it's a good bet that they're a younger male, often age 21 - 35.

Machines? It's a **** show. Guys who have just turned 18, girls on their way out to a club, older blokes who used to bet over the counter but now funnel all their spare cash into the things, mums out shopping with their kids knocking at the door for them to hurry up, little old ladies from the bingo hall. People in expensive suits, people in labourer gear, people who have clearly just rolled off their couch after a joint. Literally anyone you point at in the street .

[michael21]

I not going to bet till the new football season starts I think its the 3 angust

[user104658]

Originally Posted by michael21

I not going to bet till the new football season starts I think its the 3 angust

Just stick with a nice little £5, 5 or 6 game, acca. You can't really go wrong there. A nice little chunk if you're lucky and who really misses a fiver.

Anything more than that and you're heading into murky waters.

[AnnieK]

Gambling is such a dangerous addicition as unlike other addictions, alcohol, drugs etc it has no outward symptoms. I have heard of really wealthy professional types literally going bankrupt or turning to fraud to fund it and no-one, even those closest to them were aware they even had a problem. Its frightening really.

I don't think mobile type app adverts should be allowed on TV either.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Gambling is such a dangerous addicition as unlike other addictions, alcohol, drugs etc it has no outward symptoms. I have heard of really wealthy professional types literally going bankrupt or turning to fraud to fund it and no-one, even those closest to them were aware they even had a problem. Its frightening really.

I don't think mobile type app adverts should be allowed on TV either.

Yeah, it's the "no hangover". All of the symptoms are there when problem gamblers are actively gambling - the adrenaline shakes, the agitation, some literally sweat profusely, they get angry, some can lash out etc. but as soon as the session is over they can put their game face back on and walk away looking outwardly no different to how they did when they walked in.

Some other addictions can be similarly "silent" at first , like prescription pills and even early stage "functional" alcoholism, but those will eventually start to show physically as they progress. A problem gambler can be at absolute rock bottom (I've seen people lose houses and businesses) and still have no physical sign of the problem.

[Marsh.]

Yeah, it's strange. There's a law against shops advertising the machine games in the windows/outside yet the TV is full of those online gaming/bingo adverts.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Yeah, it's strange. There's a law against shops advertising the machine games in the windows/outside yet the TV is full of those online gaming/bingo adverts.

That's relatively new as well though, windows used to be full of games posters.

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

That's relatively new as well though, windows used to be full of games posters.

Some window will have close in them

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Yeah, it's strange. There's a law against shops advertising the machine games in the windows/outside yet the TV is full of those online gaming/bingo adverts.

They still do free to enter tournaments on slot machines in my local William hills to win a twenty pound voucher.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by parmnion

They still do free to enter tournaments on slot machines in my local William hills to win a twenty pound voucher.

They will do. They just can't advertise that outside of the shop to pull people in.

[user104658]

It is just another example of bare minimum compliance though. "We don't put posters in the window even though no one ever looks at those posters anyway, socially responsible r we innit"...

... Then giving (practically forcing) over the counter customers who have never even glanced at the machines a free go to get them hooked.

Still doing the bare minimum for industry compliance while completely unsubtly pushing the opposite on the down low. Repeatedly hammering the self destruct button to be honest. If actual social responsibility had been observed from the offset they probably wouldn't be facing as much backlash.

[Livia]

Very interesting to see your take on this, TS.

My paternal grandfather was a gambler, no one else in the family ever gambled, I wonder if it has something to do with what my grandfather lost and how horrible it was for my grandmother. It's a horrible addiction. And now it's everywhere! Bingo, slot game ads, roulette on late night telly... I'm sure most people gamble responsibly, but I understand it's affecting kids under 18 now.

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Livia

Very interesting to see your take on this, TS.

My paternal grandfather was a gambler, no one else in the family ever gambled, I wonder if it has something to do with what my grandfather lost and how horrible it was for my grandmother. It's a horrible addiction. And now it's everywhere! Bingo, slot game ads, roulette on late night telly... I'm sure most people gamble responsibly, but I understand it's affecting kids under 18 now.

How many kids do you know over 18

As for kids gambling where are there getting the money from

[user104658]

Originally Posted by michael21

How many kids do you know over 18



As for kids gambling where are there getting the money from

When you're old and withered like me and Livia, you realise that most people under about 25 (sometimes older) are really still just kids.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

When you're old and withered like me and Livia, you realise that most people under about 25 (sometimes older) are really still just kids.

Oi! you cheeky bugger....

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

When you're old and withered like me and Livia, you realise that most people under about 25 (sometimes older) are really still just kids.

Fair point

[user104658]

Originally Posted by michael21

Fair point

Are you calling Livia an old lady?

[michael21]

Some more news

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ladbr...7h1a11ibt0Gy1D

https://www.racingpost.com/news/ladb...obt-cut/390705

[user104658]

Originally Posted by michael21

Some more news

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ladbr...7h1a11ibt0Gy1D

https://www.racingpost.com/news/ladb...obt-cut/390705

Reading between the lines it's exactly as thought: the drop in FOBT revenue has been covered almost completely by the corresponding increase in Sports Betting Terminals, Over The Counter and Online. Casual players have moved to their smartphones, heavy betters have moved to sports and greyhounds. The crackdown is a complete waste of time until they make them across the board and heavily restrict slots and casino games online.

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Reading between the lines it's exactly as thought: the drop in FOBT revenue has been covered almost completely by the corresponding increase in Sports Betting Terminals, Over The Counter and Online. Casual players have moved to their smartphones, heavy betters have moved to sports and greyhounds. The crackdown is a complete waste of time until they make them across the board and heavily restrict slots and casino games online.

Online crackdown wont happen the government make to much money from tax

[user104658]

Originally Posted by michael21

Online crackdown wont happen the government make to much money from tax

That's what they said about FOBT's, and they were taxed higher than online.