Gambling Horror Stories
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The Domino Effect tells the stories of Brandon, Terry, and Sarah, three individuals whose gambling addiction affected not only their lives, but the lives of.
I'm a gambling addict. Three years ago, I was convicted of white collar fraud, after I stole over $130,000 from my employer to fuel an insatiable addiction. My poison of choice was not poker machines, but online gambling. Racing, the thoroughbreds, the trots, the dogs — I wasn't fussy, so long as I could get a bet on and fuel that addiction. Carolyn Crawford went to prison for stealing from her employer to support her pokies addiction, and now shares her story to encourage others to seek help for gambling harm.
I realized I had a potential problem in May 2013 and took a break for a bit, before going back 9 more times since thenBoredom is my biggest issue, as my son went away to college last fall after living solely with me the last two years of his high school
Like a co-worker said, almost all addictions start out as 'just fun,' or 'something to do'
For some, it remains that way; for others, like me, it can turn ugly in a split second
For me, it happened in early May. I had finally received my tax refund and it was also payday, and I was in good spirits as I arrived at the casino. My game of choice is slots, because of the lower wagers than cards and interaction with others is voluntary vs. almost required. But, that Friday I had no plan and felt flush with money. Before I made it to my 'free' room for the night, I was down $400. In the past, I did not return to the casino the next day after staying overnight, but I did that Saturday. As I withdrew $500 from the ATM, I was drawn to the phone number for gambling addictions for the first time. I started betting max on my favorite machines and lost the entire $500 within 3 hours. Naturally, I had a very tough drive home
In the 9 times I went since early May, I am down a total of $1025 more
I have worked hard to fight the urges and have definitely changed my approach by betting less and walking away before losing everything I loaded on my player's card. But, it's not lost on me that I have not hit even one 'medium' jackpot of more than $50 the last 6 trips, yet in the beginning I would hit those almost every other trip, and more times than not they were between $300 and $800. I am truly beginning to wonder if casinos can control the outcomes for individual players when they see one's habits changing? I doubt this is the case, but it does seem awfully weird that I have not hit the equivalent of 12 visits in a row since I am wagering about half as much and pushing the button many more times per visit
I will close for now, but will be happy to share more of my personal information with anyone who is interested. I am a good listener too - petemon
Hi ALL,
Well, let's see, now. I live in UK/London. My gambling history goes back around6/7 years, now.
I'm a shy, private, reserved type of person. So, I would never have had enoughself-confidence to do gambling in full public view, on any regular basis.
I once, for example, tried going along to a London Ladbrokes Casino onTottingham Court Road...and, I felt so damn shy, competely embarassed(I alwayswanted to hide the shameful fact that I'm an addictive gambler from everybodyelse), self-concious...that I couldn't find enough inner courage to ask anystranger there, 'how do you play these games?' So, instead, I brought myself astiff drink...in order to find courage-but, still didn't find it...thus, I justwalked out...never to go back in there, again.
Thus, for me, gambling is something you do in secret behind closed doors, and,at home...well away from crowds of other people...where you are safe from beingrecognised as somebody who is really incredibly stupid...because, loosing moneythrough gambling -(especially, when you already poor)- always makes me feellike somebody who is a total damn fool! Feels like you are throwing the stuffaway...to go feed the, already, rich bookies
PHONE GAMBLING
For a couple of years I was a phone gambler. I used to make telephone betsthrough William Hills 0800 767 767. And, read off the bet stakes/results byjust watching the pages of TELETEXT TV.
My 1st bets were merely for £10.00 at a time...which was the minimum telephonebet allowed, at that particular time. Then, after loosing, again and again, Idecided to go chase my losses...by upping my stake bet to become £20.00/then,£40.00/-etc. Well, it wasn't before long I was making bets of £100/then, formultiple £100's...and, finally, £1000/and, multiple £1000's. My last big betwas for £5,000.00..which was my full credit card limit, at the time...and, itlost...which is when I decided to quit gambling.
GAMBLING LEADING TO SOME HUGE CREDIT CARD DEBTS
All of this betting was done on credit, by the way...because, otherwise, Icould certainly never have afforded it. The result of all of this over-spendingis that I now owe the credit cards Barclaycard/Mastercard £10,000.00+!!! But,I'm unemployed, and, therefore, do have no real way of paying it back?!
The money grows interest everyday. At the end of the month I have to find, atleast, the minimum monthly re-payment of 5%...; or, otherwise, the credit cardcompanies are going to take me off to court. And, even if I pay back £200.00 onsay one card...well, £100.00 of that vanished as being merely just pureinterest, alone!!! So, that the priciple debt itself doesn't ever seem to bedecreasing/but, instead, is steadily increasing.
Then, of course, once I've paid this 5% money in to the credit cardcompanies...; the end result is, now, I'm left totally flat broke! So, I usethe credit card to take money back out, again-sometimes, to pay to do even moregambling with. Thus, the debt just stands there still...and, it feels like I'mjust going absolutely nowhere...which is most awfully damn depressing! Likewaking up everyday with this dark cloud over your head that will never ever goaway?!
THE STOP PERIOD
Well, before I did telephone/tv gambling. Until I stopped...which was over 5years ago.
But, let me explain something...that even when a gambler isn't gambling...whichis, usually, when they don't have enough money left to gamble with?! Or, evenif they do deliberately try to control themselves...; then, this doesn't meanthey are not gambling...; even though they may not be gambling, physically,through outward show...; yet, in their mind's eye they are still gambling,constantly, non-stop, all the time. They wake up gambling...remain gamblingwhilst awake...and, then, go off to sleep gambling still...all in their mindseye.
For example, everytime I'm watching TV/or, listening to the radio, and,hear/see that my fav. football team/boxer/tennis player/snookerplayer/horse/dog trap/-etc. wins...then, I feel very sad, indeed, inside thatI, quite stupidly, LOST money...just because I didn't go bet to WIN!!!
So, I've learnt that addictions, really and truly, are for life...because, evenwhen you do stop on the surface...you are still going at it beneath the surfacelike crazy deep down inside of yourself. And, through recognising this constantalmost irresistable urge to gamble...that's how you know you are still agambler at heart...and, that none of the addiction inside you hasleft...instead, it's just lurking around there somewhere in the dark shadowybackground...patiently, waiting for the one single moment when you decide todrop down your guard...and, then, WHAM it HITS you...and, has come back, again.
During the period when I had stopped...I still did a few gambles...-(simply,couldn't resist having a little flutter, every now and then)-...but, no longerdid gambling take over my entire life excusively right from morning throughuntil night...I, occassionally, played the football pools/and, occassionally,the National Lottery, as well/and, maybe, just once or twice bet a small bet onthe football.
HOW MY GAMBLING HAS RESTARTED
Well, I went to an online web site...
http://www.thedailydraw.com
...and, there they allow you to gamble for FREE (up to 2 goes per day.../and, Iplay, everyday). The price being that you have to click on an advertisment tocomplete your play.
Well, I clicked on some gambling adverts...and, then, I felt tempted to go signup with those sites, recently.
http://www.williamhill.co.ukhttp://www.surreysports.co.uk
http://www.ladbrokes.com
http://www.rank.com
http://www.sportingbets.com
/-etc.
I joined the web sites in order to discover what online gambling would be alike?Would it be fun/or, boring/and, of course, and, especially, would it beprofitable...easier to win?
Well, at first, I didn't do too very badly at it...; and, found I won...; but,then, gamblers have a tendency to get really greedy...never really knowing whento stop...and, therefore, quit whilst still ahead...as in...take the money andRUN!!!
When a gambler decides to keep on gambling, constantly, non stop...then, that'swhen they pretty soon discover that in the long run the odds are stackedagainst you...and, so, the bookies are ultimately going to win every singletime. First, you discover you've lost all of your winnings...then, you startchasing after those losses...sooner or later, you find yourself loosing moreand more and more...and, that the more you try and chase after you losses bydoing some more gambling...the more and more you are going to loose on top ofit all.
Soooooooo deeply depressing, as well as, fustrating as sheer bitter hellis...trying to beat the bookies! And, having this eternal optimist dream thatjust won't stop...not even in the face of the reality...which is you are,constantly, loosing...you just cannot seem to prevent yourself from thinking,ok, I lost this time...but, next time, I will WIN, for sure!!!
So, lately, I;ve found I'm getting involved more and more heavily in internetgambling...; and, I'm worried, because I want it to STOP before I'm go back tobeing where I was before...which was a guy with no life...but, just thisridiculous gambling addiction for 24/7.
You see, yesterday, I lost around £60.00(told myself never, again!)...and,then, today, I woke up, and, lost a further £10.00...and, i'm unemployed andcan't afford to loose money in this really stupid way...the money that shouldbe used to pay all of my bills with...is being wrongfully used to support mygambling play habits, instead.
I keep telling myself a lie, that I am in control...and, I will be able tocontrol it. That I'm far too logical, and, also, actutely aware of what mysituation is to let it go out of control. But, somewhere, I'm going to have towake up fast, and, just admit the real truth that I really can't handlegambling, atall. And, the best way to deal with it...is just gamble inside ofmy own mind, if I must...but, don't do no real life gambling, as it's not evenworth the effort. Like throwing all of your money away right down the damndrain!
Gambling addiction always did make me feel most utterly miserable...when youloose -(which is far more often than not)- you go around with thisdepressed/defeated/hopeless mood...I don't want to go back there, again, at all.
WHAT I'M DOING TO HELP MYSELFWell, I've been to the online web site to help gamblers...
http://www.gamcare.org.uk
And, I'm also trying to phone them...but, unfortunately, they seem to beengaged, all the time...even though their phones are open from 10am - 10pm.
0845 6000 133
I've also tried speaking to the The Samaritans, as well.
08457 90 90 90
Gambling Horror Stories
I'm also thinking of going to see GA-Gamblers Anonymous. (I've already beenthere once, before...; but, as I said, I'm a private gambler who tends togamble, alone...; therefore, I didn't really enjoy getting involved with a hugecrowd of people, atall.)
I think, instead, I might have to try some sort of 1 to 1 counsellingservice...that is, if I'm ever going to talk about it face to face.
Also, at the end of the day, I honestly feel that nothing, and, nobody in thiswhole wide world can ever help you...if you are not 200% willing to helpyourself.
My real problem lies in being broke/unemployed/and, also, being unable to payoff all of my huge debts. That makes me want to find some way to solve thisfinancial sitauation...and, the only thing legal I can think of turning to...tosolve it...is, possibly, gambling, alone?! Until that illusionary dream dies inme...then, I fear I will always remain a gambler for all the rest of my entirelife.
Bye4now!/BEST wishes, always!/-Paul(UK/London)
PS: Have a NICE day!;-)
Problem Gambling Horror Stories
THE NUMBERS
£5050: Amount spent on gambling each month by six out of 10 British adults.
350,000: Estimated number of British 'problem gamblers'.
33 per cent: Minimum estimated increase in calls to Gamblers Anonymous since the first National Lottery ticket was sold eight years ago.
£50516,439: Amount stolen from a sorting office safe by senior postmaster Dean Williams, 34, to fund his addiction for gambling on horse racing. He now faces up to nine years behind bars.
£5063.8bn: Total amount staked in all gambling activities, including the Lottery. (£5029.6bn is spent on ordinary betting at bookmakers and Tote.)
£5028m: Amount fed into fruit machines each day in Britain in 2001-02.
131: Number of registered casinos in the UK.
£505.37: Amount spent by average household on Lotto tickets each week.
13,980,000 to 1: Odds against picking all six Lotto numbers.
Sports Gambling Horror Stories
£503.5bn: Money exchanged in for gambling chips in British casinos last year.
£5044: Average amount spent by a punter during one visit to a UK casino.
£50350: Average amount lost in a visit to a Las Vegas casino.
£503m: Sum to be provided by the gambling industry each year to fund research and help for problem gamblers.
30,000: number of jobs that councillors in Blackpool, Lancashire, hoped would be created by transforming the seaside town casino resort.
Problem Gambling Horror Stories
699: licensed bingo clubs in UK.
Gambling Addiction Stories
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