[Help] Gambling: The Unique Addiction?

[Cornwallboy]

I don't think problem betting involves a tenner bet, mate?!

For some it could be if on a low income. Ok when would the 'are you sure you can afford it' threshold kick in?

 

[herecomesaregular]

For some it could be if on a low income. Ok when would the 'are you sure you can afford it' threshold kick in?

Repeat betting. Their websites already track this and staff in shops will also be aware. Even a pub landlord is able/could/should refuse to serve a drunk customer or a problem customer.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Nobody forced that person to gamble 23k in 20 minutes, the bookies aren't moral guardians, they provide an optional service. If this person had made a massive profit on their investment would they have moaned about the bookies?

Actually the bookies are supposed to act like moral guardians.

LCCP Section - 3. Protection of children and other vulnerable persons

LCCP Part 2 - Section 3

www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk

 

[Weststander]

Online gambling - a breathing space between injecting funds and being able to bet with them imho would be one of several useful measures eg 24, 48 or 72 hours.

I was never a betting person, but have dabbled over the last 4 years, very limited damage …. I’ve got a special bank account for it, so I’ll genuinely always know where I stand historically. But even I have sometimes been caught in the psychology of a must bet situation, injecting funds then acting on it.

Nanny state interference, absolutely. In minutes people can throw away literally everything, often without their family/partner’s knowledge or agreement if joint funds. Destroying lives.

 

[Cornwallboy]

Repeat betting. Their websites already track this and staff in shops will also be aware. Even a pub landlord is able/could/should refuse to serve a drunk customer or a problem customer.

If someone wants a bet then why should they refuse to take it? It's up to an adult to control what they bet not the bookie. Gamblers who have a win are always happy and they don't view it as a problem then, the moaning and blaming the bookie only starts when they start to lose.

 

[herecomesaregular]

If someone wants a bet then why should they refuse to take it? It's up to an adult to control what they bet not the bookie. Gamblers who have a win are always happy and they don't view it as a problem then, the moaning and blaming the bookie only starts when they start to lose.

You're entitled to your opinion but just because you bet and you don't have a problem gambling .... have a good look around you and the society we currently live in and the problems in it.

With my losses I never moaned and blamed the bookie, I blamed myself entirely - then I thought logically that the only way to rectify it was a couple more bets, perhaps at hmm much higher stakes and lower odds than normal fun bets ...... there is very little to prevent this running away from you (the Stop When The Fun Stops advertising and easy to get round bet limits etc are lip service only and laughable). Read up perhaps on some horror stories and see how little the bookies do and how much they activley encourage it. Agree with someone above - free bets and opening offers should be banned.

edit - thankfully things are fine for me. I kept a record of where i was from the start of my gambling and I'm still significantly up, so I am just annoyed that I blew a lot of profit in a mad window. But that's life. I'm lucky enough to live and learn but I'm also very aware of the mess others get themselves into (with gleeful help and no really stop guards from the bookies).

 

[Justice]

If someone wants a bet then why should they refuse to take it? It's up to an adult to control what they bet not the bookie. Gamblers who have a win are always happy and they don't view it as a problem then, the moaning and blaming the bookie only starts when they start to lose.

The gamblers aren’t blaming the bookie the authorities are for allowing problem gamblers to keep gambling until they have nothing left.

 

[Simster]

Would you tell Tony Bloom that?

When did I say it's 'laughable'? So you care do you? What do you do in practical terms to show how much you care?

'Providing evidence of funds' how would this work exactly? Say you wanted to bet a tenner on a horse what would constitute evidence of funds? Would ten pound cash be 'evidence' or would you need to show a bank statement to show that's not your only funds? Or perhaps a wage slip?

I certainly appear to care a lot more than you do, yes. It bothers me greatly that the easily led, financially vulnerable sector of society can see it as easy money when it is no such thing.

It could easily be managed. For example (off the top of my head), you could have a system where your funds are uploaded to a plastic card or wallet and cash was illegal. The maximum amount on the card could be predetermined based on your financial circumstances rather like a mortgage or a loan is decided. Maybe that's a sledgehammer to crack a nut but maybe that's what's needed.

It needs to be thought about. Preferable to your idea of just letting it all happen. Some idiot spends his money in the betting shop and it's his family that suffer. But you're alright with that? Good job it wasn't your dad doing that really wasn't it?

 

[Cornwallboy]

You're entitled to your opinion but just because you bet and you don't have a problem gambling .... have a good look around you and the society we currently live in and the problems in it.

With my losses I never moaned and blamed the bookie, I blamed myself entirely - then I thought logically that the only way to rectify it was a couple more bets, perhaps at hmm much higher stakes and lower odds than normal fun bets ...... there is very little to prevent this running away from you (the Stop When The Fun Stops advertising and easy to get round bet limits etc are lip service only and laughable). Read up perhaps on some horror stories and see how little the bookies do and how much they activley encourage it. Agree with someone above - free bets and opening offers should be banned.

I've read and heard many horror stories. All the bookies do is open their doors / turn up at the races / advertise their odds and offers, they don't make anyone gamble.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I've read and heard many horror stories. All the bookies do is open their doors / turn up at the races / advertise their odds and offers, they don't make anyone gamble.

Are you for real?!!!!!

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Shouldn't adults to be able to 'safeguard' themselves? I love a punt but I bet what I can afford, I love a drink but I know downing a bottle of red wine before I go to work isn't a good idea. 'Safeguarding' is for primary schoolkids not adults. Whats 'Stan the bookie' supposed to do when someone wants a punt? Make them complete an affordability questionaire? Ask to see a bank statement?

If £23,000 is staked in 20 minutes, then probably yes, Stan should probably have the awareness to do something

 

[Cornwallboy]

I certainly appear to care a lot more than you do, yes. It bothers me greatly that the easily led, financially vulnerable sector of society can see it as easy money when it is no such thing.

It could easily be managed. For example (off the top of my head), you could have a system where your funds are uploaded to a plastic card or wallet and cash was illegal. The maximum amount on the card could be predetermined based on your financial circumstances rather like a mortgage or a loan is decided. Maybe that's a sledgehammer to crack a nut but maybe that's what's needed.

It needs to be thought about. Preferable to your idea of just letting it all happen. Some idiot spends his money in the betting shop and it's his family that suffer. But you're alright with that? Good job it wasn't your dad doing that really wasn't it?

So it bothers you greatly, but apart from posting on here you don't do anything about it?

A plastic card wouldn't work as would be easy to hold multiple accounts. If people want to gamble/ drink they will find a way to do it.

Well perhaps that 'idiot' should think of his family and not spend it in the bookies. I like a drink / verge on alcoholism and could happily down a botle(s) of wine first thing in the morning, however I have people who rely on me to earn money so I refrain from doing so.

How do you know my dad didn't have an addiction?

 

[herecomesaregular]

I've read and heard many horror stories. All the bookies do is open their doors / turn up at the races / advertise their odds and offers, they don't make anyone gamble.

One very quick google search, and this is a good article:

What gambling firms don’t want you to know – and how they keep you hooked

From brain hacks to dark nudges and near misses – betting companies employ an arsenal of clever tricks to tempt punters into spending more money. Here’s how …

www.theguardian.com

 

[Cornwallboy]

Are you for real?!!!!!

What do you mean? Instead of emojis why don't you kill me with your well constructed arguements?

 

[Cornwallboy]

If £23,000 is staked in 20 minutes, then probably yes, Stan should probably have the awareness to do something

Why should he? He's running a business. If Mr 23k had had a stonking great win would we be reading about his losses?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Gambling should be completely banned in my opinion.

Contributes virtually nothing to society, except maybe a few thousand jobs, but especially when you consider that it has been found that it costs the economy more through the damage it causes than what it brings in.

So will you also ban alcohol and tobacco? As others have said, they are equally as addictive and probably cost the economy far more than gambling does when you consider the impact on the health services, police, etc.

 

[herecomesaregular]

What do you mean? Instead of emojis why don't you kill me with your well constructed arguements?

I've rarely heard such a naive statement, hence the laughter. No offense meant, apologies. I would suggest reading the (admittedly long) Gruniad article though, if you're at all interested in the dark arts of the betting companies past and present. It is simoly not the case that they just open their doors and advertise their odds.

 

[Pondicherry]

Hmm, not sure about that tbf. I've no problem with a bookmaker making a tidy profit. But they make huge profits and show little safeguarding towards their customers. Same as i'm not anti capitalist but I expect Government to protect the people against blatant big business ripoff and explotitation (and not to lay in bed with them). The betting industry regulation is much too lax and in particular the advertising of it that paints it as so "cosy and fun and everyone does it, so you are the oddity if you don't" towards young people.

It would be interesting to see what % of profits come from what % of customers. So if for example 75% of profits come from 10% of the customer base then that would be a pretty clear issue. I agree that regulation is too lax and the advertising is an issue. Maybe adverts should carry a warning like cigarettes. Something like 95% of bets lose (or whatever the % is). The whole issue is quite complex because it involves judgement on where the line of personal responsibility versus exploitation is. I agree it is in the wrong place at the moment.

 

[Pondicherry]

Why should he? He's running a business. If Mr 23k had had a stonking great win would we be reading about his losses?

Because it might be money laundering?

 

[Mustafa II]

So will you also ban alcohol and tobacco? As others have said, they are equally as addictive and probably cost the economy far more than gambling does when you consider the impact on the health services, police, etc.

There are no obvious alternatives to tobacco (physically addictive chemical stimulant) and alcohol (a natural and unique intoxicant) for people to turn to should they be banned.

Vaping can and will replace tobacco smoking, and tobacco probably will be banned in time, unless vaping replaces in naturally.

Alcohol cannot be banned as there is no practical alternative, just like many other drugs (many of which should probably be legal).

Gambling on the other hand is little more than a dopamine rush that can be replaced through countless other harmless activities. Nobody needs to gamble. Most gamblers would be happier if they didn't. It wouldn't take much for gambling fans to find new and more rewarding hobbies.

Ban gambling.

... And for what it's worth, I love gambling and have never had a problem with it, but have seen the damage it causes...