[News] Only 3% of UK problem gamblers get proper help, says study

[portslade seagull]

Hopefully one day (soon) gambling ads/sponsorship will be banned, the same way smoking was.

Weren't they to be banned during any sports broadcast and teams stopped from having gambling site sponsors, or did I imagine that is

 

[Billy Seagull]

There really needs to be a ban on bookies sponsoring sporting teams and advertising around the perimiter at matches. Even our match on Monday there were at least six banners around The Amex advertising various shysters. They spend absolute fortunes on advertising to get in the mug punters and then cut your legs off if they think you even have a vague chance of taking money off them. Now the shysters have moved into bingo and suchlike fixed games which is even worse than the betting in my opinion.

There should be more checking upfront about affordability to gamble online, very hard to administer I know, but finally the credit card deposits have been banned which can only be a good thing. Gambling is an addiction and it's sad to see how many people get addicted and lose absolute fortunes.

 

[Bozza]

I've certainly been a problem gambler in the past.

Not a "betting the mortgage payment" type of problem, but certainly "betting a lot of money that could be used far more constructively elsewhere".

My worst incident came when I chased a loss of something quite minor like £10 that, after a series of losses on odds-on "sure things" had me betting four-figure sums to get back to levels. It was when I was then trying to work out where to place something like £8k on a 1/2ish shot that I woke up to the stupidity of it all and quit. I was lucky in some regards that it was "money I could afford to lose" but I bloody wish I hadn't lost it.

There have been a couple of times I slipped off the wagon - [MENTION=12825]cunning fergus[/MENTION] will recall placing a bet for me on a darts final in a Bristol pub between Christmas and New Year when we'd just returned from watching us win at Exeter. He wondered if I would remember I owed him £2k (I think it was) when I sobered up the next day. I was sickened but, yes, I remembered and paid up!

I don't bet any more.

 

[Barham's tash]

Well done on it being over a year since your last bet. My last bet was 17 years ago. I'm 51 years old now and won't be having another bet in my life. No need - I know where it would lead me to.

G.A. is a brilliant organisation and the programme really works. Are they doing any online sessions at the moment that you could attend?

Thanks, congrats to you.

Perhaps I’m being naive but I really don’t feel I need any other resource atm as I genuinely haven’t had a pang or desire despite plenty of triggers for over 10 months.

I expect there are virtual meetings still being held but I’ve not dipped my toe.

 

[Insel affe]

Been there done that over 12 years ago, I played the crack machines and lost thousands, it was back when I got paid cash in hand everyday fitting. I was on very good money and could afford to lose some of my wages, but eventually I chased money over a period of 6 months and became overdrawn not by much about 2k but the inevitable happened and not get's past the wife, even if you think your clever, the truth always outs and bosh.... the ultimatum was issued and i attended GA for a while in London and never looked back. I do have the odd football bet and the race meetings on the flat I will have a lucky 15 probably twice a year. I make sure I take the cash out for said bet, leave my card at home and go in head down, up to the counter hand over the slips, head down and walk out.... I still can't be trusted and I know that, but there is something about the buzz....

Well done to everyone with an issue who is tackling their demons, it takes strength and no one can know the heart wrenching sickness you feel when you walk out of a bookies knowing you have been so stupid, and your minds racing with lies in preparation for excuses why you were not home on time, or why you dont "feel" like going out tonight...

It is all to easy to say, well just don't do it...

But some of us have issues that probably transcend the issue of gambling, they have addiction/personal issues that are far more complicated than just being stupid.

 

[Grombleton]

Gambling.........what's the point?

There is only one winner.

Gamble on things that you can have certainty on, but then I don't call that a gamble as it is a prediction. Yes predictions go wrong but they carry more logical reasoning and if you can add some lateral thinking the results can be better with less risk IMO.

I do feel empathy for them though.

Where did they start their addictions? Was it parent led? Bingo, football pools, the lottery?

I am not sure I know of any real gamblers.

I think the answer to that is so varied and everyone will point to different reasons. For some it could be peer-pressure, for others a form of escapism from things happening...others it could be just a bit of fun that has developed far more than it should have done. The issues may run deeper in some than in others and some people may feel they don't have a 'problem'.

Personally i've never had a gambling addiction, but I do have an addictive personality so I try to be careful with many things. I did once have a friend at college who I would head to the pub with and he would quite happily lose 70 or 80 quid a day on the fruit machines (which, for someone in their late-teens was a lot of money) - watching him, he always tried to justify it with tactics and trying to play the various machines in the pub...i dont remember him ever walking out with a profit.

 

[amexer]

Only bet on football and often do an accumulator. Like all have had a few wins but am lucky I hate losing. I top up my account with no more then £30. If that goes in 3/4 weeks without a win I get the knock and stop for few weeks. Am no expert but would think danger is chasing a big win, chasing losses, and increasing stakes from your normal.

 

[happypig]

I used to drink with a feller who managed a bookies in Hove somewhere. He reckoned that for virtually every big win he paid out, he would see a profit back from the same punter within months.

 

[portslade seagull]

Never been into gambling like my money too much. My Dad has had a saturday 7 bet on the horses for years but it's only small outlays and he seems happy with a £5 return. If you added all his bets over 60 odd years it would be a few thousand

 

[cunning fergus]

I've certainly been a problem gambler in the past.

Not a "betting the mortgage payment" type of problem, but certainly "betting a lot of money that could be used far more constructively elsewhere".

My worst incident came when I chased a loss of something quite minor like £10 that, after a series of losses on odds-on "sure things" had me betting four-figure sums to get back to levels. It was when I was then trying to work out where to place something like £8k on a 1/2ish shot that I woke up to the stupidity of it all and quit. I was lucky in some regards that it was "money I could afford to lose" but I bloody wish I hadn't lost it.

There have been a couple of times I slipped off the wagon - [MENTION=12825]cunning fergus[/MENTION] will recall placing a bet for me on a darts final in a Bristol pub between Christmas and New Year when we'd just returned from watching us win at Exeter. He wondered if I would remember I owed him £2k (I think it was) when I sobered up the next day. I was sickened but, yes, I remembered and paid up!

I don't bet any more.

Yep, recollection is reasonably clear, despite the celebratory gin binge on the way back from Exeter and beers back in The Fish Market.

I thought it was 3k and that was a step down from 4k. I think I had a part to play in the failed investment plan as I had spent most of the day referencing my monster no risk return on Anderson that I wasn’t going to lay off. How we laughed.

Quite how jackpot managed to beat the flying Scotsman is a sporting mystery that year (2012 I think). Almost as mysterious as Darren Clarke not winning SPOTY in 2006.

As for problem gambling, it’s really about losing isn’t it, it’s not a problem so long as you win (see above).

 

[Gwylan]

There are eye-opening posts in this thread. Well done to BT, Moshe, Bozza and PF (and everyone else) for confronting their demons. People talk about alcoholism and drug addiction but it's clear that gambling is a major problem too.

Good luck to everyone in their fight.

Question for Bozza: in light of these revelations, would be possible to ban gambling ads on NSC. There aren't many, but every little helps (to steal a phrase)

 

[Deleted member 2719]

I think the answer to that is so varied and everyone will point to different reasons. For some it could be peer-pressure, for others a form of escapism from things happening...others it could be just a bit of fun that has developed far more than it should have done. The issues may run deeper in some than in others and some people may feel they don't have a 'problem'.

Personally i've never had a gambling addiction, but I do have an addictive personality so I try to be careful with many things. I did once have a friend at college who I would head to the pub with and he would quite happily lose 70 or 80 quid a day on the fruit machines (which, for someone in their late-teens was a lot of money) - watching him, he always tried to justify it with tactics and trying to play the various machines in the pub...i dont remember him ever walking out with a profit.

I am with you on an that, I have an addictive personality.

Some people are addicted to me.

 

[Grombleton]

I am with you on an that, I have an addictive personality.

Some people are addicted to me.

You smooth talker

 

[Deleted member 2719]

You smooth talker

 

[marcos3263]

Doing the Super 6 every week (sky free bet thing) is enough to show me I am not good at predicting results!

Its SOOO easy to predict the scores of only 6 games - they give away £250k if you do - except they don't as its rarely ever won.

Out of 30 points I often get 5-8 (5 points for a correct score, 2 points for a correct result)

This keeps me grounded.

I have lots of mates that bet - lots of in play, accas and cashing out but it all seems a faff to me. They sometimes show off their winnings but they rarely show me their losses........

 

[Gwylan]

Question for Bozza: in light of these revelations, would be possible to ban gambling ads on NSC. There aren't many, but every little helps (to steal a phrase)

Like the ad I'm being served a lot today - claiming the people can double their money by making the right bet. If there is such a big problem and so few people are getting the right treatment, couldn't NSC play a small part in tackling this?