Hi All
So I’m guessing my story is similar to a lot of people on this site. I’ve been an addict since I was 18 (now 30) and it has got progressively bad in the last 5 years or so. I regularly stake £3-500 a week on UK football betting. The betting got disgracefully bad culminating in 25k of debt. This was paid off recently in September 2016 by my mother who had just retired and gave me 25k to pay off all my debt. I couldn’t believe my luck, I agreed to pay her £500 a month. However, things took a nasty turn, the credit cards, loans and payday loans came back and instead of giving her £500 a month she has been giving me £500 a month! It’s disgusting and I am ashamed at myself, since I got myself back into 12k of debt she has been giving me the odd 1k or even 2k to pay off a payday loan etc.
It is worse now than ever, the other day I bet my last £500 in the world on inter milan to beat Juventus at home which I was absolutely convinced would happen given their form and it was a typical ‘banana slip’ for Juve. Of course, inter lost. That means I am £500 OVER my overdraft, have 7k credit card deb 3 payday loans worth 1.5k, and I haven’t paid any credit card bill and don’t get paid until end of the month. I was so desperate that I looked at loans in my father’s name, luckily he has just agreed to take out a loan for 12k, paying off my entire debt at just 3% Apr. Now I know how lucky I am right now and I feel guilty for having such fortune considering so many on this site have significant debt problems which I would have if it wasn’t for this.
Anyway, I know now this is my LAST CHANCE SALOON and I am absolutely determined to never bet again, I will not let my family and wonderful partner down ever again. I am going to attend my first GA meeting and take each day step by step resisting my urges and using this site. One of my major concerns is my best friends who always talk about gambling over WhatsApp in our group chat and nights out are always focused on group accas etc. My plan to combat this is to speak to them individually tomorrow and let them know not to talk about betting ever and the same to the lads in work
Anyway enough about me thanks so much for reading and all the fantastic support you bring
Hi @welshdragon123,
Thank you for posting on our forum and explaining your situation.
Well done on taking steps to address your gambling problem and reaching out to GA.
I would really encourage you to call our helpline at Gamcare 0808 8020 133 or come through on the netline to have a chat about your situation and looks at additional ways we can support you. You are sounding really determined to make a change and we could help you with that.
Many thanks
Forum Admin
Your post is quite worrying as you’ve not addressed any of the reasons why it is your gambling
You have already syphoned over 40 grand off your parents to fund this addiction and this is quite possibly the most dangerous part of your story as I fear there could be more bail outs waiting in the future
Debt & financial troubles are fundamental side effects of gambling addiction …..a lack of funds can often be the only way of actually stopping an addict in his tracks
If there is no fear of the credits running out then there is no reason to stop
there comes a point in every gamblers life where they have to face up to the reality they have created for themselves
this is the only way we can begin to repair the damage
By giving you all of these bail outs your parents have effectively created a bigger problem and its extremely important you ensure they are educated in gambling addiction going forward
Hi,
As with many people on here I can relate to a lot of your story .
I don’t have anything clever or inspirational to help you out but I do know by coming on here and sharing your experiences you are genuinely trying to stop gambling and sort out your mess.
In regards to having mates who are all involved in gambling I do understand, but if they are good friends you should be honest with them and say that you want to stop it all .
My life revolved around gambling and although it’s early days for me , honestly there is life out there without it.
Obviously you have to want to stop and it’s very easy to stop if you have no money , but once you realise the harm it’s does then it also becomes easier .
Well done for admitting your problem and we’ll done for asking for help .
Good luck being gambling free and your new start
Hello mate,
As you say, similar to a lot of people on this site. Like you I was a teenager when I started gambling and this continued until I was 30. I joined back in February (I'm 31 now). Like my diary says, I'm a compulsive gambler and my last bet was and is still 13th February 2019.
What has happened has happened. You can't change the past. My parents helped me by giving me a few thousand to clear my credit card debt. Instead I cleared 25% of it and gambled the rest away on roulette. I know the feeling, it's shameful. Again, you can't change the past but you can plan for a better future. Plan to become the person you know you really are.
Here's a few things I did which has made my 8 month GF journey successful so far:
- Join Gamstop for 5 years. It's simple to do and it blocks you from gambling on any online site. Give them every single accurate detail about yourself so that they can do their bit successfully.
- I walked into every local bookmakers and signed a form to self exclude myself.
- Call the 'multi-operator' who can get you self excluded from other local bookies you didn't even know existed.
- Good to hear you are going to a GA meeting. I went every week for 3 months and found it very helpful to hear other peoples stories and share my own.
- Keep logging into this site to read other peoples diaries/success stories.
- Be 100% honest with your partner and parents. Tell them everything. Gambling thrives on secrecy so you have to get it all out in the open.
- You need to restrict your access to money/gambling funds. My partner looked after my debit card for 3-4 months. I had access to our JA but obviously so did she. Don't carry cash unless you absolutely have to.
I hope some of this helps. Let me tell you something pal, I never thought I'd get to where I am now. 8 months clean. It feels so amazing to say that!!! It seems like a long road now but let me tell you, that time goes so fast. I no longer have to 24/7 feeling of dread and guilt. I literally never spend money anymore, it all gets saved and goes on my son etc. YOU CAN DO THIS. NOTHING, LITERALLY NOTHING POSITIVE COMES OUT OF GAMBLING!
Keep us updated with how you're getting on.
Your post is quite worrying as you’ve not addressed any of the reasons why it is your gambling
You have already syphoned over 40 grand off your parents to fund this addiction and this is quite possibly the most dangerous part of your story as I fear there could be more bail outs waiting in the future
Debt & financial troubles are fundamental side effects of gambling addiction …..a lack of funds can often be the only way of actually stopping an addict in his tracks
If there is no fear of the credits running out then there is no reason to stop
there comes a point in every gamblers life where they have to face up to the reality they have created for themselves
this is the only way we can begin to repair the damage
By giving you all of these bail outs your parents have effectively created a bigger problem and its extremely important you ensure they are educated in gambling addiction going forward
Hi mate
Thank you for your reply.
I agree with you completely, when I go home next I will be telling my parents the extent of my additional ‘no holds barred’. They know I have an addiction but they do not know how bad it is or don’t understand.
It sounds awful but when i received 25k I had no intention of stopping, I didn’t look on here as I felt ‘I didn’t need to’. I now know I absolutely need to and there is a fundamental change in my application to gambling and I am going through a ‘re wiring’.
The first step is to pay off my debt, I am then giving full control of my finances to my partner for the foreseeable future so she controls my money. On top of that I will be going to GA and the betting will be no more. My last bet was last Sunday and I am absolutely determined to keep it that way through a mix of willpower, not letting my parents ever bail me out again, and giving all of my money to my partner to give me. I am determined to beat it this time one day at a time
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
