I’m in serious need of some help. I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself and my little girl. Since lockdown i have gambled probably more than £2000. Not sure if it’s cause I’m furloughed and sat in the house bored. At first I enjoyed the rush I got when I gambled but now I hate the way it make me feel. I have signed up to the GamStop ages ago so shouldn’t be able to gamble but the last couple of weeks/months I have been getting texts and emails from gambling companies that are not signed up to gamstop so I have been able to sign up and gamble on them sites. Why I didn’t get delete the emails and texts and not even try I don’t know. The urge got abit to much and now I sat here with pretty much nothing. I don’t know how to explain it all to my mum who helped me out with some of my debts last time cause I know how disappointed she would be. Just feel like this is never going to end.
Dear Cj1522,
So sorry you are back in this position again. It sounds like you manage to stop for quite a while, then every so often have a setback like this.
It's good that you have signed up for Gamstop but as you have said, it can't be a 100% guarantee that you won't be able to gamble. It might help you to consider installing blocking software to stop you being able to open gambling sites at all:
https://www.gamcare.org.uk/self-help/blocking-software/
You might also find the following information helpful: guidance from the Gambling Commission on how to reduce unwanted email and text marketing.
If you haven't already, why not give us a call on the Helpline? We're there 24/7, on 0808 8020 or Livechat.
We'd be happy to explore with you strategies to help you block yourself more effectively, and free treatment to help you break out of this cycle for good.
Best wishes,
Deirdre
Forum Admin
As an addict we do things that don't make sense and this illness, because it is an illness, doesn't care who or what it hurts.
You should start by talking to your mum. Be honest and get everything off your chest. She might be disappointed but if you don't have anyone to share this with you'll struggle to cope with your thoughts.
You already have Gamstop in place which is good but as you have experienced there are other places where you can still gamble. To help in this instance you could put a gambling transaction ban on your card or account, and if your bank doesn't have that feature you can swap to an account that does.
Ultimately though, these are blocks, and you need change. You could contact Gamblers Anonymous as more and more meetings are now opening up or call the Gamcare advisers who you can talk to and maybe look at counselling. I prefer GA but others have had success through the counselling services.
Good luck to you.
Chris.
I suppose gambling companies sell email address on?
Before GDPR anyone who had your email could have sold in your email. Supermarkets, Internet providers, even charities. Casinos wouldn't sell your email on to another gambling company, why would they give your information away to a competitor, but there are marketing companies who will mass email millions of random emails in the hope of getting a hit. You'll probably find marketing companies outside of Europe doing the spamming, as there are huge fines to companies that break these rules.
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