Diary of a broken gambler

Slay1963

Hello Amiga and Torty - just caught up with this

I been a gambler since I left school 30 years ago.

£75,000 debt - though not all betting, I have been divorced twice!!

I just got my Early Discharge this week (BR for 6 months and 9 days)

A little tip for you for your Statement Of Affairs that I thought up and I believe, worked well for me.
Tell your story as though you set up your gambling as a buisness. Trying to earn a methodical extra income. A buisness that failed, just like many, many buisnesses fail. Rather that just let the judge think you are a hopeless, foolish, degenerate gambler, Make out like you tried and failed. Not just chasing your losses, like a !!!!!!. I too feared a lengthy Restriction Order.

Our biggest failure was not to bet and lose, but to bet and lose with money that is NOT YOURS ie:credit!!

I still bet regularly online. But the difference is - I only use a Pre-Paid Debit card. Not Credit and not anything linked to my bank - switch/overdraught.

I only put the money on the Pre-Paid card that I am prepared to lose = much more control. If I lose, it's gone for that week, but I don't owe anyone. If I win, I request a cheque of the winnings, bank half of that and load the other half on the pre-paid card for next week.

Once you get your money management under control then you will enjoy your betting again

If i can help in any way, just ask - we're all in the same boat on here

Good luck to the pair of yous and remember - the Judge isn't there to Judge you

torty

Slay1963 wrote: »

Hello Amiga and Torty - just caught up with this

I been a gambler since I left school 30 years ago.

£75,000 debt - though not all betting, I have been divorced twice!!

I just got my Early Discharge this week (BR for 6 months and 9 days)

A little tip for you for your Statement Of Affairs that I thought up and I believe, worked well for me.
Tell your story as though you set up your gambling as a buisness. Trying to earn a methodical extra income. A buisness that failed, just like many, many buisnesses fail. Rather that just let the judge think you are a hopeless, foolish, degenerate gambler, Make out like you tried and failed. Not just chasing your losses, like a !!!!!!. I too feared a lengthy Restriction Order.

Our biggest failure was not to bet and lose, but to bet and lose with money that is NOT YOURS ie:credit!!

I still bet regularly online. But the difference is - I only use a Pre-Paid Debit card. Not Credit and not anything linked to my bank - switch/overdraught.

I only put the money on the Pre-Paid card that I am prepared to lose = much more control. If I lose, it's gone for that week, but I don't owe anyone. If I win, I request a cheque of the winnings, bank half of that and load the other half on the pre-paid card for next week.

Once you get your money management under control then you will enjoy your betting again

If i can help in any way, just ask - we're all in the same boat on here

Good luck to the pair of yous and remember - the Judge isn't there to Judge you

how did you get discharged i thought you had to pay all back to get discharged

Holes_in_my_pocket

I also gambled OR wasnt interested as i never used credit to gamble . He ended up interested if what i had done as never heard of laying dogs on betfair.

OR said he was going to close my betfair account down but hasnt yet

Amiga

Thanks a lot for the replies and thoughts

No real BR Update as such. Unfortunately I have been in hospital for the last 4 days after a botched suicide attempt The realisation of what I have done hit home and I just felt I couldn't carry on.

As I mentioned I was kicked out of my dads house in May, he opened a Credit Card Statement saw the amount I owed on it and that Betfair was getting a lot of my cash and put 2 + 2 together. I think the fact my family have washed their hands of me has made this whole thing worse

Discharged today and am now sitting here with the BR Forms in front of me trying to complete the reason segment, so hopefully when that is all done I just have the Court date and OR to go.

Cancelled my Direct Debits earlier in the month and they are all coming due now - had a few missed calls but am taking the cowards way out and screening my calls. From the brill advice on here and the CCSC I know there isn't an awful lot they can do until I miss payments on a CCJ - and by the time that gets through I will be BR

Once again thank you all, you are the only people I can talk to regarding this and just reading the advice and support on this forum makes the ordeal a little easier to cope with

antarctica

Really sorry to hear that.

These debts are not worth your life, when you have gone BR you can start again from afresh.

Take care

A
x

tigerfeet2006

Just wanted to send you some cyber (((hugs)))

Amiga

Well a slight update, much more upbeat than the previous post!

I had a call from the court today, asking me if I was available for a cancellation! They are calling back later but say it will be next week

I think my luck may be changing! :T

Pobby

Have sent you a pm, Amiga.

antarctica

Amiga wrote: »

Well a slight update, much more upbeat than the previous post!

I had a call from the court today, asking me if I was available for a cancellation! They are calling back later but say it will be next week

I think my luck may be changing! :T

Excellent, the sooner you get this sorted the better

take care

A
x

tigerfeet2006

Let us know when you get a date.

Thinking of you.