Journalist Wanted - Gambling Commission Complaint

michael1983l

goater78 wrote: »

The other problem you have is that stories like this don't get a sympathetic viewing in the public domain. If the Sun newspaper pulblished a story about a guy who had lost £30k in 9 months by gambling I don't think there will be a public outcry in your defence. I think its more likely that members of the public will think you are an idiot. I don't agree with this view but I think thats what most people would think.

You obviously have a gambling problem which I do believe is an illness (as much as any addiction). If you don't do already I would suggets you speak to the relevant support associations who exist to help people with this problem.

I am undergoing thearapy on the NHS and am seeing a psychiatrist soon too. I am also due to start a cognitive behavioural councillor too.

Now we know that people at some point in their lives are likely to suffer from some form of mental illness. Now lets put my circumstances aside for one minute and ask what is morally right, is it morally right to have 7 betting shops in the space of half a mile of high street and is it morally right that most of the people they profit out of are the poor, needy and desparte ( I have now been all 3).

I loath all that it stands for and I wish that the temptation to use them was never there for me.

duckeggblue

What was the medication? Were you warned by your doctor?
You could apply the above argument to shopaholics too.Are you saying there should be no shops on the high street?

michael1983l

duckeggblue wrote: »

What was the medication? Were you warned by your doctor?

The initial medication of which I was taking up until last month was Sertraline 100mg. The doctor made a brief statement when first perscribed that it may make me a little more hyperactive and I may have much more energy than normal.

I am now on Olanzapine instead, I think thats how it is spelt.

bobajob_1966

What do you actually want out of this situation? What specific steps do you think the bookmaker should have taken?

michael1983l

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

What do you actually want out of this situation? What specific steps do you think the bookmaker should have taken?

This is the easy question

I want the gambling commission to be more specific on what they deem to be an irrational rate of gambling and/or a level of gambling which would be deemed an addiction. Even though they admit I was in there nearly every day of the week they still said this was normal.

I also want the operators to be better trained in spotting potential problems and at minimum warnings issued about behaviour patterns which may lead on to a refusal to serve.

Ideally the main aim would be to raise awareness in this enviroment where people are more likely to get into desperate situations that impulsive irrisponsible gambling will not be accpeted and that there are procedures in place to stop this and a greater level of help that does not have any funding from the operators (unlike now) so that they are truely impartial.

duckeggblue

Who told you the medication could have made you gamble?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

michael1983l wrote: »

This is the easy question

I want the gambling commission to be more specific on what they deem to be an irrational rate of gambling and/or a level of gambling which would be deemed an addiction. Even though they admit I was in there nearly every day of the week they still said this was normal.

I also want the operators to be better trained in spotting potential problems and at minimum warnings issued about behaviour patterns which may lead on to a refusal to serve.

Ideally the main aim would be to raise awareness in this enviroment where people are more likely to get into desperate situations that impulsive irrisponsible gambling will not be accpeted and that there are procedures in place to stop this and a greater level of help that does not have any funding from the operators (unlike now) so that they are truely impartial.

But this is the rub - as i and others have already mentioned - lots of people gamble large amounts - you are not unique - and lots of people spend an hour or two in the bookies every day - are you saying that they should also stop these people from gambling or question them as to their betting? Very difficult to spot irregular betting patterns from people who spend all day in the shops - one day they may have won loads off a race and decide to bet higher the next day lower as they hadnt won much if anything at all..

If this was the case then people would sack it off and bet online all together and thus the bookies would close.

Yes the bookies have a responsibility but so does the individual - no matter their circumstances.

michael1983l

duckeggblue wrote: »

Who told you the medication could have made you gamble?

Months on at a review I told them that I was gambling excessivly and that I had just stopped my medication myself because I felt they were linked due to the gambling problem arising at the same time as starting this medication. The doctor then went on to state that this medication may have caused the highs that influenced my impulsive behaviour to gamble. He then said he was not qualified to decide what medication I should be on and reffered me to the practice mental health expert. Let me add the doctor that just admitted to not being qualified was the same doctor that issed the tablets initially and diagnosed depression.

The appointment with the specialist, within 10 minutes has diagnosed some sort of bipolar condition and possibly schizophrenia and has issued the medication to help deal with this. He has also reffered me to a psycologist and issued an appointment to have a fasting blood test.

Previously I have had 7 sessions of counsilling of which i mentioned the gambling problem and she reffered me onto a Cognitive Behavioural thearapist of which I am waiting to start.

bobajob_1966

michael1983l wrote: »

This is the easy question

I want the gambling commission to be more specific on what they deem to be an irrational rate of gambling and/or a level of gambling which would be deemed an addiction. Even though they admit I was in there nearly every day of the week they still said this was normal.

I also want the operators to be better trained in spotting potential problems and at minimum warnings issued about behaviour patterns which may lead on to a refusal to serve.

Ideally the main aim would be to raise awareness in this enviroment where people are more likely to get into desperate situations that impulsive irrisponsible gambling will not be accpeted and that there are procedures in place to stop this and a greater level of help that does not have any funding from the operators (unlike now) so that they are truely impartial.

None of this is going to happen.

On your first point, you'll get some ramble response that will have little substance. The reason for this is that, unless you tell the bookie that you are bipolar or you choose to set a limit, they cannot establish that your spending pattern is 'irrational'.

Again, what training could a bookie use to establish potential problems? All sites have links to gambling addiction charities and the ability to set a periodic spending limit - what more do you want them to do?

You miss the fact that bookmakers are not in a position to decide who is an irrational gambler. If you think that they should be able to establish this, perhaps you could suggest how?

tomwakefield

michael1983l wrote: »

I want the gambling commission to be more specific on what they deem to be an irrational rate of gambling and/or a level of gambling which would be deemed an addiction.

Wouldn't this vary from person to person, depending on their finances? If I was on £1,000,000 a year, I might view gambling £100 a day differently to someone else who was on £20,000 a year and it is more likely to be indicative of a problem in the latter case.