Journalist Wanted - Gambling Commission Complaint

unholyangel

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

As someone with bipolar, I do not think it is the responsibility of the bookie to question your betting levels. It is for yourself and those close to you to find ways to recognise that you are in a manic phase and hence need to avoid certain activities.

I really don't see what you expect the bookies to do. I know gamblers with no MH conditions that can easily spend in the thousands over a few days, so your spending pattern is not out of the ordinary.

Just because someone chooses to disagree with you, doesnt mean they dont fully understand your condition.

Why are you so focused on your mental disorder and the GC/Betting shops? I'm surprised you're not researching legal action into why you were misdiagnosed - which you claim was responsible for you gambling.

Not all people with bipolar are gambling addicts, they are just twice as more likely to become one. Your disorder is not necessarily the reason you became an addict. It may have made you more vurnerable but its not necessarily the direct cause for it.

If your friends/family didnt notice your gambling problem, how on earth do you expect someone in a shop who doesnt know you to?

bobajob_1966

Optimist wrote: »

The OP has Bipolar Disorder and it is obvious that this thread is going nowhere. The OP needs to get specialised professional help both for gambling addition and a legal opinion on his theory that the betting companies do not meet their obligations under the various regulations.

I agree, and that was all suggested at the beginning of the thread.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

unholyangel wrote: »

Just because someone chooses to disagree with you, doesnt mean they dont fully understand your condition.

Why are you so focused on your mental disorder and the GC/Betting shops? I'm surprised you're not researching legal action into why you were misdiagnosed - which you claim was responsible for you gambling.

Not all people with bipolar are gambling addicts, they are just twice as more likely to become one. Your disorder is not necessarily the reason you became an addict. It may have made you more vurnerable but its not necessarily the direct cause for it.

If your friends/family didnt notice your gambling problem, how on earth do you expect someone in a shop who doesnt know you to?

Think you quoted the wrong person there

michael1983l

I live Isolated from the majority of my family due to distance but my wife only found out after it was too late because I was hiding that I was gambling but she did notice because she thought I was cheating on her instead.

I know I need help and that I am taking, but I also want to make it less easy for others to end up where I am, if thats a crime, I'm guilty as charged.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

michael1983l wrote: »

I live Isolated from the majority of my family due to distance but my wife only found out after it was too late because I was hiding that I was gambling but she did notice because she thought I was cheating on her instead.

I know I need help and that I am taking, but I also want to make it less easy for others to end up where I am not, if thats a crime, I'm guilty as charged.

The problem is though Michael is that even with very strict measures and/or banning it, it still wont stop people from getting their fix. If they want it enough they will find out ways of doing it - from gambling at home with their friends to online gambling and all other means.

There are plenty of things that people gamble on that are illegal - dog fighting,bare knuckle fighting and so on but it still happens even though its illegal. So what can you do?

bobajob_1966

michael1983l wrote: »

I live Isolated from the majority of my family due to distance but my wife only found out after it was too late because I was hiding that I was gambling but she did notice because she thought I was cheating on her instead.

I know I need help and that I am taking, but I also want to make it less easy for others to end up where I am not, if thats a crime, I'm guilty as charged.

It is not a crime, but what we would like and what can be achieved in reality are often very different things. Take a step back from the situation and look at it from the bookies point of view - they have to balance their motivation to make profit with protecting those who may be vulnerable, but in doing this they need to ensure that they do not discriminate against people. If they cannot find an answer, I honestly doubt that you can.

unholyangel

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

Think you quoted the wrong person there

No i didnt I was speaking to the OP but pointing out bobajob had previously said they were bipolar too - although perhaps i should have made it clear i was talking to the OP and not bobajob. Yet the OP is insinuating they dont understand their disorder and basically "shame on you for disagreeing with me as i have a mental illness"......at least thats the impression i got from such statements like:
"Somebody that spends all day long arguing the toss with somebody who has admitted they have a mental illness suggests that all is not well in your court too"
"You are doing your damned finest to belittle somebody publically who has said that they are suffering from a major mental illness".

As i said, that they are bipolar maybe made them more vurnerable. But its irrelevant to his actual complaint. His complaint is that they didnt spot him as a problem gambler. Not that they didnt spot him as a problem gambler with a mental disorder. He just seems fixated on his mental disorder.

Would he prefer we patronise him and agree with him JUST because he has a mental disorder?

If i'm sounding harsh, i dont mean to. I do fully empathise. But we've tried to reason, its obviously not effective and just making him more agitated so perhaps time we all wish him the best of luck and stop replying to this thread.

michael1983l

That doesn't mean that we should not at least try to improve the situation or provide better help for those that suffer.

the doctor was pretty adamant that anybody with Bipolar in the enviroment of a gambling shop would display tell tale signs of a problem. The doctor will back me up to that effect so I am happy now that the bookmakers defence of not showing signs of a problem will be blown out of the water by the proffesional opinion of a doctor.

bobajob_1966

michael1983l wrote: »

That doesn't mean that we should not at least try to improve the situation or provide better help for those that suffer.

the doctor was pretty adamant that anybody with Bipolar in the enviroment of a gambling shop would display tell tale signs of a problem. The doctor will back me up to that effect so I am happy now that the bookmakers defence of not showing signs of a problem will be blown out of the water by the proffesional opinion of a doctor.

Sorry, you're hearing what you want to hear again. I do not believe for a minute that any doctor would make such a statement, it is nonsense.

michael1983l

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

Sorry, you're hearing what you want to hear again. I do not believe for a minute that any doctor would make such a statement, it is nonsense.

You are talking nosense, Fact - I was there, Fact - You were not. Why would a doctor even talk about legal action if they thought there was no case to answer.

The fact that Bipolar Disorder in men brings up Gambling Problems suggests that he probably has experience in the past with this situation.

I might have Bipolar Disorder, but my ears still work and I may appear to be less than intelligent on here, but I am in fact at least average in society and shouldn't be patronised like a fool.