Self exclusion suggestion

Sazzie23

Hi all

Read a terribly tragic story about a successful 23 year old who took his own life due to gambling addiction/debts. There is some suggestion in the article about being able to self-exclude from payday loans.

Not sure it would work since I think the power of addiction takes over and you'll find the money from somewhere?

If gambling is affecting your life seek advice from gamblers anonymous today, if you are suicidal about debt call the Samaritans.
If you need help with sorting out debt, here is where you start.

Post a new thread and tell us what's going on and we'll try to help, you are not the first person to come on here with gambling debts, it's not about judging it's about helping.

Have a good day everyone.
The article look is here if anyone wants to read

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/27/young-accountant-was-driven-to-suicide-by-gambling-addiction-his/

Muhren

Thanks for posting that Sazzie.

I would agree that once in the grips of addiction, rational thinking goes out the window. However if there are measures that can be put in place to reduce the amount of damage that can be done then that has to be a good thing.

Personally for me I had to have physical measures put in place to stop me gambling, such as blocks on my computer, handing bank cards over to my parents. Luckily I only had a slight flirtation with payday loans but if I could have self excluded from them than I would have.

If anyone is reading this and wants some advice feel free to ask, either on this thread or via pm and I will try and help.

andyfromotley

Anthing that hinders compulsive gamblers getting credit, cash or access to gambling sites gets my support.

They may be temporary and yes, they can and will be overcome by determined gamblers in a crisis however every little helps.

Sazzie23

Thanks folks

I think what's being said here then is that while it's not an absolute stop on their gambling, restricting pdl or other forms of credit, might just be enough to stop someone gambling temporarily, perhaps while they get other support ?

Interesting discussion, thanks for input

another_casualty

What infuriates me, is the never ending stream of gambling commercials we have on tv 24/7. Even some footballers have/ had gambling addictions, yet all you see is betfair/ ladbrokes/ bingo / lottery etc.

Why has it increased so much over the last 10 years?

Sazzie23

Do you think people see Internet gambling and bingo especially as a long way from the stereo type of a gambler in the bookies?

I only recently learned about some gambling machines inside a bookies where people can gamble £1000s in minutes, seems strange when we used to have such strict rules on slot machines.

Of course probably 99% of folk can use these things responsibly, but for the unfortunate 1% that's a pretty tough number, and let's face it 1% could be an awful lot of people in a awful lot of trouble.

Addiction in any form is a disease and a life changing one at that.

secretdebt

I think that there are an awful lot of gambling addicts out there. It is all relative to income, but most of the time it's people blowing everything they have on it.
Having been a gambling addict, I know for well how easy it is to become one. I remember being gutted at losing £60 on a spurs game. I remember the first time crying in the shower due to losing £1k on an exchange game of poker. I remember going back into work like nothing happened after losing £15k on a lunch break on a horse that came 2nd.

I also remember the shame of hiding it and being caught the first time, the second time...and the worst third time (at which point I hadn't done it for over a year really anyway).

The ease of being able to deposit money and gamble anonymously further adds to the secretiveness of it all.

I don't think I will ever fully be clear of the thoughts, but I've learned how to control them much better. Taking yourself away from the situation and ensuring you have no cash to gamble is the best solution. Unlike other addictions, It is a hidden one whereby there aren't any real clear external signs that someone has a problem.

The constant commercials don't do anything to help either, but I think it goes to show how profitable it is for the bookies.

Based on my life so far...gambling has had the biggest negative impact on me and I would urge anyone not to get in too deep!

Sazzie23

Self exclusion would be a good thing for addicts then by the sound of this.

Perhaps someone will start a petition to campaign for this

secretdebt

Self exclusion is an option already but due to the number of bookies out there, there is usually a way around it. I've signed up to some just to exclude myself before, so that it is one less option available.