[Casper Rose]

Any of you ever been? Went to my first meeting on Friday there, staked a frightening amount this year (2/3rds of my annual salary) and it's only March. Have barely touched the coupons and been successful on the poker front but lost a stupid amount on the roulette. Was going to gamble on Saturday (a double on Birmingham and Burnley and a single on Man City) but didn't gamble. Nearly a week without gambling now and feeling good about it as I think I had gambled every single day this year prior to Friday.

[Nick_BCFC]

Been tempted in the past to be honest and i've been tempted again this week. I do alright with football now and then and don't bet large stakes but i've been a sucker for roulette in the past and I started playing again these last couple of weeks after not touching them for 18 months. I put £20 in and had it up to £160 and still walked out with nothing. I was staring at the leaflets in the bookies but didn't have the balls to pick one up.

Last time I enquired the nearest meeting was 15 miles away and I couldn't get there every week.

[dubs]

Why does anyone use roulette machines?

[mid-table]

dubs, on 04 March 2010 - 13:06, said:

Why does anyone use roulette machines?

Amongst other things;
Marketing
Financial opportunity
Boredom
False logic
Entertainment
Compulsion
Low self-esteem
Stress
Peer acceptance
Routine

[Jordo1872]

dubs, on 04 March 2010 - 13:06, said:

Why does anyone use roulette machines?

Plenty of people do, for various reasons, most of which Mid-table has highlighted above.

They are a social timebomb that will, without doubt, cause major social problems in the future.

[dubs]

In my opinion if you're playing roulette machines through sheer boredom you need to seek help.

[rajpelt]

I've never bet anything I can't afford to lose and try to stick to that motto, it's very easy to 'chase' money though, and I've had to stop myself on ocassion from acting on my 'I can make this back' impulses.

Good to see you dealing with things Casper, takes a bigger man to face it.

[Jordo1872]

dubs, on 04 March 2010 - 16:02, said:

In my opinion if you're playing roulette machines through sheer boredom you need to seek help.

Boredom and the 'instant win' would be the two most common themes in my view.

Back on topic though. I've never been to GA and hope I never need to, but have total respect for those who do. There is going to be a marked increase in gambling addiction over the next few years unless the government wake up to the reality of the current situation, that being the scurge of the FOBT's.

[blue4578]

The Gambling Act 2005; http://www.opsi.gov....a_20050019_en_1 if you've a spare week to read it all, has a lot to answer for. It came into force on September 1st 2007 and the resultant extending betting shop opening hours and extending the use of FOBT's preys on the vulnerable in society who don't know any better, or who exhibit any of the characteristics that mid-table lists above.

Betting is completely changed from a few years ago. Betting shops/websites used to be willing to lay a bet, but these days it's virtually impossible to get decent stakes on anything. That's me talking from a selfish point of view of course and misses the point here, but the reason that betting shops don't want to take proper bets these days is that the FOBT's, and their online casinos, games and poker rooms make them a fortune, so why take a risk when you don't have to? When you realise how much even Betfair make from their online games, it's surprising they still actually bother running an exchange. Bookmakers will take mug bets all day long of course, but try to get a significant bet on at the best price and you've little chance. It makes sense I suppose when they can make money from roulette without risking anything.

Good luck sorting things out Casper.

[mid-table]

dubs, on 04 March 2010 - 16:02, said:

In my opinion if you're playing roulette machines through sheer boredom you need to seek help.

Although your opinion, I think it's an extremely narrow-minded one.
Maybe you should be thankful you don't display the traits that can cause problems, but be appreciative of the fact they do exist for many people.

I have read virtually all of the Gambling Act incidentally, such a wasted opportunity to revamp the legislation and protect punters instead of make them more vulnerable.

[Casper Rose]

Yeah it seems every where you turn these days everything is gambling related with the bingo adverts, full tilt poker adverts and so on. Nearly a week gambling free now and been tempted a few times to gamble but resisted the urge, would love to be able to just put on my football coupons which I used to be able to do but usually spunked my winnings on the roulette in Hills, used to miss days of school playing that roulette and have nowt to show for it. Just went on the GA website and if you answer 7 of these yes you're a compulsive gambler. I answered yes to 17 of these questions :

1. Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?
2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
3. Did gambling affect your reputation?
4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
5. Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
6. Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
7. After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
8. After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
9. Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
10. Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
12. Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?
13. Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?
14. Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?
15. Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom or loneliness?
16. Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
17. Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
18. Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?
19. Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?
20. Have you ever considered self destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?

Think those questions have been posted before so apologies if it has, and thanks for all the words of encouragement folks. My biggest test will come in the coming months when I have money to spare there, but hopefully I'll beat it. Everyone at the meeting said my story reminded them of what they were like at that age and also said they wish they came at my age as I'm only 18.

Edit : dubs, there is the chance of a quick dollar there and people with a gambling problem will do exactly that to chase losses, seen it happen time and again and done so myself. They are mechanical rapists and raked in 1 billion for Hills last year, frightening figure.

This post has been edited by Casper Rose: 05 March 2010 - 01:04

[DarkBlue62]

I was tempted to go last year. Ive been able to control it myself tho without help.

[Casper Rose]

DarkBlue62, on 05 March 2010 - 01:03, said:

I was tempted to go last year. Ive been able to control it myself tho without help.

Haha no chance you're a gambling fiend!

[DarkBlue62]

Casper Rose, on 05 March 2010 - 01:34, said:

Haha no chance you're a gambling fiend!

How would you know?

[Casper Rose]

DarkBlue62, on 05 March 2010 - 01:36, said:

How would you know?

Read about you doing your brains in on this forum countless times!

[DarkBlue62]

Casper Rose, on 05 March 2010 - 01:38, said:

Read about you doing your brains in on this forum countless times!

[Dave]

I only ever bet a maximum of £5 a week, and never let myself go over it. When I first started betting I was risking an awful lot more (on a few occasions £10 a coupon) but I quickly learned and have calmed down an awful lot.

As for the points on roulette machines, I personally don't see anything wrong with them. That may also be because I've only ever used them once and I won £2.50 out of it...

[blue4578]

There are some of those questions where I could answer either way, but if I include all the maybes, I can answer yes to 12 and I wouldn't consider myself to have a gambling problem. Some of them are asking about the wrong sort of thing. I think you know if you have a problem, although I'm sure some people refuse to admit it to themselves, which is the hardest part with any addiction.

The Gambling Act 2005 was a big mess in a lot of ways - it has basically made it easier for the bookmakers to entice people into extremely bad value gambling. The law makers probably listened to the bookmakers too much without thinking of the consequences for the man in the street. The problem is only going to get worse while the law is the way it is.

[dubs]

mid-table, on 04 March 2010 - 18:01, said:

Although your opinion, I think it's an extremely narrow-minded one.
Maybe you should be thankful you don't display the traits that can cause problems, but be appreciative of the fact they do exist for many people.

You may be right about that but for me the question is what are you doing in the bookies in the first place. Surely it's a place to go to put a few bets on and leave, nothing else. If you are wandering around looking for 'something to do' in a bookmakers then that's where you should be questioning yourself.

[H_B]

blue4578, on 05 March 2010 - 02:27, said:

There are some of those questions where I could answer either way, but if I include all the maybes, I can answer yes to 12 and I wouldn't consider myself to have a gambling problem. Some of them are asking about the wrong sort of thing. I think you know if you have a problem, although I'm sure some people refuse to admit it to themselves, which is the hardest part with any addiction.

Something I've always found strange is that these things talk about volume rather than amount. You can bet on hundreds of events a week if your stake is say 10 p an event and not lose very much. Or you can once a month put £1000 on Red or Black on a roulette machine.

One may be the sign of an addiction, and the other not, yet one would lose a person an unacceptable amount and the other not.

[orlandoblue]

Question 8 is a strange one.

Given that the vast majority of gamblers do not have a problem and therefore do it for the buzz, if you win it is only natural that you may want to try and win some more.

It's a bit like saying have you ever had a pint, enjoyed it, and then had a strong urge to have another one. Clearly the answer to this would also be yes but it wouldn't make you an alcoholic.

[blue4578]

H_B, on 05 March 2010 - 11:58, said:

Something I've always found strange is that these things talk about volume rather than amount. You can bet on hundreds of events a week if your stake is say 10 p an event and not lose very much. Or you can once a month put £1000 on Red or Black on a roulette machine.

One may be the sign of an addiction, and the other not, yet one would lose a person an unacceptable amount and the other not.

Like I mentioned in the roulette thread semi-seriously, I think some people here would be better off putting all their betting money into a savings account every week, then once a year sticking the whole lot on red or black. Obviously they'd either double their money or end up with nothing, but the average expected return would be higher than taking bad value bets on a regular basis, particularly if their betting over the year involved FOBT's. You'd lose the weekly thrill of betting so my idea probably won't catch on, but you'd be better off in the long run on average sticking £1000 on red or black once per month, rather than 10p per time on 10,000 spins. Sports betting is different of course as you have a chance of winning if you know what you're doing, but time and time again people here are taking bets at 20% or more below the best price.

I know a couple of people who lose at betting and who bet four and five figure sums on an occasional basis. They just threat it as a bit of fun and can afford to lose what they lose. There are probably a few people who visit casinos a few times a year and lose what most people would consider is a significant amount, but don't have a gambling problem but just gamble socially like that. Everyone has different reasons for why they gamble, but I do think that the government should do more to regulate the industry and to offer support for those with gambling problems.

[Rugster]

orlandoblue, on 05 March 2010 - 13:41, said:

Question 8 is a strange one.

Given that the vast majority of gamblers do not have a problem and therefore do it for the buzz, if you win it is only natural that you may want to try and win some more.

It's a bit like saying have you ever had a pint, enjoyed it, and then had a strong urge to have another one. Clearly the answer to this would also be yes but it wouldn't make you an alcoholic.

The question isn't designed to be answered in isolation though, it's if you answer yes to 7 or more it suggests you may have a problem.

[mid-table]

Casper Rose, on 05 March 2010 - 00:56, said:

Just went on the GA website and if you answer 7 of these yes you're a compulsive gambler. I answered yes to 17 of these questions :

I normally answer them by prefixing them all with "In the last year, ", at the moment I answer yes to 6 of them. My highest was 18 about a decade ago, but I'm not talking about that on here.

One thing from the quote above, the 20 questions won't decide whether you are a compulsive gambler, they can merely suggest that people answering yes to 7 or more questions display traits of a compulsive gambler, it is up to the individual to decide if they have a compulsion or not.

GA does a lot of good for a lot of people, and if you treat it as part of your recovery then you have a good chance of controlling the compulsion. One thing I would say, is that I have seen several people have GA become the absolute centre of their lives, and it's fine to centre on recovery, but not to the detriment of other aspects of your life.

[orlandoblue]

In many ways gambling could be considered among the worst of all available addictions. With drink or drugs there are usually very visual indicators that there is a problem. With gambling a person with an addiction can lead a perfectly normal lifestyle without detection until it is too late.