Scots punters wagered £4,200,000,000 on FOBT's in 1 year !

[shawfield shed boy]

These machines are a living hell to many people out there and the roulette wheel in particular in the bookies is the most addictive form of gambling I've ever known.

It drove me to signing self exclusion forms in every bookmakers in my home town and I've honestly never felt better in doing so as these machines are deadly .

There are people who are simply spending their entire wages on them and my biggest challenge is when I'm up in Glasgow for example and I see nothing but bookmakers with these machines and the temptation to go in is so strong but I'm managing to do resist the temptation thankfully.

That empty feeling when you've put your last pound into them, the feeling of despair in going out to meet your pals for a pint but you no longer can do so as you've put your last penny into the machine, avoiding your pals the next day and lying that you went home with a sore head ( when you actually went home sulking under your bed covers) , the feeling of denial and determination that you will recover your losing bets the next time.

I miss none of these feelings and I'm so glad I've managed to stop playing these machines as they simply ruin life's.

Do u still gamble on sports or others

Can relate to your post so much

[Hertha_BJFC]

Do u still gamble on sports or others

Can relate to your post so much

Mate I'm far from over it.

Im willing to speak to/ try to help anyone on here in coming to terms with this disease that's so rife.

My self exclusions means I can't do roulette/ these horrible machines any longer In my hometown and while I feel great about it I still ask mates to go in to do football bets which usually entail each team to score and I admit I'm very addicted to that bet , so much so that I can't watch any live game without wishing either team doesn't score if I'm not on EACH team to score.

However I'm adressing my problem really well and I'm willing to try and help yourself/ anyone else on here through PM or direct means of replying to me .

The recent tragedy down Ayrshire way with the boy from Kilwinning really typifies what this gambling illness is all about as I knew a guy who was a close workmate of the boy.

[Florentine_Pogen]

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/15/free-money-gambling-ads-ditched-bookmakers

Free money’ gambling ads set to be ditched under new industry rules

Major bookmakers commit to voluntary ban on offers in sign-up advertising in effort to fend off tough statutory measures
• TV gambling ads rise 600% since law change

• John Reynolds
• theguardian.com, Monday 15 September 2014 13.25 BST

TV gambling ads that offer punters “free money” if they sign up with bookmakers online, including Ray Winstone’s commercials for Bet365, are expected to be ditched under new rules proposed by the industry.

William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power committed to a series of measures on Monday as they look to head off tough statutory measures that threaten the prevalence of betting shops, high-speed roulette machines and aggressive punter-recruitment adverts promising “free money”.

These measures including a promise “to introduce a voluntary TV advertising ban on sign-up offers (free bets and free money) before 9pm”.

Such commercials typically offer customers free money in return for registering online with a bookie.

All the leading bookies offer such “free bets”, as a means of drawing in new customers. According to estimates, such free bets amount to around 20% of the four bookies’ TV advertising.

Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral and Paddy Power have now committed to not run such ads from 1 October, with the rest of the industry expected to follow suit.

An example of such advertising is the long running campaign for online-only bookmaker Bet365 featuring Winstone which offers gamblers a free “deposit bonus” of £200 if they sign up.

Bet365 is expected to sign up to the new pledges in the coming months, which will be overseen by a new industry body, the Senet Group.

A spokesman for the Senet Group said: “We are in discussions with the industry and hope that more organisations will join.”

The other key measures proposed by the bookmakers are the withdrawal of all advertising of gaming machines from betting shop windows and a commitment that 20% of shop window advertising will go towards responsible gambling messages.

Further pledges from the industry, to be introduced from the start of next year, will be the funding of a major new advertising campaign to educate people on responsible gambling, and for all TV advertising to carry more responsible gambling messages.

Richard Glynn, chief executive of Ladbrokes, said: “Gambling has long been a leisure pursuit and part of the cultural fabric of the UK, but we are alive to the concerns of the public to keep gambling a responsible and fun activity.”

James Henderson, chief executive of William Hill, said: “The launch of the Senet Group sets a benchmark by which we and the betting industry can be judged.”

Carl Leaver, group chief executive of Gala Coral, said: “Actions speak louder than words. That’s why the Senet Group will be given the independence, budget and purpose to hold the betting industry to account.”

Patrick Kennedy, chief executive of Paddy Power, said: “Putting responsible gambling at the heart of our business is simply the right thing to do.”

The pledges were announced on Monday in a full-page open letter published as an ad in national newspapers by the bosses of the four companies.

The number of gambling commercials on British TV rocketed from 234,000 a year to nearly 1.4m annually between the deregulation of the sector in 2007 and 2012, according to Ofcom research published in November last year.

The research showed that viewers were bombarded with 1.39m gambling ads in 2012, with under-16s exposed to an average of 211 ads each.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Florentine_Pogen

[TheScarf]

I am not particularly proud of this, but I spent a couple of hours playing roulette today. I should be self-excluded from being able to do this but one site slipped through the net.

Anyway, my bet history is below. For those who can't comprehend how people get problems from playing these machines, I hope this goes some way to, not explaining it, but demonstrating it.

I played for 132 minutes.

I had 150 spins.

I staked £5,965 in this time.

I lost £1,078 in 95 minutes.

I then won £1,504 in 33 minutes.

I got very lucky today, I was irresponsible and shouldn't have done it, but I was bored sitting at home just watching the darts.

Time Stake Return Cumulative Stake Profit / Loss

15:28:34 £12.00 £0.00 £12.00 -£12.00

15:29:28 £12.00 £0.00 £24.00 -£24.00

15:30:17 £12.00 £0.00 £36.00 -£36.00

15:30:58 £12.00 £0.00 £48.00 -£48.00

15:31:40 £12.00 £21.60 £60.00 -£38.40

15:32:20 £12.00 £28.80 £72.00 -£21.60

15:32:55 £12.00 £0.00 £84.00 -£33.60

15:33:35 £12.00 £0.00 £96.00 -£45.60

15:34:08 £12.00 £0.00 £108.00 -£57.60

15:34:44 £12.00 £0.00 £120.00 -£69.60

15:35:24 £12.00 £0.00 £132.00 -£81.60

15:36:14 £19.00 £0.00 £151.00 -£100.60

15:36:53 £19.00 £0.00 £170.00 -£119.60

15:37:34 £19.00 £0.00 £189.00 -£138.60

15:38:00 £19.00 £0.00 £208.00 -£157.60

15:38:47 £19.00 £0.00 £227.00 -£176.60

15:39:37 £24.00 £0.00 £251.00 -£200.60

15:42:06 £24.00 £0.00 £275.00 -£224.60

15:42:43 £24.00 £28.80 £299.00 -£219.80

15:43:21 £24.00 £0.00 £323.00 -£243.80

15:44:03 £24.00 £43.20 £347.00 -£224.60

15:44:45 £24.00 £36.00 £371.00 -£212.60

15:45:27 £24.00 £0.00 £395.00 -£236.60

15:46:16 £24.00 £0.00 £419.00 -£260.60

15:47:10 £24.00 £61.20 £443.00 -£223.40

15:48:04 £24.00 £21.60 £467.00 -£225.80

15:48:52 £24.00 £0.00 £491.00 -£249.80

15:49:29 £24.00 £0.00 £515.00 -£273.80

15:50:39 £24.00 £0.00 £539.00 -£297.80

15:55:15 £18.00 £0.00 £557.00 -£315.80

15:56:14 £18.00 £0.00 £575.00 -£333.80

15:57:00 £18.00 £28.80 £593.00 -£323.00

15:57:42 £18.00 £0.00 £611.00 -£341.00

15:58:22 £18.00 £0.00 £629.00 -£359.00

15:58:57 £18.00 £0.00 £647.00 -£377.00

15:59:48 £23.00 £0.00 £670.00 -£400.00

16:03:02 £19.00 £57.60 £689.00 -£361.40

16:03:55 £19.00 £0.00 £708.00 -£380.40

16:04:38 £19.00 £0.00 £727.00 -£399.40

16:05:11 £19.00 £0.00 £746.00 -£418.40

16:06:32 £19.00 £0.00 £765.00 -£437.40

16:07:28 £19.00 £57.60 £784.00 -£398.80

16:08:26 £19.00 £0.00 £803.00 -£417.80

16:09:23 £19.00 £0.00 £822.00 -£436.80

16:10:02 £19.00 £216.00 £841.00 -£239.80

16:10:54 £31.00 £180.00 £872.00 -£90.80

16:11:52 £31.00 £14.40 £903.00 -£107.40

16:12:56 £31.00 £0.00 £934.00 -£138.40

16:14:34 £31.00 £14.40 £965.00 -£155.00

16:16:20 £31.00 £14.40 £996.00 -£171.60

16:17:07 £31.00 £0.00 £1,027.00 -£202.60

16:17:59 £31.00 £0.00 £1,058.00 -£233.60

16:18:43 £31.00 £18.00 £1,089.00 -£246.60

16:19:23 £31.00 £57.60 £1,120.00 -£220.00

16:20:10 £31.00 £43.20 £1,151.00 -£207.80

16:20:50 £31.00 £0.00 £1,182.00 -£238.80

16:21:34 £31.00 £0.00 £1,213.00 -£269.80

16:22:32 £31.00 £36.00 £1,244.00 -£264.80

16:23:18 £36.00 £28.80 £1,280.00 -£272.00

16:23:59 £36.00 £28.80 £1,316.00 -£279.20

16:24:39 £36.00 £0.00 £1,352.00 -£315.20

16:25:13 £36.00 £18.00 £1,388.00 -£333.20

16:26:01 £36.00 £57.60 £1,424.00 -£311.60

16:26:46 £36.00 £0.00 £1,460.00 -£347.60

16:27:23 £36.00 £18.00 £1,496.00 -£365.60

16:28:09 £36.00 £0.00 £1,532.00 -£401.60

16:28:49 £36.00 £0.00 £1,568.00 -£437.60

16:29:18 £36.00 £28.80 £1,604.00 -£444.80

16:30:16 £36.00 £0.00 £1,640.00 -£480.80

16:31:02 £36.00 £28.80 £1,676.00 -£488.00

16:31:49 £36.00 £0.00 £1,712.00 -£524.00

16:32:24 £36.00 £234.00 £1,748.00 -£326.00

16:33:15 £36.00 £0.00 £1,784.00 -£362.00

16:34:10 £38.00 £28.80 £1,822.00 -£371.20

16:34:58 £38.00 £0.00 £1,860.00 -£409.20

16:35:34 £38.00 £57.60 £1,898.00 -£389.60

16:36:12 £38.00 £0.00 £1,936.00 -£427.60

16:36:46 £38.00 £0.00 £1,974.00 -£465.60

16:37:22 £38.00 £72.00 £2,012.00 -£431.60

16:38:11 £38.00 £0.00 £2,050.00 -£469.60

16:38:45 £38.00 £0.00 £2,088.00 -£507.60

16:39:24 £38.00 £28.80 £2,126.00 -£516.80

16:40:09 £38.00 £0.00 £2,164.00 -£554.80

16:41:04 £38.00 £0.00 £2,202.00 -£592.80

16:43:08 £38.00 £0.00 £2,240.00 -£630.80

16:44:32 £38.00 £0.00 £2,278.00 -£668.80

16:45:12 £38.00 £0.00 £2,316.00 -£706.80

16:46:10 £38.00 £0.00 £2,354.00 -£744.80

16:47:38 £56.00 £0.00 £2,410.00 -£800.80

16:52:22 £20.00 £0.00 £2,430.00 -£820.80

16:53:09 £25.00 £0.00 £2,455.00 -£845.80

16:53:40 £25.00 £0.00 £2,480.00 -£870.80

16:54:21 £25.00 £0.00 £2,505.00 -£895.80

16:54:54 £25.00 £43.20 £2,530.00 -£877.60

16:55:28 £25.00 £28.80 £2,555.00 -£873.80

16:56:22 £55.00 £108.00 £2,610.00 -£820.80

16:57:15 £55.00 £72.00 £2,665.00 -£803.80

16:58:03 £55.00 £0.00 £2,720.00 -£858.80

16:58:46 £55.00 £0.00 £2,775.00 -£913.80

16:59:47 £55.00 £0.00 £2,830.00 -£968.80

17:01:45 £55.00 £0.00 £2,885.00 -£1,023.80

17:03:12 £55.00 £0.00 £2,940.00 -£1,078.80

17:04:06 £55.00 £144.00 £2,995.00 -£989.80

17:04:59 £55.00 £0.00 £3,050.00 -£1,044.80

17:05:55 £55.00 £360.00 £3,105.00 -£739.80

17:06:42 £65.00 £144.00 £3,170.00 -£660.80

17:07:20 £65.00 £0.00 £3,235.00 -£725.80

17:08:06 £65.00 £72.00 £3,300.00 -£718.80

17:08:45 £65.00 £0.00 £3,365.00 -£783.80

17:09:36 £65.00 £72.00 £3,430.00 -£776.80

17:10:22 £65.00 £108.00 £3,495.00 -£733.80

17:11:04 £65.00 £108.00 £3,560.00 -£690.80

17:11:42 £65.00 £43.20 £3,625.00 -£712.60

17:12:26 £65.00 £450.00 £3,690.00 -£327.60

17:13:10 £65.00 £0.00 £3,755.00 -£392.60

17:13:53 £65.00 £0.00 £3,820.00 -£457.60

17:14:29 £65.00 £0.00 £3,885.00 -£522.60

17:15:09 £65.00 £108.00 £3,950.00 -£479.60

17:15:59 £65.00 £522.00 £4,015.00 -£22.60

17:16:45 £65.00 £0.00 £4,080.00 -£87.60

17:17:23 £65.00 £28.80 £4,145.00 -£123.80

17:18:02 £65.00 £0.00 £4,210.00 -£188.80

17:18:41 £65.00 £57.60 £4,275.00 -£196.20

17:19:24 £65.00 £0.00 £4,340.00 -£261.20

17:20:04 £65.00 £0.00 £4,405.00 -£326.20

17:20:38 £65.00 £36.00 £4,470.00 -£355.20

17:21:16 £65.00 £72.00 £4,535.00 -£348.20

17:21:58 £65.00 £108.00 £4,600.00 -£305.20

17:22:35 £65.00 £450.00 £4,665.00 £79.80

17:23:40 £65.00 £14.40 £4,730.00 £29.20

17:24:25 £65.00 £0.00 £4,795.00 -£35.80

17:25:06 £65.00 £144.00 £4,860.00 £43.20

17:25:47 £65.00 £108.00 £4,925.00 £86.20

17:26:25 £65.00 £0.00 £4,990.00 £21.20

17:27:07 £65.00 £108.00 £5,055.00 £64.20

17:27:59 £65.00 £57.60 £5,120.00 £56.80

17:28:34 £65.00 £28.80 £5,185.00 £20.60

17:29:21 £65.00 £72.00 £5,250.00 £27.60

17:30:01 £65.00 £0.00 £5,315.00 -£37.40

17:30:32 £65.00 £36.00 £5,380.00 -£66.40

17:31:14 £65.00 £108.00 £5,445.00 -£23.40

17:31:55 £65.00 £72.00 £5,510.00 -£16.40

17:32:38 £65.00 £72.00 £5,575.00 -£9.40

17:33:46 £65.00 £108.00 £5,640.00 £33.60

17:34:31 £65.00 £28.80 £5,705.00 -£2.60

17:35:16 £65.00 £450.00 £5,770.00 £382.40

17:36:20 £65.00 £108.00 £5,835.00 £425.40

17:37:05 £65.00 £36.00 £5,900.00 £396.40

17:39:07 £64.00 £0.00 £5,964.00 £332.40

17:40:48 £1.00 £2.00 £5,965.00 £333.40

Jesus. That's some serious bottle right there.

[ayrmad]

Jesus. That's some serious bottle right there.

Nope, it's an insight into what happens when you lose control, hopefully MT gained as much from posting as others appear to have.

Edited October 2, 2014 by ayrmad

[welshbairn]

Jesus. That's some serious bottle right there.

Nope, it's an insight into what happens when you lose control, hopefully MT gained as much from posting as others appear to have.

Well, it comes down to discipline. If I keep playing roulette then it won't be profit.

I'm determined that 2014 is going to be a completely FOBT / games of chance free year.

That's kind of why I analysed (and graphed) today's play, to see how ridiculously close I came to losing a 4-figure sum.

Quite so..

[mid-table]

Quite so..

Three quarters of the way through the year, I can say that I have not put a penny into an FOBT in a bookmakers.

I've actually only put on two bets in bookmakers all year, the £2k double on the referendum and the Ryder Cup, and an ante-post football bet tonight.

I have played roulette online a couple of times, nothing disastrous though.

[ayrmad]

Three quarters of the way through the year, I can say that I have not put a penny into an FOBT in a bookmakers.

I've actually only put on two bets in bookmakers all year, the £2k double on the referendum and the Ryder Cup, and an ante-post football bet tonight.

I have played roulette online a couple of times, nothing disastrous though.

Well done.

[FlyerTon]

British government could restrict max stake to £2 on FOBT's 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41814465

[ayrmad]

4 hours ago, FlyerTon said:

British government could restrict max stake to £2 on FOBT's 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41814465

Hopefully.

[LondonHMFC]

Never going to happen unfortunately.  

[Cardinal Richelieu]

13 minutes ago, LondonHMFC said:

Never going to happen unfortunately.  

Why not? Everyone apart from the bookmakers seem to want it. It's already happened before (i.e. putting the max win down to £500 and the max stake to £100)

[fanny paddery]

Seems like it will be reduced to a maximum of 50 anyway, so a step in the right direction.

[blue4578]

Will be interesting to see what happens, but they'll never get it down to £2. 

[welshbairn]

Paddy Power are pitching for £10. Don't see how it helps too much as you can keep bunging more bets in.

[fanny paddery]

6 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Paddy Power are pitching for £10. Don't see how it helps too much as you can keep bunging more bets in.

Not if you are on your 20 min lunch break etc.

[Paul Cicero]

I know of quite a few professional football players who play this filth in local bookies where I live and know they are putting a hell of a lot of money in these things and we wonder where our game is going wrong how can you concentrate on being a professional when you are losing grands on this shit weekly ??

[54_and_counting]

On 02/11/2017 at 02:04, fanny paddery said:

Not if you are on your 20 min lunch break etc.

most people that lose big on these things dont do it on their 20min break, they go in after work and sit for hours

If stakes are restricted all you'll find is bookies being open even longer, its happened before when bookies would open hours before the first race and close hours after the last race, most bookies pay their shops expenses and wages with FOBT's so they'll do everything to keep punters playing

[LincolnHearts]

Some grim reading on here.

Those machines are evil. My mate is manager of a Coral and he says the Horses and Greyhounds are virtually like background noise now.

I can remember them doing a slots 'competition' a couple of years ago (on a Saturday when everyone was putting their coupons on) on these machines where the 'winner' was the person who accumulated the most cash in 5 minutes of play.

 

 

[Karpaty]

On 31/10/2017 at 13:19, LondonHMFC said:

Never going to happen unfortunately.  

 

On 01/11/2017 at 18:24, blue4578 said:

Will be interesting to see what happens, but they'll never get it down to £2. 

Government has confirmed it today. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-44148285

Excellent news.