I was on my phone earlier so didn't post properly what I was thinking.
The OP clearly has a problem. In fact it couldn't be any clearer from the email posted in the thread. The account should have been at least closed or blocked while they double checked with the player if they had any queries. I am 100% sure he should not have been able to deposit over a week later. If he emailed them, deposited £10k 5 mins later, lost it, then complained, I wouldn't have any sympathy, but this was over a week later, and thats not taking into account any live chat that took place. That is more than enough time to take action on an account.
He was begging for his money back in the email, I'm sorry, but if anyone can't see that was from a problem gambler then they need their eyes testing. I do completely agree that the casino should not refund any deposits before that email, but I am completely sure they should refund the £25k that was lost after that.
The responsible gambling measures are in place to prevent problem gamblers from getting into situations such as this. You should not have to specifically say 'self exclude' to have an account, at the very least, temporarily blocked. If a customer states they are addicted, they are spending more than they can afford, anything like that, then the account should be blocked immediately with a view to exclusion.
I still don't get the attitudes of many people posting in this thread. There was a 40+ page thread about this when 32red changed the way they dealt with RG matters, almost all was critical, then when something happens, which was predicted, almost all the posts are defending 32red. I genuinely don't understand that.
Reading posts, it seems to me people don't actually understand what an addiction is. I do think the term is overused, but someone who begs for help, and stands to lose his home, then goes ahead and deposits another £25000 is, in my view, addicted. Its not like its £500 (not that the amount matters), it was £19000 then £25000, so £44000 at one casino. £44000 the OP couldn't afford. Instead of saying he should have learnt his lesson after his last thread, people should understand an addiction is exactly what it says on the tin, an addiction. Reason goes out the window, even though theres a nagging voice in your head saying don't do it, it doesn't matter, you will do it, as all that matters is getting your next fix, that fix can be a can of lager, a bottle of vodka, a cigarette, a line of coke, a bag of smack, or trying to win your money back at a casino. It doesn't matter what the fix is, the fact is, you can't control the urge. FOTB's in bookies are commonly referred to the crack cocaine of gambling, online casinos can be worse as your stakes can be much higher, as can the wins. They aren't called that because they are harmless. Thats the reason the regulations around responsible gaming are so strict, and why casinos should follow them to the letter.
32red have had quite a few complaints about this exact thing on here, its clear to me they don't care, thats obvious from the large thread from last year, a search on here alone for 32red self exclusion brings up pages of results.
Why cant you guys see this? or does everyone need a scapegoat ,something else to blame...
I understand what you are saying, but the fact is, the law is there to prevent situations like this. Assuming the email was sent and the OP's account if matters is correct then 32red have been (in my view) negligent in allowing someone, who has stated they have a gambling problem, to keep playing. This is not in keeping with their license. I don't think you are in the UK from your posts, and I think the OP is, the rules in the UK seem to be much stricter than elsewhere, and if the casino is in breach of them, which taking the OPs account at face value, then he should be refunded. Yes, he might open an account at a new casino and lose the £25k to them, but thats beside the point, the only question at this point should be, should 32red have allowed him to continue gambling.
To the OP
You need help, now. You know that, as does everyone who has read this thread. You need to get it. You might already have a CPN due to your other problems, if you do, ring them in morning and make an appointment to see them. If you don't, ring and self refer yourself, ring your doctor for the number for self referral for counselling. If you have family you can trust, get one of them to manage your accounts, you can do this legally, so that anything spent from your accounts has to be authorised by them, or (and this will probably be easier and quicker) cancel your bank & credit cards, you can say you lost them, get new ones, don't open them when the new ones arrive, give them to whoever is going to help you so you never see the new numbers, that way there is no way you can gamble yourself. Self exclude from every single bookmaker, casino or any other site you have an account with. You can do that tonight. Self exclude for 5 years, not 6 months, You probably won't want to as the addiction will cloud your mind, telling you to leave one or two open, ignore it and close them.
Simple fact is, if you don't get help AND help yourself you are going to lose your house and everything else. I hope you sort yourself out, but you won't unless you start the process yourself. Good luck with the future.
to UKGC for initiating that.
