Gambling addiction and casino responsibility

[kenneth2816]

Frankly, this sort of reeks of "kicking a person when they are down" syndrome. Great for you...you can control your gambling. Telling me and/or people who HAVE a problem with it however, that we just need to take personal responsibility for our actions is a completely moot/mute effort. I KNOW that already..and frankly don't need you reiterating it. But, hey. You got NOMINATED. Bravo. I'm sure it made your day! You're big man on campus.. Don't dislocate yer shoulder patting yourself on the back, there...

Anyway, just wanted to say that the reps at both casinos have been very diligent with the situation. As I said at the interim and since...I only hold MYSELF responsible and know I am the only one who can fix this problem I have. My beef is and was the fact that I very succintly asked for my accounts to be locked--as I was a danger to MYSELF--and they were not, at least not immediately. If I was staggering in a bar and begged the bartender to cut me off, I would hope he would. If I had a pill popping problem and begged the doctor to stop giving them to me I would hope he would. This is the only point I am making here, or was making in even bothering to post about it. That and just trying to set a precedent of sorts, like there is no going back now...I've outed myself, at least in my own head.

That said, I believe that the casino shortcomings were more due to errant reps handling the situation at the time and NOT the casino's themselves.

My comments were not directed at you personally, so feel free to take them or leave them as you wish. I do not have any control over who nominates a post, but I don't see this as anyone taking sides.

I responded to a thread entitled "gambling addiction and casino responsibility"

The two operative words being "addiction" and "responsibility."

To me, the entire premise of asking to have accounts locked works like this:

Once I've made the request, I've given my power away. I have an obligation to continue "checking" to see if the account has been closed. Eventually, I will keep "checking" for what I consider a reasonable time, and if I find an account has not been closed, I take this as "permission" to gamble because it is not my fault someone else dropped the ball. Then I can become angry with the casino.

Rhetorical or hypothetical scenarios about what should be done by whom in which circumstance make nice mental exercises. It is the nature of an addict to find an easier, softer way. The ony responsibility I expect from a casino is to pay me if I win.

It has been stated in this thread that if a person goes into a bar and asks not to be served, there is an expectation that his wish be honored.

The real question is, who has ultimate repsonsibility if he gets a drink put in front of him anyway?

What if the doctor writes one more perscription because he thinks you are too emotional and need a sedative?

Again, I am speaking for myself when I say I am an absolute believer in free will. Addiction does not relieve me of bearing personal accountability for my own choices. I see addicts go to jail everyday for their choices.

If I say I take full responsibility for my gambling addiction, I've revealed no great new "truth" to the world. I can expect "slips"; they are a normal process of recovery, but I do not HAVE to have one.

If I find myself at a bar, it isn't because my car turned into the parking lot on its own.

Call me militant or even mercenary. If my words cause anger, that may not be so bad. Anger is the emotion of self preservation, when properly applied.
It can propel one into action.

Misdirected anger or fixing blame only keeps me hooked into the cycle.

The bottom line is that if someone else had caused as much damage in my own life as I have, I'd kick their ass.

 

[just play]

My comments were not directed at you personally, so feel free to take them or leave them as you wish. I do not have any control over who nominates a post, but I don't see this as anyone taking sides.

I responded to a thread entitled "gambling addiction and casino responsibility"

The two operative words being "addiction" and "responsibility." There are many kinds of addiction, some we cannot control. I have panic disorder/agoraphobia and take prescribed medication, am I addicted to this medication? Of course I am, that is why I can never stop cold turkey as it can lead to seizures among other things. You are lumping ALL addictions together, when many addictions are not the same.

To me, the entire premise of asking to have accounts locked works like this:

Once I've made the request, I've given my power away. I have an obligation to continue "checking" to see if the account has been closed. Eventually, I will keep "checking" for what I consider a reasonable time, and if I find an account has not been closed, I take this as "permission" to gamble because it is not my fault someone else dropped the ball. Then I can become angry with the casino.

Casinos are supposed to take gambling addiction very seriously, but imo they do not. As seen by what has happened to the OP. The account should be closed immediately upon request. If I asked for my bank/cable/phone account to be closed it happens immediately, why not a casino?

Rhetorical or hypothetical scenarios about what should be done by whom in which circumstance make nice mental exercises. It is the nature of an addict to find an easier, softer way. The ony responsibility I expect from a casino is to pay me if I win.

It has been stated in this thread that if a person goes into a bar and asks not to be served, there is an expectation that his wish be honored.

The real question is, who has ultimate repsonsibility if he gets a drink put in front of him anyway? This is a different scenerio. When you have alcohol in you, your mind/body isn't in control like it would be if you were sober. If you are at a bar and you are already drunk, the bartender has the ultimate responsibility. If you walk into a bar straight, you have the responsibiliy.

What if the doctor writes one more perscription because he thinks you are too emotional and need a sedative?

Again, I am speaking for myself when I say I am an absolute believer in free will. Addiction does not relieve me of bearing personal accountability for my own choices. I see addicts go to jail everyday for their choices.

If I say I take full responsibility for my gambling addiction, I've revealed no great new "truth" to the world. I can expect "slips"; they are a normal process of recovery, but I do not HAVE to have one.

If I find myself at a bar, it isn't because my car turned into the parking lot on its own.

Call me militant or even mercenary. If my words cause anger, that may not be so bad. Anger is the emotion of self preservation, when properly applied.
It can propel one into action. I believe in "tough love" that's what I think you are using here, but it doesn't always work. In this case the OP was asking for a simple request, "close my account" and it didn't happen. Could she have more self control? Sure. But this was her first step to help control her problem, it should have been handled differently imo. I respect the OP for posting her problem out in the open for all to see. I for one am rooting for her and hoping that all of us at CM and her friends and family help her, not "read her her rights".

Misdirected anger or fixing blame only keeps me hooked into the cycle.

The bottom line is that if someone else had caused as much damage in my own life as I have, I'd kick their ass.

Good luck to you Misskimber, I am wishing the best.

 

[kenneth2816]

Good luck to you Misskimber, I am wishing the best.

Panic disorders and agorophobia are often treated with medications that can be addictive, but its a trade-off situation. I've nevr experienced either, but know those who have. If the medication, taken as perscribed, offers a better qaulity of life than without it, I don't see this as "addiction" anymore than I would see one who is diabetic being "addicted" to insulin.

Opinions vary. I'll respect yours while I choose to stick with mine.

 

[DiamondGeezer]

OP I don't get this blocking accounts idea atall. Why not close them for good?

I mean if you had an alcohol problem and banned yourself from all pubs in your town why on earth would you go into them to check you were banned? 'Oh the Landlord's on a week's hoiday? Thanks I'll have a double scotch then'. It's self defeating.

If my gambling spiralled out of control I would have no chance. There are three bookies within five minutes of my house. I have a racetrack only three miles away and lottery tickets are available in just about every fifth store. And that's before I've gotten to the internet.

I accept the casinos not blocking your accounts was a mistake on their part but such errors and hassles are part of normal life.

I am not aiming this at the OP but in general there is a lot of blaming others going on these days. It always seems to be someone else's fault.

 

[misskimber]

OP I don't get this blocking accounts idea atall. Why not close them for good?

I mean if you had an alcohol problem and banned yourself from all pubs in your town why on earth would you go into them to check you were banned? 'Oh the Landlord's on a week's hoiday? Thanks I'll have a double scotch then'. It's self defeating.

If my gambling spiralled out of control I would have no chance. There are three bookies within five minutes of my house. I have a racetrack only three miles away and lottery tickets are available in just about every fifth store. And that's before I've gotten to the internet.

I accept the casinos not blocking your accounts was a mistake on their part but such errors and hassles are part of normal life.

I am not aiming this at the OP but in general there is a lot of blaming others going on these days. It always seems to be someone else's fault.

No blaming at all. It's my fault..no one elses. I tried to log into the casinos because I wanted to gamble there. I guess if you don't have a "problem" with it you can't understand the compulsion that takes over. There is not a lot of rhyme or reason to it--and I understand how people can look at the situation and wonder WTF? Truth told...the same act of desperation that begs the casinos to deactivate is the same emotion that tries to sign back in afterwards...if that makes any sense at all.

Honestly, though...if I had NOT been able to sign back into those casinos in question I would have absolutely found another place to gamble at--no doubt about it.

I've disabled my online wallet..and since I am in the U.S. this pretty much renders me unable to fund anywhere. I've been playing in fun mode--which feeds the need for the time being. It probably isn't all that healthy...should most likely just install Gamblock and be done with it. Just not ready to do that, yet. Gamblock is a wonderful tool--have used it on my other computer. Problem is it REALLY does limit you online. I'm not the only one using this computer and suffice it to say that certain people in my house don't appreciate not being able to play their interactive games just because "I" can't control myself.

So, for now it is therapeutic (sp) to check back on this thread. Perhaps in a few months I will see how far I've come?

 

[DiamondGeezer]

You are right about the not understanding part Misskimber. I knew this guy who was a long time gambler. He got left a half share in a house and suddenly had access to large amounts of credit. Within a year he had lost the lot. The irony is he was actually a pretty good gambler and had good contacts in the horseracing world etc. But the gambling part just overtook him and he ended up losing thousands on sports he knew nothing about like Ice Hockey. He would even bet on coin tosses and the like. He was a decent guy too.

I can understand what it might feel like to lose all my money but it's that compulsion to gamble on anything and everything that I luckily can't imagine ever doing. I guess that is the difference between people who gamble adn addictive gamblers.

The good news for you is a lot of people have stabilised and recovered from these type of events. Not saying it's easy but it can be done. Who knows you could come back here in a year's time and be in a much better situation.

It can be done.