How my gambling addiction started, and what I should do now

Baconsandwich

Dormant account
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Location
California, USA
Hello everyone ~ I know I have a gambling obsession, it comes and goes. I'm in my mid 20's, I have a 40k~/year job in California and don't have many expenses.

Let me just talk about my history.

About 2-3 years ago I turned 21 and went to Las Vegas, at first I only wanted to gamble because I wasn't old enough prior to this trip and it sucked because all my friends are older and I had to sit in the sidelines... So this was my first real trip so I brought $500 just to gamble with. I would have been totally fine losing it all, after all - it was just for the experience (I spend so much more on other things on that trip anyways).

I played some BJ (without knowledge of basic strategy).. And randomly went to whatever slot machine caught my eye - It was fun. Then I won a 1k jackpot (beginners luck =D) I gave about half of it back to Vegas before leaving.. So I won about 400-500$ on my first trip.. Not bad!

I like to be knowledgeable about any of my endeavors so I was naturally curious on how to play blackjack properly, and how to be the 'best kind of gambler.' - I found this website called vegasclick.com (A fantastic website... I can't say enough good things about it even to this day.) I learned what to avoid, how to bet smart, how to play blackjack.. etc.

That website advertises the accredited online casino Bodog (now called Bovada).. So with my new 'knowledge' I wanted to immediately put it to 'use'.. I was a conservative person.. I naturally thought all online casinos are suspect. So I just deposited $20 into this RTG casino and see how it goes.

I played $.20 spins and $1 hands at blackjack, and had a great time, it lasted me an hour or two. So I had no problem depositing $80 more just for fun. I stayed at .20 spins like usual and $1 hands. That lasted the whole day.


The next weekend I deposited about $50 and was craving some slots. Still only doing .20 spins, I managed to get a spin bonus on Enchanted Garden that put me up to about $175... that was insane. But then I wondered to myself... what if I had bet .40 instead? Or $1 on that spin? This is where it began..

I started betting $1 per spin and quickly lost the entire bankroll, I deposited $200 and would vow to stop if I hit a bonus.. I wasn't addicted at the time. Soon enough I hit the bonus and that $200 became something like $400.. I actually cashed that amount and didn't play for a month or so.

I had finally received the money from Bovada, and what better way to celebrate then to play a bit more? I deposited half of that money and just settled for nothing less than $1 spins and $5-$10 hands in blackjack... I lost it all in 30 minutes. Then I deposited $200 more and it lasted me the rest of the night before losing all of it again. I was even up $7k at one point.. AND LOST IT ALL THE SAME DAY!

I WAS ADDICTED! From then until now I have been playing on and off... but each time I did I lost a ton of money, I have made some cash outs, a few of them being $1000-3000 - But in the end... I am about $10-15k in the hole in gambling in a couple years of playing. I am about 6k in debt (About 3k from gambling).

I wonder if somehow convincing myself to be a lowroller ($.20 spins and $1 hands) would solve much of this problem.. Because as I recall I had more fun when it was that way it was the entertainment cost if anything.


What should I do? Should I just focus on quitting online casinos altogether? B&M casinos are not the the problem here and I will continue to keep going to those, because losing $200-400 every few months is doing nothing more than a slight dent.

SUGGESTIONS? Sorry this post is very long... But I really need to stop this. I haaaaate being in debt...
Thank you for reading.
 
If I were you, I would spend the money that you may spend of gambling and put it to further your education.

That way you will be too busy studying and then you'll have more money at the end of your studies(hopefully).

Yes, I liove the idea of getting a dog!

I can say this easily but I am 50 yrs old and never had a complete education. So I really hope that you can put your attention to school.

Now, for excitement and adrenalin?...um..(not that I would ever do it..lol) Find a hobby such as zip-linging or just hold a few parties with your friends, something less solitary....

Solitude is another danger of addiction, too.

I wish you all the luck...and let us know how you are doing?
 
Getting a Dog is very good advice... Me and my girlfriend were thinking about getting one.

Thanks

The majority of casino income comes from addicts and people sucked in to lose self control. Most regulars are enduring some form of ongoing loss and depression. You have suffered a setback, but are young enough and have a relatively small amount of debt. Focus on that and knock it on the head now. What you did is no different to thousands of others. Don't become one of those rheumy-eyed soulless zombies that shuffle out of the bookmakers in their supermarket plimsolls and charity shop clothes, on their way home to a rented room and cupboard with stale bread and a tin of baked beans in. Because by what you said, this will happen, when not 'if'. You react badly to gambling, like some do to alcohol. At least you realize that now. If you take a wrong turn now, looking back on a mere $6k of debt, with a home and girlfriend would seem like paradise. Good luck.
 
A dog won't solve it any more than a baby keeps a bad marriage together!

OK Colly is going to go against the grain here- GETTING A DOG TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM IS A BAD IDEA- getting a dog because you love animals and have the money (including the annual vet fees and emergency fees) commitment and time to look after a living being for the next 10- 15 years is a great idea. OK animal shelter volunteer worker rant over.


Write to the casinos and ask to be voluntarily banned
Stay away from gambling forums and ask CM to put you on his list so you can only access the quit/addiction section
Clear the cache on your computer then install a program called Gamblock

Yes you are right you start low rolling and it gets bigger and bigger- I started lowrolling 16years ago and you don't stay a lowroller.


Good luck
 
OK Colly is going to go against the grain here- GETTING A DOG TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM IS A BAD IDEA- getting a dog because you love animals and have the money (including the annual vet fees and emergency fees) commitment and time to look after a living being for the next 10- 15 years is a great idea. OK animal shelter volunteer worker rant over.


Write to the casinos and ask to be voluntarily banned
Stay away from gambling forums and ask CM to put you on his list so you can only access the quit/addiction section
Clear the cache on your computer then install a program called Gamblock

Yes you are right you start low rolling and it gets bigger and bigger- I started lowrolling 16years ago and you don't stay a lowroller.


Good luck

Sorry for derail:

Wtg, for volunteering at an animal shelter...and I do understand this. Just that I am a dog lover....sorry, you are correct as dogs aren't just for 'our' needs...and they could be in danger for this reason.

Annie, says 'woof' ;)
 
OK Colly is going to go against the grain here- GETTING A DOG TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM IS A BAD IDEA- getting a dog because you love animals and have the money (including the annual vet fees and emergency fees) commitment and time to look after a living being for the next 10- 15 years is a great idea. OK animal shelter volunteer worker rant over.


Write to the casinos and ask to be voluntarily banned
Stay away from gambling forums and ask CM to put you on his list so you can only access the quit/addiction section
Clear the cache on your computer then install a program called Gamblock

Yes you are right you start low rolling and it gets bigger and bigger- I started lowrolling 16years ago and you don't stay a lowroller.


Good luck

No, don't get Gamblock it will **** your PC up. I've seen a PC with it on. Open too many windows and a red notice appears 'attempting to remove gamblock may result in unpredictable behaviour' and turns off then restarts your PC. It can do this randomly sometimes. Read the news and sometimes a page will have a story not actually related to gambling, i.e. 'Lotto Winners Secret Lovechild' and it will close the browser down or give you a 60 second warning. It also removes your 'system restore' by changing available dates so only post-gamblock dates can be used, and these are kept to a few days at a time. So, if you have a bug from the past or file corruption that comes of it, you are stuffed. I had to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the blokes windows from scratch to rid him of it.
Get K9 (free and get someone you trust to set the password) it's just as effective and far less invasive.

As the chap above says, you won't stay a lowroller - you've had the buzz of bigger stakes/wins now, and you can't unring the bell........:(
 
Gamblock, is easy to get out of, though, isn't it?

I think to self-exclude is better.

No bloody hard- once its in you can't uninstall- you would have to buy a new computer! or completely wipe and rewrite your drives- won't allow you onto any gaming related sites- blocks emails that are gambling related and won't allow you into webwallets used for gambling.

The reason you need to clear you cache prior is because it will also block your online banking if you haven't and it sees gambling transactions in there- used it for 4 years its brilliant
 
No bloody hard- once its in you can't uninstall- you would have to buy a new computer! or completely wipe and rewrite your drives- won't allow you onto any gaming related sites- blocks emails that are gambling related and won't allow you into webwallets used for gambling.

The reason you need to clear you cache prior is because it will also block your online banking if you haven't and it sees gambling transactions in there- used it for 4 years its brilliant

oh, ok..I thought one could just 'go back to a prior date'.

Well, maybe I should further my education in computer technology.:oops:

Wow....thanks for that.
 
Sorry for derail:

Wtg, for volunteering at an animal shelter...and I do understand this. Just that I am a dog lover....sorry, you are correct as dogs aren't just for 'our' needs...and they could be in danger for this reason.

Annie, says 'woof' ;)

LOL...we have an Annie who woofs too :)

On topic, I'd go with the deposit limits thing to help you keep the bets low. Also, it sometimes helps to save the gambling for a specific time of day - as something to look forward to perhaps - and at a time when you know there is a finite amount of time you have. IE: if you go to bed at 11pm, save the gambling until 9pm so at 11 (if you are still going!) you have a reason to cash out and leave it. I find the longer you gamble, the more likely you are to start ramping up the bet size so keeping sessions short and cashing out after each one is better.
 
Yes, it goes right into root and system files and can only be deactivated with code from the program suppliers. I would advise people NOT to get it. In PC terms it's like having a pin-sized melanoma on your arm. Easily surgically removed, but along with a large area the size of a 5p or 1cent coin which contains a lot of healthy tissue, to make sure. Gamblock removes the problem but with a lot of peripheral healthy stuff.
 
I'm an animal lover too
but
A dog that's about to get put down would rather have (IMO) someone, who oh, say, has the time at home to sit on the computer and spend money BUT is trying to spend his money and time elsewhere while at home.
Granted, not everyone has the time to meet a dog's needs but if you ARE and CAN, adopting is great; Lord knows enough of the unwanted poor buggers sit in shelters (remember I didn't say BUY a dog)
 
My 2 cents:

First go to the Quit Gambling page here at Casinomeister, if you haven't already. Read it, check out the info at the links provided at the bottom of the page.

Second, give your girlfriend the money you usually would deposit online, and have her put it away into an account to pay off some of your debt. Debt so young is not good. It only gets worse if not nipped in the bud. Same with the gambling, if it controls you and not the other way around, then you're addicted and it's best stopped NOW.

Contact all casinos and groups and have them lock you out and TELL them you have a gambling problem (not, I wanna cool off for a while). And remember that if you fudge your details to skirt the block, and you go in and win later on, you can't have your winnings. Not that you would do that... just saying...

A new dog or kitty if you're an animal lover is great advice. You need to redirect your energy and attention. Or learn to skatebaord if that's something you've always wondered if you'd like it... or skiing... or reading all those books you never got around to yet... or paint the bathroom... or clean out that hall closet that's a danger to anyone who opens the door... or.. you get the idea. :)

It won't be easy, it won't be fun, but sooner is better than later. DO it.

Good luck to you. We all wish you the very best. :thumbsup:
 
I'm an animal lover too
but
A dog that's about to get put down would rather have (IMO) someone, who oh, say, has the time at home to sit on the computer and spend money BUT is trying to spend his money and time elsewhere while at home.
Granted, not everyone has the time to meet a dog's needs but if you ARE and CAN, adopting is great; Lord knows enough of the unwanted poor buggers sit in shelters (remember I didn't say BUY a dog)

I agree but the point I was making is that a dog isn't a fix its a long term commitment and should never be a casual thought- you are either able or not- it's not something to think about as a diversion from gambling- and this guy doesn't have spare money to spend gambling- he's in debt from gambling!. I would love to see all the animals in shelters and pounds get a home(along with a ban of puppies and kittens in petstores) but it needs to be the right home and a forever home- animals adopted and not cared for or returned when no longer useful ,, or the owner can't afford a vet bill or the puppy have grown up or its inconvienient are just traumatized a second time.

Oh and the gorgeous Colly cross in the avatar - my baby ( along with 2 others shelter kitties)
 
I would agree with removing all casinos from your computer and would add one more. When you feel the need to gamble try immediately using the money to pay a bill instead. Most bills can be paid electronically now and it would be a good way to bring down your debt.

I really wish you the best.
 
I agree but the point I was making is that a dog isn't a fix its a long term commitment and should never be a casual thought- you are either able or not- it's not something to think about as a diversion from gambling- and this guy doesn't have spare money to spend gambling- he's in debt from gambling!. I would love to see all the animals in shelters and pounds get a home(along with a ban of puppies and kittens in petstores) but it needs to be the right home and a forever home- animals adopted and not cared for or returned when no longer useful ,, or the owner can't afford a vet bill or the puppy have grown up or its inconvienient are just traumatized a second time.

Oh and the gorgeous Colly cross in the avatar - my baby ( along with 2 others shelter kitties)

just an fyi, i never said he had spare money to gamble, but that he was spending money gambling
 
Hey Baconsandwich,

I see all the 'casino gamblers' here are saying the usual stuff, "exclude, remove from desktop, even crap like, get a dog" - The real advice is get a huge bank loan, borrow everything from friends and family, steal everything from anyone you can find....then go $5 a spin on those crazy slots and soon you will be crapping like a dog let alone being able to buy one!

Happy New Year Baconsandwich - go and smash those casinos - they are your true friends after all!!

Regards,

Daz
 
A Canadian calling himself dionysus - is that sarcasm - nah? - Funny - Yes!
Lighten up dionysus - telling someone with a gambling problem to get a dog is nonsense! It ridicules the situation.
 
Hi,

I just wanted to chime in and give my two cents worth. I've personally used Gamblock on two occasions when I also thought my gambling was getting out of hand. I have had NO issues with gamblock at all and WOULD certaintly recommend them if you are trying to give up. What the other poster was saying that this software will block ANY and every webpage that has something related to gambling on it. for example- if you go to a news website and start reading some article about someone winning lotto or something then that page will be blocked and you get a pop up saying the computer will shut off in 45 seconds if you do not exit this page or website.

Just make sure you download ALL of the regular updates they have and its fine to go- it REALLY helped me a-lot.

Regards,

Same_old

P.S- you've already passed the first step and that is acknowledging that you do indeed have a problem- step two is removing all the triggers that make you WANT to gamble.
 
A Canadian calling himself dionysus - is that sarcasm - nah? - Funny - Yes!
Lighten up dionysus - telling someone with a gambling problem to get a dog is nonsense! It ridicules the situation.

then you obviously missed the point, and chose to focus on one suggestion; whether you like it or not is besides the point, and while disagreeing is fine, calling it crap is rude. As for suggesting to go gamble, humour or not, you dont tell a drunk to go drink and get over it
 

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