Life sucks, and then you die!

[jepulis22]

Yep, I played all my money away in one evening. A 12-pack of beer, and a couple of thousand euros. Jesus fucking christ, why am i so stupid. I'm not a rich man, so it makes no sense to play more than a couple of 100€. Well, maybe it's time to finally accept the fact that I have a gambling problem. I mean, with all the money I've gambled on sports, poker, blackjack, slots, I probably could have bought a house or two.

I'm not looking for sympathy! I made the decision to play, I clicked the games, no-one forced me. I'm just venting and frustrated and angry at myself. NEVER play more than you can afford to lose!

 

[fire]

What worries me most is the title of your topic. However you seem to accept that you have a gambling problem. I suggest you seek help as soon as possible.
Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us. You're not stupid and you have my sympathy. I wish you the best. Take care!

 

[kou187]

Yep, I played all my money away in one evening. A 12-pack of beer, and a couple of thousand euros. Jesus fucking christ, why am i so stupid. I'm not a rich man, so it makes no sense to play more than a couple of 100€. Well, maybe it's time to finally accept the fact that I have a gambling problem. I mean, with all the money I've gambled on sports, poker, blackjack, slots, I probably could have bought a house or two.

I'm not looking for sympathy! I made the decision to play, I clicked the games, no-one forced me. I'm just venting and frustrated and angry at myself. NEVER play more than you can afford to lose!

I feel you dude. Same stuff happened to me this past month. And every other month before it.

When will we learn???

 

[jepulis22]

What worries me most is the title of your topic. However you seem to accept that you have a gambling problem. I suggest you seek help as soon as possible.
Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us. You're not stupid and you have my sympathy. I wish you the best. Take care!

Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'm just pissed of at my own stupidity!

 

[chayton]

ouch, that sucks...don't be too hard on yourself though, it's done and kicking yourself isn't going to help.

Taking a break is probably a really good idea right now especially if you have a little voice telling you that if you can only play a bit more you can win that money back.

 

[Casinomeister]

This may be a little late, but it probably applies:



We all screw up sometimes. Don't be too hard on yourself.

 

[mathsboy1975]

Yep, I played all my money away in one evening. A 12-pack of beer, and a couple of thousand euros. Jesus fucking christ, why am i so stupid. I'm not a rich man, so it makes no sense to play more than a couple of 100€. Well, maybe it's time to finally accept the fact that I have a gambling problem. I mean, with all the money I've gambled on sports, poker, blackjack, slots, I probably could have bought a house or two.

I'm not looking for sympathy! I made the decision to play, I clicked the games, no-one forced me. I'm just venting and frustrated and angry at myself. NEVER play more than you can afford to lose!

I found myself in a similar situation this month. I didn't blow it all in one night but since the start of May I have blown £4K - about 1.5 times my monthly take home salary. At one point I was actually about £3.5K in profit and if I had a brain in my head I would have cashed out at that point.

I am not sure if this will help you but after the inevitable period of beating myself up about it I decided to apply permanent self-exclusion to all of my casino accounts bar one. On the one remaining live account I have set a monthly deposit limit of £100. I purposely chose the account to remain open to not have deposit limits settable by the casino interface - I will have to contact CS to increase it which I anticipate will be sufficient to keep my losses to acceptable amounts.

Self exclusion is radical, but when you look at yourself in the mirror and accept that you do have a problem with gambling, I found that this provided me with a real sense of relief as the ability to use those accounts has now gone forever. It may not work for you but it might be worth thinking about if you don't want to go entirely cold turkey.

 

[K2C]

A 12-pack of beer, and a couple of thousand euros.

I hear you. Wouldn't it be great if someone invented a device similar to those breathalyzer ignition interlocks they install on drunk driving convicts' cars.

 

[Jory]

I tend to believe that if your interest in gambling is to the extent that you join an online gambling forum, then your level of interest in gambling is already unhealthy. Therefore I believe that most people here can relate to how you feel, we've all been there.

I've yet to see any casino that takes Responsible Gambling seriously. Even the "best" casino dont do enough. They do only enough to satisfy their legal obligation to promote responsible gambling. Its often no more than a little greyed out link or graphic hidden at the bottom of the websites that blends into the background in the hope you don't recognise it.

Every day another casino is banging at the door wanting in with another copy and paste casino desperate for our money. My attitude lately has been "If you can't beat them, join them", quit being a player and become an affiliate. I'm just not sure if I could morally justify encouraging a behaviour that has been destructive to my own life.

What I would really love to do is create my own casino, one that has responsible gambling as its core value and is not a machine that destroys life's in pursuit of more and more profits. That would be a casino I'd actually feel proud to represent.

 

[Azzurri]

Mate, well done for being brave enough to take the first step and admit there's a problem. Know that you are not a one off case, or perhaps seemingly to you, the only person who couldn't remain in control. Problem gambling is extremely common and widespread, hence you are not alone, and such is the nature of the beast, that it is easy to exceed your limits and get caught in the moment, when our better judgement momentarily leaves us, and we are left totally vulnerable to gambling.

Except the loss, and now focus on the remedy and rebuild phase. Make no rash decisions, and no matter how bad the current situation you now are in may be, know that there is help available to get through the short term pain and hardship any losses may have caused. Hopefully you have some close family or friends that you can turn to for emotional and monetary support, even if only a short term loan to get you to your next pay check, then work on sourcing and speaking to professional gambling counselors and financial planners, so they can help you put small goals in place to improve your current situation and continuous recovery.

Problem gambling is spending outside your limitations, and continuously chasing your losses the more you lose, and the more you realize the negative impact each loss has on your personal circumstances. This is why it is so important to permanently close all your casino or betting accounts, so as to remove all and any temptation, as that little voice will continue to try convincing you, that you can turn things around with one last effort. Don't do it! This is the hardest step to ride out in the initial early stages, so be strong, and help yourself by removing any distractions from your main goal, which should be starting to rebuild.

I wish you all the strength and positivity you need to do it, and I know you can, as many have before you. If you need any encouragement or help locating services, we are always here and contactable. If you have no close people you can talk to around you, besides contacting professionals, I suggest you write down any and all feelings, and match it with writing down a possible positive solution to any negative feelings. This is a great way to release your built up thoughts and feelings, especially the negative ones that weigh us down at times such as this.

Turning things around can be achieved with a clear head, and the right advice.

 

[chayton]

I tend to believe that if your interest in gambling is to the extent that you join an online gambling forum, then your level of interest in gambling is already unhealthy.

I'd have to disagree on this one - joining an online gambling forum isn't a sign of an unhealthy addiction, it's a responsible thing to do IMO - if you're gambling AT all online, you really should join (or at least read) a good forum like Casinomeister so you can stay informed about games and software and casinos and terms and rules etc. And responsible gaming and self-exclusion if it comes to that.

 

[Jory]

I'd have to disagree on this one - joining an online gambling forum isn't a sign of an unhealthy addiction, it's a responsible thing to do IMO - if you're gambling AT all online, you really should join (or at least read) a good forum like Casinomeister so you can stay informed about games and software and casinos and terms and rules etc. And responsible gaming and self-exclusion if it comes to that.

I didn't say addiction. I made sure to avoid the word addiction because I felt it might offend people, especally those who browse the forum regularly.

Gambling isn't a responsible thing to do unless you are someone who buys maybe a £1 lottery ticket each week and nothing more. Saying its responsible to join a forum if you gamble is like saying its responsible to use a clean needle if you're going to take heroin. Neither gambling or heroin would have a positive long term effect on your life so avoiding them altogther is always best.

 

[Tirilej]

I didn't say addiction. I made sure to avoid the word addiction because I felt it might offend people, especally those who browse the forum regularly.

Gambling isn't a responsible thing to do unless you are someone who buys maybe a £1 lottery ticket each week and nothing more. Saying its responsible to join a forum if you gamble is like saying its responsible to use a clean needle if you're going to take heroin. Neither gambling or heroin would have a positive long term effect on your life so avoiding them altogther is always best.

I definitaly doesn't agree with you and I think it's sad that you have those opinions about players in here.
Everyone doesn't have a problem. Some people actually sees it like a hobby like everything else. Whatever you do almost on your free time costs money. A person who goes to the movie one time a week or someone that goes to every concert he can afford to...are they doing something bad too? People stuck at Facebook games that's free...is that bad? Difficult question.
I can definately tell you that I'm more ''in need of'' this forum than I am to gambling. A free addiction

We are all different and some can control it, some a little and a few not at all.

 

[Jory]

The difference is that Facebook and seeing a movie doesn't cost you £2000 a day.

My comment was directed at OP to help them realise that most people here would have had a similar experience at one time or another. I have no idea why people are taking it so personaly. The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I feel for you OP. Gambling is meant to be fun. But when it's not it can feel like the most soul destroying thing in the world. I'm sure a few of us can relate to your situation from past experience. You have made a mistake. You have screwed up. It's ok. No, really, it is. Everybody screws up from time to time. We are all human. None of us are infallible. The crime is not in making the mistake. The crime is to not learn from it.

I have myself in the past been stupid. Got drunk. Pissed a stupid chunk of money away and have kicked myself over and over again for it. I failed to take steps. It wasn't the casinos fault. It was my fault. I didn't set limits, didn't take enough self control, viewed gambling in the wrong light. I viewed it as something to make a quick buck or two. What a dumb thing to think that was! Anyone who is reading this and thinks gambling is a way if making quick money let me assure you that it isn't. It is entertainment. Nothing more. Winning money is just a possible reward of doing it. Play too long and you'll always lose. That was my main problem. Greed.

Now though? I set limits with the casinos I play at, made sure I couldn't get pissed one night and lose my shirt. Lowered my limits and my sights. Managed things better and don't get too greedy. OP, it may not seem like it now. But the world has not ended. You are still here. Go for a walk. Try and clear your head. Breathe. Then sit down and make some plans. Exclude yourself for a while. Take time out. Then set limits. Make plans. Remember, it's just entertainment. There is so much more to life than it. It may seem like a huge amount of effort. But trust me, it'll be worth it. The alternative can be far, far worse. So make that effort. You CAN do it.

Best of luck to you OP.

 

[thebigs]

Having worked in the gambling industry myself (bookies) there is always information to help gamblers if they have a problem.
Sadly i could see people had one but they didn't see that until it was too late.
A publican is allowed to stop serving someone who has drunk too much but as a manager of a bookies i wasn't allowed to say anything to a customer who i thought had a problem.
I very rarely bet on the horses or sport in general and my vise is the slots and yes iv'e experienced times when i have lost and deposited more thinking the next spin will at least let me have some of my losses back.
There is no question on-line gambling be it Horses,Sport,Bingo,Casino's etc has been a problem for some and there is help to be had but it really has to be seen by the person first and though you will see these leaflets and adverts on the gambling websites do they really do any good.

 

[Jasminebed]

The difference is that Facebook and seeing a movie doesn't cost you £2000 a day.

My comment was directed at OP to help them realise that most people here would have had a similar experience at one time or another. I have no idea why people are taking it so personaly. The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

If your comment was meant for the OP, perhaps you shouldn't have lumped all the CM members in the same boat.

Belonging to CM has made me a smarter and more disciplined gambler. I have lapses in judgment still, but not as often and not as devasting as when I was hitting the B&Ms regularly, or bingo or pull tabs years ago before that. I broke most of the cardinal rules at least once, and many more than once.

I still identify myself as an "at risk" gambler, and I have set myself some harm reduction strategies in place, that include only using a prepaid card to fund my casino accounts. For B&M trips it means leaving the bank card at home (or maybe on the bus for a day trip).

Alcohol can cause poor judgment for sure, why else would Vegas serve free drinks?

I don't know the OP, but I know he is upset with himself, and that it doesn't seem to be the first time he's spent more than he wanted. Help is out there, and for some people it's here too.

Jepulis22, you can ask a moderator to move you to the Quit Gambling section which will limit your access to parts of the forum.

Do something NOW to prevent yourself from chasing losses. Give your bank and credit cards to a trusted person, or rent a mailbox somewhere and lock them up in there out of your home. Either self - exclude for problem gambling, or at least take a break if you don't want to commit to quitting entirely just yet. Most casinos will offer various lengths of time you can do this for.

Keeping a journal of your thoughts and impulses is a very useful tool for changing behaviour.

 

[LaurieJim]

I can feel your pain , been there as well as some of the members here , it is never easy to walk away and then we keep on depositing and afterwards we wish we could kick our own asses.

I have to agree that it is best to exclude yourself from the forum till you know in your heart that you can stay within a strict gaming budget. This is what it is about for me now , pure entertainment and I enjoy the games more , if I win , well that's just icing on the gaming cake.

I do wish you luck and trust me there is light at the end of the tunnel and you will prevail and live.

Best wishes

Laurie

 

[chayton]

I didn't say addiction. I made sure to avoid the word addiction....

No you didn't, my mistake. Plus I'd like to say sorry to the OP for the derail.

 

[Jory]

If your comment was meant for the OP, perhaps you shouldn't have lumped all the CM members in the same boat.

Do you mean that there are actually people on CM who have never made the mistake of depositing more than they should have? That is the boat I was putting people in. Even Chopley who was respected for his level of self control admitted to losing £2k in one month last year.

If you join a gambling forum then it probably means gambling is your hobby, if gambling is your hobby then you have most definitely at one stage made the mistake of depositing more than you wished to because gambling is addictive by nature.

Its just like smoking, some people feel no shame in admitting smoking has a control over them that they want to overcome, others find it insulting and claim it relaxs them and that they can quit when ever they want. I find it difficult to accept that there are people who feel smoking has had a positive overall affect on their life.

If anyone was genuinely offended by me using the term "unhealthy interest" to describe a CM member, then I apologise as this was not my attention. I do hope people can understand were I was coming from.

 

[nikantw]

I've yet to see any casino that takes Responsible Gambling seriously. Even the "best" casino dont do enough. They do only enough to satisfy their legal obligation to promote responsible gambling. Its often no more than a little greyed out link or graphic hidden at the bottom of the websites that blends into the background in the hope you don't recognise it.

Every day another casino is banging at the door wanting in with another copy and paste casino desperate for our money. My attitude lately has been "If you can't beat them, join them", quit being a player and become an affiliate. I'm just not sure if I could morally justify encouraging a behaviour that has been destructive to my own life.

I hear you. The worst of the worst, in terms of responsible gambling (but not only) Gambling Operator in the world, is the only “legal” according to one small country’s legislation and under the “strict supervision” of that country’s gaming committee.

 

[nikantw]

Yep, I played all my money away in one evening. A 12-pack of beer, and a couple of thousand euros...

Sorry for the previous derail.

Yes, after something like that it is wise to seek help. You are not stupid. But gambling has a way to “shut down” the logic part of our brain.

Small things can help. Make deposit limits at the casino, ask someone you trust to monitor or even control how much you deposit, lock your pc and give the password to someone else, self exclude yourself from casino, decide what gambling option has the best cost/fun rate and minimize your gambling activity on anything else.

Those are some things on the top of my head. You can find others, whatever works best for you. One huge step is to accept your loss and never try to win it back.

 

[jepulis22]

Thank you all for your comments. It's good to know that others have done the same mistakes, and learned from them. A good nights sleep and i already feel better. Today i'm going to self-exclude myself from all the casinos i play at. Been there, done that. Time for a new hobby. Life goes on and hopefully i'll learn my lesson from all this!

:notworthy

 

[spintee]

It sucks mate, I can assure you that your not the only 1 on that sinking ship,

Beer and bank card on hand is a danger combo, If I am enjoying a beer and a spin I get out the house if feel that Ive deposit one to many times, It seems like that you could of learnt your lesson on this 1, Take it as a loss and DO NOT go chasing it,

All the best

 

[Mousey]

While you don't want to wrap yourself in the misery of the morning after a binge, DO remember the feeling. Go to the Meister's Quit Gambling page and please read - there may be something there that will help you harness the gambling beast. Perhaps at least make moves to cut back, take a break... gamble on YOUR terms.

Today is a new day, a better day. Hope you get it all worked out.