Hi all
I am after some advice. After many years of absolutely compulsive online gambling, and I mean compulsive to extremes you could only imagine - on the 1st November I took the plunge and registered with Gamstop online after reading about it on here - I really wish that I knew about it a long time ago.
Anyway my issue - I registered with Gamstop, I am 100% sure that I put down both of my email addresses that I have as I have used both for casinos. Within 24 hours as promised access to all of my online accounts - I would guess over 20, were closed. Except for one - Netbet.
At this point a few days later, the compulsive gambler in me saw this as an opportunity - I didn't do the right thing and notify them or self-exclude directly - I was starting to feel anxious about not being able to gamble anymore - withdrawal symptoms if you will - and this was my way out.
So I started to deposit, I had one win and withdrew then it all went back in plus more over the course of the last week or so. I am annoyed with myself, frustrated and angry.
I have sat and thought about things over the weekend, I am not sure what the point of my thread is - perhaps it's just a way of venting as I am a very elusive gambler, nobody is aware of the extent of my addiction so I have nobody to talk to about it.
I hate the thought of me not being responsible for my actions, but I also feel like this casino had a duty of care to action my self exclusion from Gamstop as they are registered with them, plus that's kind of the point of it.
With all this in mind, I contacted the casino and said that I feel like they have failed in their duty of care and that their responsible gambling controls had failed - Gamstop had requested the self exclusion and it was effectively ignored.
The casino has asked for proof of my Gamstop registration which I have now provided. It transpires that the casino is stating that because the email I used for registration for the casino was not on the Gamstop file and the fact that I did not register my middle name with Gamstop but I did with the casino they did not action the self exclusion - my first and last name, date of birth, address and postcode are all correct.
I feel angry now, I felt it right that the casino should refund me my deposits from the point that they received the Gamstop notification - there is simply no way they can use the excuse of my email not matching to not execute the self exclusion but that is what they are doing and I have it in writing from them that they did not put the self exclusion in because of this reason.
I feel like them saying because the details didn't match EXACTLY what Gamstop have they are basically allowed to ignore the request makes a total mockery of the Gamstop system - a different email and a middle name are not pre-requisites of identifying a customer I am sure, otherwise I could just go onto their site now and create a new account with the same details just a slightly different email and a new middle name?
Just to be clear, the value of the deposits are extremely low in comparison to the hundreds of thousands I have lost over the last few years and I know this will probably come across as just wanting my money back and being sour about losing, but really it's not - I have money, this is now about principals because I am now fully locked out of all online casinos, I see this as a new start in my life and the opportunity to break free from the addiction.
I am considering taking this to the Gambling Commission, I don't think it's right and in my opinion, they've exploited the Gamstop system.
Interested to hear any thoughts or opinions thanks
I am after some advice. After many years of absolutely compulsive online gambling, and I mean compulsive to extremes you could only imagine - on the 1st November I took the plunge and registered with Gamstop online after reading about it on here - I really wish that I knew about it a long time ago.
Anyway my issue - I registered with Gamstop, I am 100% sure that I put down both of my email addresses that I have as I have used both for casinos. Within 24 hours as promised access to all of my online accounts - I would guess over 20, were closed. Except for one - Netbet.
At this point a few days later, the compulsive gambler in me saw this as an opportunity - I didn't do the right thing and notify them or self-exclude directly - I was starting to feel anxious about not being able to gamble anymore - withdrawal symptoms if you will - and this was my way out.
So I started to deposit, I had one win and withdrew then it all went back in plus more over the course of the last week or so. I am annoyed with myself, frustrated and angry.
I have sat and thought about things over the weekend, I am not sure what the point of my thread is - perhaps it's just a way of venting as I am a very elusive gambler, nobody is aware of the extent of my addiction so I have nobody to talk to about it.
I hate the thought of me not being responsible for my actions, but I also feel like this casino had a duty of care to action my self exclusion from Gamstop as they are registered with them, plus that's kind of the point of it.
With all this in mind, I contacted the casino and said that I feel like they have failed in their duty of care and that their responsible gambling controls had failed - Gamstop had requested the self exclusion and it was effectively ignored.
The casino has asked for proof of my Gamstop registration which I have now provided. It transpires that the casino is stating that because the email I used for registration for the casino was not on the Gamstop file and the fact that I did not register my middle name with Gamstop but I did with the casino they did not action the self exclusion - my first and last name, date of birth, address and postcode are all correct.
I feel angry now, I felt it right that the casino should refund me my deposits from the point that they received the Gamstop notification - there is simply no way they can use the excuse of my email not matching to not execute the self exclusion but that is what they are doing and I have it in writing from them that they did not put the self exclusion in because of this reason.
I feel like them saying because the details didn't match EXACTLY what Gamstop have they are basically allowed to ignore the request makes a total mockery of the Gamstop system - a different email and a middle name are not pre-requisites of identifying a customer I am sure, otherwise I could just go onto their site now and create a new account with the same details just a slightly different email and a new middle name?
Just to be clear, the value of the deposits are extremely low in comparison to the hundreds of thousands I have lost over the last few years and I know this will probably come across as just wanting my money back and being sour about losing, but really it's not - I have money, this is now about principals because I am now fully locked out of all online casinos, I see this as a new start in my life and the opportunity to break free from the addiction.
I am considering taking this to the Gambling Commission, I don't think it's right and in my opinion, they've exploited the Gamstop system.
Interested to hear any thoughts or opinions thanks