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Gambling Addiction - Need Help, A Chat - Read This!

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Another thing for me, if you want to stop. You will stop. If you don’t want to stop then you won’t and you’re only kidding yourself. The first step is to eat yourself, then go and get whatever help that you might need or that’s on offer, just like Flair is doing. Only you can make the change happen. Just take a minute to think what’s more important to you  

 

Like i’ve said in this thread, I will still have a bet but closing down online accounts and self excluding is massive. I’m 30 years old now and it’s time to grow up, moving into a new house on Thursday and bigger things on the horizon for 2019.

There’s nothing wrong with a bet if you can control it, and I’ve always been in control as I’ve only ever spent what I could afford or what was disposable. But even then, looking back it was too much. 

 

Its very easy to think oh I’ll just have a tenner and then within half an hour you’re looking at a treble figure loss. Limit yourself if you feel you are in trouble. Close down all online accounts because that’s where most people get themselves into trouble. And if you still want a bet, take an affordable limit into a shop, leave your bank card at home. 

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Wishing everyone who has this addiction the very best of luck.

For those who have had the courage to tell their stories ,I have the utmost respect as I know how difficult it must have been.

 

 

Like the depression thread,knowing others in our FT family are 100% behind you giving support is fantastic,there really are some wonderful people on here.

So many people on here I would gladly have a beer and a natter with,but perhaps not knowing others ,makes it easier to talk.

No one judges on threads like this.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/b542778d-871f-4716-abfb-0afb91fa7770

Does football have a gambling problem?

The names of bookmakers and online casinos are all over shirt sponsors, stadium names and TV ads. We've looked into football's relationship with gambling

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Ciaran Varley28 August 2018
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The football is back. Exciting hey? Who’s your money on this season? 

For many young fans, having a little flutter is as much a part of the match-day ritual as chomping on a pie at half-time or getting your fantasy team transfers done in time. And with the proliferation of smartphone apps enabling users to bet, you don’t even have to go to the bookies anymore. 

Gambling is very visible in English football. This season, almost 60% of clubs in England’s top two divisions have the names of gambling companies on their shirts – that’s nine of the 20 Premier League clubs, and 17 of the 24 in the Championship.

Watch live football on any platform this season and - aside from the number of betting companies you will see on club shirts, advertising hoardings, and even stadium names - you’ll see a wealth of gambling companies giving out the latest odds during the ad breaks.

There is concern from some that this is exposing young people to inappropriate messages.

There is also research to show professional footballers themselves are a particularly at-risk group, in terms of developing problematic gambling behaviour and this may represent a conflict of interest for football authorities. 

What's the story?

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Are young people being exposed to too many gambling adverts?

During the World Cup this summer, viewers were exposed to almost 90 minutes of betting adverts during the tournament. Bookmakers and online casino companies received one and a half times as much screen time as alcohol firms, and almost four times that of fast food outlets. 

Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson MP, has voiced concerns on exactly this point.

“One of the only downsides to this brilliant World Cup has been the bombardment of gambling advertising on TV and social media that thousands of children will have been exposed to,” he said.  

Since 2011, the Gambling Commission has been gathering information about gambling among children in school years 7 to 11 (broadly aged 11 to 16). According to research gathered in 2017, 12% of 11 to 15 year olds surveyed said they had gambled in the last week. 

Although this actually shows a decline since 2011 (down from 23%), Gambling Watch UK’s Professor Jim Orford has said the number of football clubs with betting sponsors remains “worrying”.

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“There is evidence gambling is becoming ever more normalised, particularly among young people, so, increasingly, betting is seen as part and parcel of following and supporting one’s favourite sport or team," said Professor Orford.

Marc Etches, chief executive of charity Gamble Aware, has raised the same concern. “We have a generation of fans who believe you have to bet on football to enjoy it and that is disturbing and concerning," he said. "The time is now for a much-needed debate about how we do this. Watching football and having a bet is becoming normalised, but we’re not talking about it."

NewcastleJONJO SHELVEY

Watch football on TV in the UK and you'll see plenty of gambling ads.

The commercial broadcasters that show live Premier League, EFL, and European games rely largely on advertising (as well as subscriptions in most cases) for their income. As well as ad breaks that feature commercials promoting gambling around live football, some outlets also feature  segments of live programming bookended by sponsorship messages from gambling companies.

The Advertising Standards Authority explained to us that while they monitor the content of adverts, they don’t monitor the number of them. According to a spokesperson for the Authority: "This is not regulated by us or any other organisation – the Gambling Act 2005 provides for the promotion of gambling as a legitimate leisure activity.”

There are, however, restrictions advertisers must follow, as ads cannot be targeted at under-18s or include irresponsible content. The ASA also explained to us that the gambling industry has a voluntary code which restricts gambling ads to slots around live sporting events before the 9pm watershed.  

No one is breaking any rules here then. Gambling adverts are allowed to be shown, pre-watershed, around live sports, as long as those adverts are not designed to particularly appeal to under-18 audiences. An ASA ruling in 2015 established that whether an ad has "particular appeal" to children depends on the test of whether its content appeals more strongly to under-18s than to over-18s.

That's not to say people under 18 don't watch live sports.

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Are these ads influential enough to get people to put their hand in their pocket and take a punt?

In 2017, charity Gamble Aware conducted research on the relationship between young people (aged 15-24) and gambling in northern England and the Midlands. One key finding was that 35% of respondents who said they had gambled also said an advert had prompted them to do so when they were not otherwise planning to gamble.    

While the exact correlation between people watching gambling adverts and problem gambling is not entirely proven, Tom Watson believes more should be done to investigate the issue.

"With an estimated 25,000 children under 16 addicted to gambling, there is nowhere near enough work being done to study the effects of this advertising,” he has said. 

Do footballers themselves need protecting from gambling?

In a study of almost 350 footballers and cricketers conducted by the Professional Players’ Federation (PPF), results suggested sportspeople were three times more likely than the general public to be problem gamblers. 

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High profile cases of footballers who have struggled with gambling problems include Joey Barton, John Hartson, Keith Gillespie, and Dietmar Hamann. There may be many more who are suffering in silence, perhaps for fear of affecting their careers. And that perhaps hints at why just six per cent of the 170 footballers surveyed by the PPF responded.

One in 10 sportsmen interviewed by the PPF said they gambled to "fit in", one in four said they were encouraged by team-mates to do it, and nearly one in three thought their team's links with the gambling industry "encouraged" them to bet.

Despite the number of sponsorships for football clubs by gambling comapnies, players in England’s top eight tiers are banned from betting on football. Although that doesn't stop some of them.

Scott Davies, an ex-professional footballer who estimates he lost more than £200,000 to gambling over the course of his career, told us about how he used to bet against his own team at half time.

"I’d come into the changing room, take my phone out of my tracksuit bottoms, and, as soon as the the manager had finished his team talk, I’d put it down my shorts and go sit in a cubicle to put bets on the second half," he explained.

Scott now works with EPIC Risk Management, visiting professional clubs and delivering sessions to players on the perils of getting addicted to gambling. 

Joey BartonGETTYIMAGES

In April 2017, Joey Barton, then playing for Burnley, was suspended from football for 18 months, for placing 1,260 bets on matches between 2006 and 2016.

Barton claimed he was addicted to gambling and appealed against the length of the ban. He has since had his suspension reduced, after the FA’s Appeal Board said the initial ban was “excessive in the circumstances”, as evidence from the player’s consultant psychiatrist about his addiction should not have been rejected. Barton is now manager of League One Fleetwood Town.

What’s being done by football authorities?

At the time of his suspension, Joey Barton called on footballing authorities to acknowledge a "conflict of interests". “There is a huge clash between their rules and the culture that surrounds the modern game,” he said at the time. 

The FA has since pulled out of a sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes Coral. Greg Clarke, FA Chairman, instigated a review into the sponsorship agreement. 

In response to questions about the relationship between football in England and the gambling industry, an FA spokesperson told us: "We made a clear decision on the FA's relationship with gambling companies in June 2017 when we ended our partnership with Ladbrokes. The leagues and clubs govern their own relationships with gambling companies." 

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This isn't just an issue affecting English football. In Italy, the country's deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio, has announced a ban on gambling adverts, which will mean clubs are barred from having gambling sponsors. This has attracted criticism from the European Gaming and Betting Association, who argue the move will lead to people turning to unregulated companies, and from Serie A, who are worried this may harm the league’s ability to compete financially. 

The Premier League does not have a central gambling-related partner. It is up to clubs themselves to decide who they enter into sponsorship agreements with. If they do have a gambling sponsor, they are not permitted to include their logo on youth shirts or shirts worn by their youth teams.

In 2017, the EFL announced a record five-year deal to see Sky Bet continue as headline sponsor until 2023-24.

An EFL press release announcing the deal said it was "underpinned by an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), designed to help its customers stay in control and gamble safely". It also included a new campaign focussed on responsible gambling behaviour, with the slogan, “When the fun stops, stop".

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All EFL players now wear sleeve patches on their shirts, with that message.

Sky Bet and the EFL have also introduced a new responsible gambling campaign,designed to educate players and staff from every one of the 72 EFL clubs about gambling-related harm, over the next five years. The programme - delivered by EPIC Risk Management - began at the start of this season.

Sky Bet CEO Richard Flint said: "By funding such a vital service for every club we want to play our part in reducing gambling-related harm among their players and wider staff. I firmly believe that responsible operators can add value to sport through partnerships like this."

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Sponsorship is nothing new. Clubs, leagues, and broadcasters are businesses and need income and revenue streams in order to survive and thrive.

Gambling companies have perhaps filled the space in football left behind by breweries and cigarette manufacturers who used to adorn the shorts of players in the 1980s and 1990s.

Without the income, would clubs be able to attract the sort of players that make so many of us so enthralled by the beautiful game?

Plus, the moves by the FA to distance themselves from the gambling industry, as well as the campaigns around responsible gambling from the likes of the EFL and official betting partners, do suggest that football authorities are now recognising the need to show some action on tackling the problem. 

Will it be enough? We wouldn’t like to give you the odds on that.

 

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I'm not a gambler, but I can see how people can easily get sucked in its everywhere these days. Bookies have seemed to have spouted up everywhere in the last 10 years. Let's be honest none of us like going to work so I don't get why people would throw an hour's hard graft for example down the drain on a bet

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On ‎23‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 10:34, Ric Flair said:

It's a harrowing read and something I've been through. I lost £10,000 in less than 30 minutes a few months ago and finally hit rock bottom. I'm now doing everything humanely possible to abstain from gambling long term, it's not going to be easy but I'm very serious this time. It's no longer something I'm keeping to myself, they call gambling the secret addiction and it is. You can just sit at home or whilst your waiting for your missus in a shop, gambling your head off and causing untold misery to yourself and everyone around you in seconds. A lot of these online bookmakers don't have any limits either, unless you start winning a wedge and they'll soon restrict you.

 

I lost a significant amount of money back in 2013 and remember at the time posting on here about how I needed to stop gambling but truth be told, I didn't want to know. I was just hurting that I'd lost all that money and needed the pain to go away, you'll agree to anything to try and stop the agony. I didn't do anything other than tell myself if I ever gamble again i'll devastate myself, I didn't tell anybody close to me who could help put barriers in place, I didn't tell my now wife how much I'd lost and what I'd been up to. So I ploughed on, on my own and managed to go nearly 2 years through determination not to bet or gamble on anything. But nothing changed in my mindset, I was still only one bet away from falling back in to the heinous habit that I had. After a while, if nothing has changed to your thought process or character, then the pain of what you did previously will subside and the exciting feelings of gambling and the holy grail of a big win will come back and fill your every waking thought. That's where my problem has been since early adulthood, I'm immature about money and life. Any problems or stress and the release of gambling and the potential to win big money would make everything better, when what a load of bollocks that is. A) I had/have no regard for money anyway so why would a load of it suddenly make everything right in the world and B) I am a compulsive gambler and any big win would only lead to bigger problems later down the line. But I'd always daydream about winning big as a way of coping with mundane life, unfulfillment at work and general day to day worries about money etc. I wasn't living in the real world, it was all fantasy as a way of escaping from whatever problems I had under the surface. It was a childish way of dealing with things, in fact that's being unfair to children. It was a moronic and warped way of life and mentality, only now that I'm learning about the triggers and how I've got to this point do I understand what needs to be done to permanently change for the better in my life long pursuit to a gambling free life.

 

I go to GA and have recently started counselling through Gamcare (who are brilliant by the way) and it's still early days but I'm quietly confident i'll beat this. I no longer keep all of this to myself, I've been brutally honest to my wife, my best pals and my family and although they were horrified and it didn't make much sense, they have all been brilliant. I believe in honesty 100%, as a gambler you lie constantly. You lie to yourself, you lie to others, you're a selfish bastard and nothing gets in the way of that roulette wheel or that horse or dog shit conference south team you're waiting on 10+ corners for. I am open and speak about how I'm feeling and this is key for me to change, as soon as I stop being honest and keep all of this to myself, it's easy to slip back in to the world of gambling. I have banned myself from all online betting sites, I have software on all devices that add a further barrier just in case, I've cancelled credit cards, overdrafts and am banned from bookies, casinos, the whole nine yards. My wife has access to all my finances to ensure I'm not being a complete cretin. There's no going back.

 

Truth be told, I still miss the buzz of gambling which is scandalous, given the sickening feeling that I can barely describe from the obscene losses I've had. But it's a twisted addiction and the anarchy and chaos of being thousands of pounds down and staring in to the abyss of financial devastation only to win it all back is a scarily powerful and alluring feeling. I can deal with any brief and fleeting twinge of missing gambling because I've built up a resistence to it's very being. I can never allow that to change, I view gambling as evil and I'm disgusted with the way I was living my life. I've got a son who's 2 and a half and I was risking his future by being a stupid idiot. I am aware it's a disease of sorts but I'm allowing myself no excuses for it, it just fuels my focus on changing the future. I can't change the past, the damage I've done, the money I've lost is gone, there's no point even going over it. It's the absolute pits of a thing to be caught up in.

 

Anyway, if anyone else is suffering from the grips of gambling and haven't yet been able to reach out for help, please do before you cause yourself and your loved ones a lot of pain. Send me a DM if you want any advice on where to go for help, there's some amazing people and organisations out there who care. The government are finally having to accept this epidemic that the gambling industry is causing too. FOBT's in bookies are soon to be, if not already reduced from £100 spins down to £2 spins. Addicts will find their fix from somewhere but at least it's making it harder to do severe financial damage at the click of a button.

 

Life is worth more than this. Don't be a pleb like me :)

Great post mate!

 

Quite painful to read of your difficulties and no doubt incredibly difficult for you to write such an honest personal account but total respect for you in doing so!

I suffered badly from severe depression many years ago but, in hindsight, it taught me the value and benefits of speaking to people open and honestly as I was always a very closed book and speaking with counsellors/friends was my saviour.

 Ultimately, it demonstrated to me the importance of 'opening up' and sharing problems as opposed to keeping everything hidden away. Not everyone will be judgemental and those that are aren't worth knowing anyway. 

Today, I am absolutely fine and in a strange way I look back on my experience of depression in a positive way as the period in my life where I probably learnt more valuable lessons about life, people and myself than at any other time...!

 

Two quotes I often use when speaking with people about my experiences...

 

 "Adversity introduces a man to himself...!"    (Tony Adams)

" Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain"   (Richard Nixon)

 

Keep the faith my friend......the view from the top at the end of the journey is definitely worth the climb!

Edited by Foxy-Lady
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1 hour ago, Foxy-Lady said:

Great post mate!

 

Quite painful to read of your difficulties and no doubt incredibly difficult for you to write such an honest personal account but total respect for you in doing so!

I suffered badly from severe depression many years ago but, in hindsight, it taught me the value and benefits of speaking to people open and honestly as I was always a very closed book and speaking with counsellors/friends was my saviour.

 Ultimately, it demonstrated to me the importance of 'opening up' and sharing problems as opposed to keeping everything hidden away. Not everyone will be judgemental and those that are aren't worth knowing anyway. 

Today, I am absolutely fine and in a strange way I look back on my experience of depression in a positive way as the period in my life where I probably learnt more valuable lessons about life, people and myself than at any other time...!

 

Two quotes I often use when speaking with people about my experiences...

 

 "Adversity introduces a man to himself...!"    (Tony Adams)

" Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain"   (Richard Nixon)

 

Keep the faith my friend......the view from the top at the end of the journey is definitely worth the climb!

Many thanks for this, much appreciated. Glad you're doing well too

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I’ve had a problem with this for several years.  A few months back I used https://www.gamstop.co.uk/ which block you from all uk gambling sites. Still have the itch, which I’m learning to control, but going into the bookies or arcade doesn't do it for me as the wins are low compared to what I was chasing.

 

Good luck to all trying to beat this.

 

 

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To include an additional layer of blocking to the excellent Gamstop (http://gamstop.co.uk/):

 

Try Betfilter (http://www.betfilter.com/product/betfilter-license/)

A piece of decent blocking software for PC which should work on all sites (not just the UK registered ones).

Using the coupon code unibet100 will make all products (including the 2 years subscription option) completely free. :yesyes:

 

Monzo (https://monzo.com) is a new app-based bank account which has the option to block all online and offline gambling-related debit card transactions at source.

 

The more barriers in place, the better :thumbup:

 

Edited by brucey
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On 16/09/2018 at 16:43, brucey said:

To include an additional layer of blocking to the excellent Gamstop (http://gamstop.co.uk/):

 

Try Betfilter (http://www.betfilter.com/product/betfilter-license/)

A piece of decent blocking software for PC which should work on all sites (not just the UK registered ones).

Using the coupon code unibet100 will make all products (including the 2 years subscription option) completely free. :yesyes:

 

Monzo (https://monzo.com) is a new app-based bank account which has the option to block all online and offline gambling-related debit card transactions at source.

 

The more barriers in place, the better :thumbup:

 

Yeah, I guess the best hope is that people put these blocks in place during their more "sensible" moments and therefore help to prevent more risky gambling at their weaker moments.

 

I overheard two kids at my son's school (Year 6 I guess so 10 - 11 years old) discussing how they'd done in the Sky Super 6 at the weekend.... I'm sure it's only a bit of fun for them, and presumably must be endorsed by their parents but you can see how they are hooking people in with this kind of thing. It really should stop.

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I self excluded with Gamstop back in august as I mentioned a few pages back in this thread, All has been okay but this morning I received a letter in the post from an online casino I had an account with offering me free spins / no deposit bonuses etc... I'm pretty sure I self excluded from this site directly, I risked trying to log back in and sure enough I'm blocked due to self exclusion. I haven't received any emails from any bookies since I self excluded so was surprised when this came through my letterbox today. It got ripped up and thrown straight into the recycling bag. I've sent them a strongly worded email so we will see.

 

The casino in question is called Aspers, and the letter referred to their online site, not their real casinos. Didn't notice them listed on the Gamstop website though. I thought self exclusion was supposed to stop all promotional contact from them.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45574180

 

Labour calls for ban on gambling ads during live events
19 minutes ago

Labour is calling for a ban on gambling advertising during live sporting events in a bid to tackle problem gambling.

It also said it would stop people using credit cards to pay for bets and introduce a levy on gambling operators to help pay for treatment.

Deputy leader Tom Watson said problem gambling was "a public health emergency".

But the Conservatives criticised Labour for "liberalising the gambling market when it was in power".

A report commissioned by Labour found there are 430,000 identified gambling addicts in the UK, 25,000 of which are 16 or under.

Mr Watson said his party would introduce a "whistle-to-whistle" ban on gambling adverts being shown during a specified time before, during and after a live sporting event.

He said experts who specialise in dealing with gambling addiction said those types of adverts caused a "particular problem".

Earlier this year, the Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice announced tougher standards on gambling advertising, including banning ads urging sports fans to "bet now" during events.


Mr Watson told the BBC's Today programme: "We're not anti-gambling. We just think we need to tighten up regulations because there has been a digital revolution in these new products since the last piece of legislation.

"Even the industry are saying that TV advertising for in-sport betting is getting out of hand and needs dealing with."

New guidelines
The proposed levy would amount to 1% of operators' gross gambling yield.

At present, there is a voluntary levy which Mr Watson said brought in about £10m a year.

He said a compulsory charge would yield about £140m a year "which would allow us to treat more gambling addicts when they require help with their condition".

"Gambling companies have to take more responsibility for harm caused by their products and contribute more to research and treatment."

Labour also said it would bring in new guidelines and resources to help problem gamblers.

For example, it wants new rules that would enable gambling addicts to tell their bank to block online gambling transactions.

Sky Bet boss Richard Flint welcomed the idea of a levy, but said banning advertising and credit card payments would not work.


"We'll study the advertising proposals carefully but think any type of blanket ban removes a key incentive for operators to get a UK gambling licence and therefore could leave UK customers more vulnerable to disreputable operators," he said.

"And our data on credit cards suggests that it is those customers with multiple cards that are at greater risk of harm so we believe attention should be placed on that rather than a complete ban."

Gambling and sport
Betting companies and gambling advertising have become synonymous with sporting events and sporting organisations in recent years - especially in football.

This season, almost 60% of clubs in England's top two divisions have the names of gambling companies on their shirts - including nine of the 20 Premier League clubs, and 17 of the 24 in the Championship.

Research also suggests that viewers of World Cup matches were exposed to 90 minutes of betting adverts during the tournament in Russia.

There are also studies to show professional footballers themselves are a high-risk group, in terms of developing problematic gambling behaviour.

Labour said it reiterated previous calls for Premier League clubs to volunteer to end sponsorship deals with gambling firms.

But the party added it would take legislative action if clubs refused to do this on a voluntary basis.

Other sports which are "intrinsically linked" to gambling, such as horse racing, would be exempt from the new rules.

'Correcting Labour's mistakes'
Labour's new policies stem from consultations with gambling addiction specialists, charities, industry bodies and those suffering from gambling problems.

Its proposals reflect concern elsewhere about the impact of gambling advertising.

In March, the Australian government banned betting ads from being shown during live sports broadcasts, and the ban was extended to include online streaming services in April.

Rachel Cassidy, professor at Goldsmith's University, estimates gambling advertising increased by 600% from 2007 to 2013.

Chris Skidmore, Conservative Vice Chairman for Policy, said: "Labour liberalised the gambling market when they were in power, and have admitted that they were wrong.

"We are correcting Labour's mistakes - ensuring tighter rules on gambling advertising, increasing protections around online gambling, launching a multi-million pound awareness campaign, commissioning research on the harms of problem gambling, and slashing the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals, which were introduced under Labour."

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Get slightly irked when, just before a live game starts, a 10-second or so betting advertisement involving the game is put on.

 

Yes, a great idea from these companies that created them - but it's quite disrespectful really, especially towards those struggling to fend the addiction off that just want to watch the game.

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  • 3 weeks later...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45652429

 

Gambling: 'A banking app helped me beat my addiction'
By Dan Whitworth and Olivia Beazley
BBC Radio 4 Money Box
9 hours ago
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Image copyrightDANNY CHEETHAM
Image caption
Danny says losing his mum Christine in 2015 was a key moment in him deciding to tackle his addiction
Tens of thousands of people have signed up to a new service from two mobile-only banks designed to help problem gamblers. One former addict says this "gambling block", available on the banks' apps, helped him beat his addiction.

"I'd be setting my alarm to wake up at 4am to do a first bet," says Danny Cheetham, who began placing bets in his early 20s.

"I'd plan my route to work so I could call in to a bookies which opened early for commuters."

Danny, who is now 29, found himself betting in bookies, on slot machines and online. He gambled a lot on football, which he doesn't even like.

He began relying on overtime from work and on payday loans. In the course of eight years, Danny, who's from Stockport, estimates he lost more than £50,000.

He sunk into depression and moved in with his dad as he could not afford to pay rent.

It was the death of his mum Christine in 2015 that he says was the turning point for him - but he was not able to kick his habit until he signed up to a gambling block with his bank, Monzo. The so-called challenger bank is a mobile-only version of a traditional bank.

Once the block is activated by the customer, it can spot any transaction that person might try to make with bookmakers - either online or in a shop - by using merchant category codes. It instantly stops the transaction from happening, before any money has left that customer's account.

If a customer is tempted to place a bet in the heat of the moment, there is a 48-hour cooling-off period before the block is switched off. There is also a daily limit on cash withdrawals.

Gambling addiction: The facts
430,000 problem gamblers in Britain
Two million people "at risk"
Harm can include higher levels of physical and mental illness, debt problems, relationship breakdown and, in some cases, criminality
Source: Gambling Commission

Monzo CEO Tom Blomfield says the block was introduced because customers asked for it.

"We have a team of people who work with vulnerable customers and they were getting this feedback quite often" he says.

More than 25,000 customers have signed up to the bank's block since it went live in June.

"Not all of those were problem gamblers [but] about 8,000 people did have a history of gambling," says Mr Blomfield.

"We've... seen a 70% decline in their gambling transactions so [it's made] a really big impact."

Another challenger bank, Starling, is offering a similar type of block. It's gained 20,000 users since its launch in June.

Image copyrightDANNY CHEETHAM
Image caption
Danny had a promising career as a radio DJ before his addiction took hold and derailed his plans
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling on the big five high street banks - Lloyds, Santander, HSBC, RBS Group and Barclays - to offer the same type of service.

Doctor Henrietta Bowden-Jones told BBC Radio 4's Money Box: "If you are unable to access funds, this type of gambling block can save people's homes and their families."

The banks say protecting vulnerable customers is a priority and they are always looking at new ways to do that.

The Gambling Commission is talking to financial institutions about how to improve protection for problem gamblers.

Image caption
Danny says he lost more than £50,000 but has now beaten his addiction and hopes to be debt-free within a year
Three years on from taking his first steps to beat his gambling addiction, Danny says he is happy.

"And I've actually got money in the bank which I never thought I'd have," he says.

"I'm well on target to being debt-free by my 30th birthday, which is my next one, and I just don't feel depressed or helpless like I used to."

He says he can now think about his future and - although he will have a bad credit file for up to six years - he says this will give him time to save for a deposit for his own place.

"I just don't feel like it's an endless battle any more."

You can hear more on BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme on Saturday at 12:00 BST or listen again here.

If you're worried you might have a problem with gambling or know someone who does you can get help here.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Leicester bookmaker ordered to pay £94k after addict customer spent £34k on controversial gaming machines

Woman had stolen from her employer and put money into fixed odds betting terminals at Mark Jarvis

Bookmaker Mark Jarvis has been ordered to pay £94,000 after failing to stop a gambling addict who stole to feed her £50-a-day habit.

The woman spent £34,000 over just 19 months on gaming machines in one of the firm's betting shops.

Of this, £11,250 had been stolen from her employer.

She was playing on B2 gaming machines - a form of the controversial terminals which have a maximum stake of £100 and payouts of up to £500.

The woman was a regular customer at one of the independent Leicester bookmaker’s branches.

She started visiting more regularly after the death of her husband.

Under the Social Responsibility Code for UK gambling companies, Mark Jarvis had a duty to spot warning signs and step in to stop harmful gambling. Nothing was done.

Fixed odds betting terminals can involve various games such as bingo and roulette, where the odds of winning are always the same.

The machines were first introduced in the UK in 2001.

The Government is now planning to reduce the maximum stake on the machines to just £2 after reports of problem gambling.

Earlier this year, the then secretary of state for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, said Government had chosen to “take a stand”.

“These machines are a social blight and prey on some of the most vulnerable in society, and we are determined to put a stop to it and build a fairer society for all”, he said in May.

After an investigation by the Gambling Commission, Mark Jarvis has been ordered to pay out £94,000 – made up of a £60,000 payment to the National Responsible Gambling Strategy in lieu of a fine and repayments to the widow and her employer.

READ MORE

Fixed betting odds terminal stakes to be cut from £100 to £2

Richard Watson, executive director of the commission, urged other gambling businesses to take note of the ruling.

“This case is a clear example of why gambling operators must have and implement effective social responsibility policies and procedures," he said.

"All operators, regardless of size, need to ensure they really know their customers.”

Frequency of woman's betting increased

Mark Jarvis, which has about 40 branches around Leicestershire and the neighbouring counties, has also been ordered by the commission to overhaul its social responsibility procedures after failing to protect the woman.

In a summary of the case on its website, the commission stated: “The Gambling Commission has found, and Mark Jarvis accept, that it breached social responsibility code provision 3.4.1(1) which relates to customer interaction.

“Over a 19-month period Mark Jarvis failed to follow customer interaction codes when a customer showed problem gambling traits and spent £34,000 through debit cards on B2 gaming machines in one betting shop. Of this £11,250 was stolen.

The controversial machines have been described as the "crack cocaine" of gambling (Image: Daniel Hambury/PA Wire)

“The customer was well known to staff in the betting shop and had been attending regularly with her husband.

“When he died in July 2015, the frequency and duration of her visits to the betting shop increased, and she was spending more money in the shop.

“Between September 2016 and February 2017, the customer used money stolen from her employer to fund her gambling.”

What the code states

The Social Responsibility Code provision which Mark Jarvis breached states that gambling companies need to have policies about when to refuse taking bets from customers.

There must also be staff training to ensure that early signs are spotted.

The code states companies should always be on the look out for people spending a lot of time and money gambling, or those showing “signs of agitation, distress, intimidation and aggression”.

Mark Jarvis’ policies and procedures for customer interaction were found to be deficient.

The commission found that the company lacked clear records or proper systems for such issues to be dealt with.

The summary of the report stated: “Staff were aware of lengthy periods of time spent by the customer in the premises but this did not raise concerns and was not considered a sign of potential problem gambling issues.

“In addition, the customer’s level of spend was sufficiently unusual to warrant further investigation but this did not take place.”

Last year a report by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling used statistics from the Gambling Commission to show how much money people in different areas lost on fixed odd betting machines.

The combined estimate for Leicester was that about £9.7 million was lost per year in 2016.

No one from Mark Jarvis was available for comment.

 

Marc Etches, the chief executive of GambleAware, said:“We all have a responsibility to protect those suffering from gambling-related harms, especially those like Mark Jarvis who profit from gambling.

"GambleAware would like to see all operators put the same level of commitment to customer protection as they do to marketing their products.

"We encourage anyone who is concerned about their gambling to visit BeGambleAware.org, where free help and advice is available.”

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-bookmaker-ordered-pay-94k-2127817

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 20/10/2018 at 11:39, davieG said:

Leicester bookmaker ordered to pay £94k after addict customer spent £34k on controversial gaming machines

Woman had stolen from her employer and put money into fixed odds betting terminals at Mark Jarvis

Bookmaker Mark Jarvis has been ordered to pay £94,000 after failing to stop a gambling addict who stole to feed her £50-a-day habit.

The woman spent £34,000 over just 19 months on gaming machines in one of the firm's betting shops.

Of this, £11,250 had been stolen from her employer.

She was playing on B2 gaming machines - a form of the controversial terminals which have a maximum stake of £100 and payouts of up to £500.

The woman was a regular customer at one of the independent Leicester bookmaker’s branches.

She started visiting more regularly after the death of her husband.

Under the Social Responsibility Code for UK gambling companies, Mark Jarvis had a duty to spot warning signs and step in to stop harmful gambling. Nothing was done.

Fixed odds betting terminals can involve various games such as bingo and roulette, where the odds of winning are always the same.

The machines were first introduced in the UK in 2001.

The Government is now planning to reduce the maximum stake on the machines to just £2 after reports of problem gambling.

Earlier this year, the then secretary of state for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, said Government had chosen to “take a stand”.

“These machines are a social blight and prey on some of the most vulnerable in society, and we are determined to put a stop to it and build a fairer society for all”, he said in May.

After an investigation by the Gambling Commission, Mark Jarvis has been ordered to pay out £94,000 – made up of a £60,000 payment to the National Responsible Gambling Strategy in lieu of a fine and repayments to the widow and her employer.

READ MORE

Fixed betting odds terminal stakes to be cut from £100 to £2

Richard Watson, executive director of the commission, urged other gambling businesses to take note of the ruling.

“This case is a clear example of why gambling operators must have and implement effective social responsibility policies and procedures," he said.

"All operators, regardless of size, need to ensure they really know their customers.”

Frequency of woman's betting increased

Mark Jarvis, which has about 40 branches around Leicestershire and the neighbouring counties, has also been ordered by the commission to overhaul its social responsibility procedures after failing to protect the woman.

In a summary of the case on its website, the commission stated: “The Gambling Commission has found, and Mark Jarvis accept, that it breached social responsibility code provision 3.4.1(1) which relates to customer interaction.

“Over a 19-month period Mark Jarvis failed to follow customer interaction codes when a customer showed problem gambling traits and spent £34,000 through debit cards on B2 gaming machines in one betting shop. Of this £11,250 was stolen.

The controversial machines have been described as the "crack cocaine" of gambling (Image: Daniel Hambury/PA Wire)

“The customer was well known to staff in the betting shop and had been attending regularly with her husband.

“When he died in July 2015, the frequency and duration of her visits to the betting shop increased, and she was spending more money in the shop.

“Between September 2016 and February 2017, the customer used money stolen from her employer to fund her gambling.”

What the code states

The Social Responsibility Code provision which Mark Jarvis breached states that gambling companies need to have policies about when to refuse taking bets from customers.

There must also be staff training to ensure that early signs are spotted.

The code states companies should always be on the look out for people spending a lot of time and money gambling, or those showing “signs of agitation, distress, intimidation and aggression”.

Mark Jarvis’ policies and procedures for customer interaction were found to be deficient.

The commission found that the company lacked clear records or proper systems for such issues to be dealt with.

The summary of the report stated: “Staff were aware of lengthy periods of time spent by the customer in the premises but this did not raise concerns and was not considered a sign of potential problem gambling issues.

“In addition, the customer’s level of spend was sufficiently unusual to warrant further investigation but this did not take place.”

Last year a report by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling used statistics from the Gambling Commission to show how much money people in different areas lost on fixed odd betting machines.

The combined estimate for Leicester was that about £9.7 million was lost per year in 2016.

No one from Mark Jarvis was available for comment.

 

Marc Etches, the chief executive of GambleAware, said:“We all have a responsibility to protect those suffering from gambling-related harms, especially those like Mark Jarvis who profit from gambling.

"GambleAware would like to see all operators put the same level of commitment to customer protection as they do to marketing their products.

"We encourage anyone who is concerned about their gambling to visit BeGambleAware.org, where free help and advice is available.”

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-bookmaker-ordered-pay-94k-2127817

Bloody hell, I wonder if I can sue Paddy Power haha

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The thing that really annoys me is these markets for amount of corners and yellow cards etc. Absolutely no one would bet on these unless they were an addict, they are not an exciting part of the game.

 

They encourage betting for the sake of it rather than because you actually believe you will profit from it.

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Sports minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from £100 to £2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us forever."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46057548

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19 hours ago, davieG said:

Sports minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds betting machines.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from £100 to £2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of problem gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stay with us forever."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46057548

I’m hearing good things about Tracey Crouch..

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Cheers Betfred for crediting my account with a £10 free bet, plus sending me a nice letter in the post as I haven't logged in for a while. Shame I can't use it as I self excluded with you and signed up to Gamcare!!! Similar story to what i posted elsewhere in this thread. FFS.

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