Gambling addiction: The dark truth

Gambling addiction: The dark truth

Written byMARK MCKAY

Minister of Education at Burton Addiction CentreParlimentary Candidate for Labour - Ruth Smeeth, Noreen Oliver - BAC, Vernon Coaker, Kendra Gray, Sirley Wares

“When I ask for help, I’m always asked what my problem is, is it alcohol or drugs?” says Gary Jenkins.

“But it’s neither, it’s a gambling addiction.”

Gary, a 42-year-old, from Stapenhill, says he has approached the Burton Addiction Centre, and, as a last resort, his doctor, in the hope of riding himself of the disease known as addiction.

Gary, who is unemployed and estranged from his wife and four children, said he has gambled for ten years but decided to seek help after deciding ‘enough was enough’.

He said: “Nobody is left – they all left me and that’s down to my habit. Obviously it’s a lonely life.

“I want to get help but gambling is an addiction which Burton doesn’t cater for.

“It’s like it’s something people just don’t deal with and it’s a surprise when you tell them.

“But I know I’m not the only one who has to deal with it.”

He’s right. Latest figures show the number of people in danger of becoming ‘problem gamblers’ stands at one million, while the number of ‘hardcore addicts’ has doubled to 500,000 in six years.

There has been an exponential growth in the online gambling industry in recent years.

Factor in seemingly non-stop adverts offering customers to ‘bet in-play’ and offering the ‘latest live odds’, the number of people who risk falling into addiction’s seductive but destructive grip will only rise.

Kendra Gray, strategic director at Burton Addiction Centre, in Station Street, said backed this claim.

She said: “You are constantly seeing on television in between adverts pushing you to place a bid which makes it seem more acceptable.

“I’m sure there are people who can do it sensibly but for other it can become extremely destructive.”

Figured from the British gambling prevalence survey say 0.9 per cent of the population have a gambling problem. Class A drug takers make up three per cent and alcoholics are higher still.
Kendra added: “Looking at the figures I would say there is a need for more support but I don’t know what the local statistics are so I can’t say what form that support should be in.

“But what we do know is that addictions can completely ruin people’s lives and the lives of people around them.

“Behaviour can sneak in where they don’t want people to know they have a gambling problem. They believe they will win the money back and that will be the last time they do it.”

Gary says his life is ravaged by an addiction, and has spent up to £10,000 a month and more than £100,000 since his first flutter.

His habit has left him dependent on payday loans which he has been unable to pay off, leaving him £15,000 in debt.

“I think it’s very important that people are made aware of it and what it is like,” he says.

“People think gambling isn’t a problem because it doesn’t affect your health in the same way drugs and alcohol does,” Gary says.

“But it can break you – you don’t have money to pay for your mortgage at the end of the month the bank will come and re-posses your house or the bailiffs will come knocking on your door.”
Gary’s personal cruxes are the blackjack and roulette tables in casinos. In one visit, he lost £15,000 in 15 hands.

“There’s the thrill of winning £50,000 but you then lose it all on the same night,” he says.

“It’s a thrill, it’s exciting, and with the adrenaline pumping through you means you can never walk away from the table.

“When you get the fix of your first win you are constantly chasing it – that’s when the addiction sets in.

“You are constantly chasing that first big win – you are thinking and hoping that today will be your day.

“Sometimes you will get the win and think you’re up and making a profit until you realise about how much you’ve lost in the past.”

“You can walk into a casino with only £10 but you can make £4,000 from that. But when you try to walk away something pulls you back in and you end up giving it all back.

“The casinos are very shrewd – they know you are addicted to the place, that you will come back and give the money all back.

“There’s a saying, ‘the house always wins’.”

Again, the man is right. Latest figures from Fairer Gambling, which campaigns for tighter gambling regulations, show that £5 billion was gambled just on gambling machines in northern English cities and London boroughs with high unemployment last year. This was four times the amount spent in rural areas in southern England with low unemployment figures.

“I would like that network of support to be there and there should be more regulation because at the moment you can walk into a bookies without any identification.

“You can’t stop gambling but casinos know how you operate – there should be set limits to what you can spend so you don’t spend money you don’t have.

“But they are there to make money at the end of the day.”

The Gordon Moody Association accepts individuals who refer themselves, or who are referred by their friends, family, probation, social, or health workers, or anyone as long as the person being referred agrees.

Prior to admission the association will ask applicants to complete a questionnaire to assess the individual’s needs and the level of their gambling problem.

There is no charge to those in treatment for our services provided the individual is eligible for State Benefits.

To get help call 01384 241292 or email help@gordonmoody.org.uk

Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who have joined to together to do something about their own gambling problem.

It aims to help other compulsive gamblers do the same.

It hopes to help other gamblers kick the habit by attending meetings, seeking help, support and advice from other compulsive gamblers.

For more information go to http://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk

GamCare provides online, counselling or phone support, as well as information, and advice to anyone suffering through a gambling problem.

It offers a helpline to speak to a trained advisor for emotional support, information, and advice from 8am until midnight, seven days a week.

To get help call 0808 8020133 or go to http://www.gamcare.org.uk/ to talk an an advisor online.

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Gambling-addiction-The-dark-truth-20130326134310.htm