Just won 300k online gambling- AMA!

[1inamillionodds]

(name change as no one knows I gamble irl)

I have been playing online gambling for last 2 years. Usual win is 2k but rarely and usually I’d lose it all again anyway.

have managed to win 300000 euros (it’s a non uk website as I’d previously signed up to Gamstop)… anyway they have slow withdrawal limits which mean
2k/day - max 15k a month

I am so scared I will play through it all again
but this is a life changing amount of money and I hope I can wait it out to withdraw albeit very slowly

If sites are registered in Gibraltar or Malta they can advertise in the UK - there are a few that you would recognize from the ads that are on all the time.

OP, Bet Blocker can sometimes help with overseas sites.

I imagine via a VPn that change your location, a lot of online YouTube streamers use them as UK sites do t let you do auto spins or bonus buys. Plus the OP did say they were on Gambqn and unfortunately the VPNs let you bypass those too.

Look OP, whilst it's lovely that you've won this life changing amount, for the love of god use this as a lightbulb moment to stop. Draw a line under it.

I say this as someone who, whilst my win was no here as big as yours, was a very decent win and whilst I did get to treat myself quite a bit went straight back. And it's very very easy to fall into the thinking of you'll get another big win. I will be real with you, you most likely won't.

You know you have a gambling addiction, and you know that circumventing gamban with using sites abroad is you finding away around that, which to me tells me you're only going to continue down this path.

Please please please, take your money, and fucking run. You will most likely never ever be in this position again. And if you put this all back into the bookies you're just going to be left with regret.

Can you put it in an account that you can’t touch for a year or something?

I used to test gambling software for several gambling companies. Didn't think you could access the site of a another country that you are not located in? Usually it is blocked.

Wow, amazing for you but I very strongly think you need to find someone you trust, give them all the passwords and get them to lock you out of the account. And tell them not to give you access until you've dealt with your addiction.

I hope you have someone, friend or family.

Imagine your life in 5-10 years if you take hay action, and imagine your life if you don't.

10k a year on gambling, while a single parent, renting with a toddler. Jesus wept. My bet is the cash will be gone in a few years.

As for 'my sole fucus is on him', if it was you wouldn't be spending £20k in 2 years on that shit. Imagine what you could have done with that money... Private education, foreign holidays to broaden his horizons, university fund. But you've spaffed it on online bingo.

Don’t be so spiteful. Gambling is an addiction

Phone the NGSN helpline or better yet call BKM and ask to speak to Lisa Walker who works there. Her story involved a big win and then more losses. Wishing you well - you are not alone, it’s way more common than people realise and you definitely can recover and stay gamble free. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60152759.amp

There are loads with a Malta or Curacao license that uk players can sign up to.. they bypass the blocks for gambling sites and cards.

thank you to everyone for the reality check- I do appreciate the concern and feel it too. I am admitting it’s an addiction and I have a problem - it’s very easy when you are on a streak to think you will always be on the up.

will make some calls tomorrow and start getting the support. I can’t completely block the sites as I have to withdraw the money over time so this is all just going to be based on the strength of my will.

I am going to use this thread as some accountability also so hopefully will be a good thing for me

I don’t know how to use a vpn so these are legit sites - just make it more difficult to withdraw but I haven’t played via a bonus or done anything wrong so I’m sure even if they delay or ask for proof of payment or cards etc, Ihavent done anything wrong to not get the money. Just need to get it out slowly!

Thanks for this thread. I'm using slots as a distraction for shitty life circumstances right now and it's ridiculous and I know that!

Thanks to PP who suggested blocking the transactions via card too as an extra step.

Although there is a lot of judgment on here there's also some real compassion and understanding.

So if nothing else the words of advice have struck home and at the right time too.

I need a new focus!!!!

P. A it took a lot for me to hit post then. But I'm glad I've opened myself up! Albeit anonymously

My son has a junior isa, I have a sipp and isas with an bell as well as my work pension/

I’m not stealing from my son or family to feed my addiction. People spend a lot more on nights out or alcohol. I have stopped smoking, drinking, a lot of my hobbies… it’s interesting because I’m probably the opposite in real life of what people would imagine a gambler to be. I do well for myself financially and have no need to gamble for money- it really is just because life was shot and it was an outlet. I know it’s bad/ I know you should never start.

I also hope there are success stories of people who have stopped and don’t go back. I think it’s a lifelong commitment and one you have to decide every day to not get drawn back in. Unless you experience it, it’s very difficult to explain an addiction. But I’m willing to try and break it and I can only try again and hope for the best.

@VodaSVag

it is hard and the short term high won’t make up for or change the events happening in real life. Best thing to do is find real joys in small every day things (I’ve just bought the new Robert Galbraith book for example) but I wanted to wish you luck and hope things get better.

sign up to gamstop
block the cards
dont sign up to non uk licensed online casinos!

good luck to us both

Good luck to you OP, I hope you manage to stop and enjoy this money.

Think how proud you’re going to be to have bought your home and how peed off with yourself if you gamble it all and lose it (which you will!) stop now and change your life and that of your child. Go to GA too now for support

Anyone who’s struggling with a gambling addiction, have you watched Industry (iplayer)? There’s a character in series 3 with a gambling problem and the episodes about him genuinely terrified me. The lies, the debt, the seediness. It’s truly horrible.

Get a different (moderately) expensive hobby that you can do at home. A nice home gym. Knitting with only the finest merino wool. Jewellery making. Pottery. An aquarium with fish. Musical instruments. Lego. Warhammer/D&D miniatures. Gardening.

Good luck getting your withdrawal from an unregulated "no gamstop" operator.

Who are you going to complain to when they don't pay you as it's probably under Mickey Mouse regulation in somewhere like Curaçao.

I'm guessing they have some crazy restrictions like you can only WD EUR 1000 a day, hoping that you will just put it all back.

You will also experience some AML related questions / pushback from your bank.

I'm honestly glad you've had a win but the fact that you were playing offshore to circumvent Gamstop screams that you have a serious problem here.

Well done @1inamillionodds for admitting your addiction. It really is the first step to making changes. You have to honestly believe and understand that this addiction will grip you. You have to go cold turkey, there is no other way. There is support out there so use it.

It might help to have something absorbing to take your mind off it in the evenings or whatever time it is that you would usually be tempted. If you like gaming, the Sims is an easy to play but very absorbing non violent game which can while away a few hours.

And well done to you too @VodaSVag you took the first step today just by posting.

That’s not true. To advertise in the UK you need a UKGC operating licence.

I work at a very senior level within the regulated gambling sector.

I will be astounded if you get paid all the money. They already have withdrawal
limitations in place that would be deemed illegal practice in the regulated market.

As soon as they see you’re not playing with the winnings they’ll start being awkward and refusing payment. To think they’ll pay you 300k is for the fairies.

If and when they seize your funds I’m afraid you’ll have no legal or regulatory protections to prevent it. If you get 2 months withdrawals out on time you’ll have done well.

Give the logins to someone else and ask them to change the password, then block them for yourself.
Using a thread for accountability is for harmless little issues like eating too much chocolate. It won’t help you hold on to a life-changing amount of money. You need therapy for that.

Pay heed to what Tuscan12 says OP. I see it’s not like winning the lottery where you get the money outright. They drip feed it so you have to keep engaging with the sites. How clever. Truly the house always wins. If you can be strong, give them a big fuck you sign by opening an investment ISA on a site such as Vanguard and drip feed the money into that. There’s a real risk you’ll be tempted to re- gamble the money. Also that they will simply stop paying up. Be very wary.

Gosh, that's enlightening. I gamble occasionally (maybe £5 or £10 every few months on scratchcards) and that isn't my experience, but perhaps that explains why I'm not an addict.