...to ask if it's worth trying to get my losses back?

[DisgustedWithMyself]

Hi all,

I have NC as even though I'm not a very regular poster I am, as my username states, so disgusted with my own stupidity I don't want this linked back to any other past posts I've made.

I have gambled online periodically for several years and although I have lost money before, a few thousand to be precise, I didn't think it was a problem for me in recent times as I've done it far less and betting smaller amounts on markets with more 'tangible' outcomes. However, in the past few weeks because of the lack of sports markets I've turned to live roulette trying to make a profit. I had a 'method' (yes, what a gambler would call it probably but clearly not very methodical as you will find out in a minute) and it was working but tonight this went awry and I've just blown half my savings, around 2k.

I hadn't seen myself as a problem gambler, at least not in recent years and I feel terrible and my head is throbbing now. I started chasing my losses and couldn't stop. I left my job 6 months ago because it was so awful and affecting my mental health detrimentally and I can't afford to lose what I just lost especially as it will be even harder to get a new job with the current climate.

I realise I've been ridiculously stupid but do you think there's any chance the betting company will give me some of my losses back?

I agree that these companies should not be allowed to be able to do this, however, all you can do is protect yourself. You can't win at gambling. The house always wins. They understand probability.

I'm sad for you that you have lost all this money at this time, but you absolutely have no recourse against the companies you lost it to.
You chose to gamble, you knew the risks, you now take the responsibility.

Yes of course it sucks, and yes it sounds like you have an addiction - but that is ALSO your responsibility to deal with.

What’s the basis of your claim that they should give you your money back? On the surface I can’t see why, unless there’s something pertinent you haven’t told us

Sadly OP I think it's very unlikely your problem with gambling is over if you're still looking to point the blame/responsibility at the company who took your money, rather than yourself for gambling it. The first step to recovery is acceptance, you should work on that.

A very harsh lesson, get some proper help and remember this when you’re tempted again.

No chance of a refund. If they did it for you wouldn't the expectation be that they then did it for others? Not a chance.

OP I'm sure you feel awful. Sick, panicking, helpless, trying desperately to think of something you can do. It's a horrible feeling. But you know what? That feeling, that's caused by gambling. More gambling is only going to increase it and make it last longer. More gambling isn't going to make it go away.

And the money you lost? You lost it because that's how gambling works. You losing money is what gambling is set up for. It isn't set up to give you money, any of it. That £2k going is gambling working very well, gambling working at peak efficiency. It doesn't stop, no matter how much money you pour into it.

The only thing you can do is stop pouring. The £2k is gone but the rest doesn't have to follow. Block yourself, register yourself and look for support.

Sorry I’m confused - why do you think you might get your money back?! Because you didn’t win?

Hello there,

I am a compulsive gambler, so you have my full support. I became addicted to online slots a number of years ago, and lost a substantial amount of money. Your not going to get the money back from the company, and your not going to win the money back, in order to start recovering you need to write that money off - it’s gone, draw a line under it.
The next thing you need to be is honest with yourself, it took me years to recognise I was an addict - in that time I got into debt, but worse than that I was hiding behaviour from the people I love, I was stressed, and moody, and always anxious. It was once I realised I was an addict that I was able to do something about it.
I registered with Gamstop, so am now excluded from all online sites, I joined the Gamcare forums for support and advice, I faced up up my debt and worked out a payment plan.
It’s now 2 years (or so) since I last gambled (online slots was my vice) and Stopping was the best thing I ever did. Gambling got me to a position where I was seriously contemplating taking my own life, it’s just awful. The companies take no responsibility at all, there are lots of trick they use, in order to get more money out of you - and even if you win, they make it so difficult to get your money out, you end up spending it all.
Stop now, before you end up in debt.

Op..you never come out on top and will lose more money. So no dont think about it.

If you'd won £2000 would you be sitting there thinking "I'm disgusted with myself that I gambled so much, I'd better give my winnings back"?

Probably not.

You're right it is ridiculous someone can lose so much so quickly, but that is true in many areas of life. A moment's carelessness at the wheel of a car, your life and those of others changed forever. Otherwise decent people make mistakes which cost them their livelihood. It's life.

The best advice is to a) realise you are incredibly fortunate to still have 2K in savings - many people can only dream of that amount, and b) focus on how shit and pathetic you feel right now. Remember this feeling, how terrible it is. Form a permanent memory of it so that you can recall it next time you are tempted to gamble.

A lot of people have been in the same boat as you are in now. Myself, I pissed away a ridiculous sum on online blackjack through some ingenious system I came up with. Funnily enough, after building up my stake over a week - 12 times my initial bankroll - I blew the lot plus more for good measure in the space of five minutes.

The only answer is to stop.

The comparison with designer clothes doesn’t work. It’s more like an alcoholic drinking the booze and asking for a refund.

YABU. No, you won’t get your money back. Not a chance.

You need to take accountability and responsibility; this isn’t their fault and it isn’t their problem. It’s yours. Don’t push the blame onto them because by doing so you will never cease to be an addict.

Wow talk about not taking responsibilty for your own actions....its like a heavy smoker complaining that they got lung cancer.....

Of course they won’t give you the money back, would you have gave the money back if you had won?

You’re an addict, you need to take responsibility, block the sites and access a support group. Good luck.

Hi n

You should be able to ask your bank to block payments to certain websites, like gambling ones, to protect yourself in the future.

Would you hand back the winnings ?

@DisgustedWithMyself But not an ounce of personal responsibility? Its the bookie's fault that you gambled what you couldn't afford to lose? How is it their fault YOU gambled and lost?Did they tie you to internet at gun point or something?

@DisgustedWithMyself....How would the companies know what your able to comfortably lose?

Would you hand back the winnings?

This

If they were (which they won’t) to return your bets you’d probably blow it again. You need to accept that you have a problem.

You are right, the sites are repugnant but given that you had self excluded from other sites, you knew this already before using them.

Wanting a refund is you clutching at straws to mitigate your poor decisions.

I don't think OP got the answers that they wanted so I doubt they will return to this thread.

@GreatStepDad you maybe should have privacy messaged OP rather than posted your number on a public forum

*private messaged