Husband took his own life after gambling

[LukesLaw]

I tried posting this on a gambling thread but I cannot see the post and I have posted it on a bereavement thread. I just need everyone's help but I am sure you will undertand why when you read it. Sorry for the long post.
Gambling: My husband took his own life 3 months ago. We had an amazing life and we loved each other so much. We were always together unless we were at work and we have 2 lovely children together. We were childhood sweethearts and I honestly did not see this coming. I am devastated beyond words and feel completely lost without him. I love him so much.
After he had taken his life, the police gave me his phone back and when I went through it I discovered that he had been gambling (a lot) and had got loans to pay for his addiction. He had only been gambling a few months- since he was furloughed- but it got hold of him enough for him to completely lose control and unfortunately do what is the worst mistake he ever made. He didn't want to die, he was a proper grafter and a family man. He loved life. We could have sorted it together but he must have felt like it was his problem and he was taking it with him. Of course, this is not true.
After looking into his betting account, I found that he placed a free bet and then won some money, which he put back in and won some more. He then carried on but the losses soon outweighed the wins. When he lost and ran out of money on his account, another free bet dropped into his account and the cycle repeated. I am obviously angry as hell.
I have started a campaign to ban so called 'Free Bets' (THEY ARE NOT FREE, they are designed to keep you putting money back into the system) and I am hoping I can help prevent the same thing happening again to other men, women, young adults. If any of you can help me by signing,
I would really appreciate it. This is the one thing that is keeping me going at the minute because I don't know what else to do. If you google Luke's Law, my twitter and facebook stories come up as well as the petition.
I will post it here but I am not sure if its allowed so it may get deleted.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587806

@LukesLaw

Thank you everyone, you are all amazing! Do any of you know where else i could post it? Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙏

Is the # on Facebook

Bump

Are you on Reddit, OP? I’m not on it so not sure how it works over there.

@SwanShaped

Are you on Reddit, OP? I’m not on it so not sure how it works over there.

Yes, joined but I seem to not be able to post because if the link to the petition. Its a bit confusing. Its like my thread on the bereavement post, it was so supportive but got moved.

OP, MNHQ unfortunately have a blanket policy that petition links must be on the petitions board. However, what you can do if it would help is to start another thread on the Bereavement board and you can mention there that you have a thread on the petitions board and link to that. I think linking to this thread would be ok but a link to the board itself definitely is. (It's just the link below)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard

Yeah maybe you could start another thread in bereavement. And advise people that they can search for your petition. Maybe that would be ok? I don’t know the ins and outs of the rules tho.

Don’t know about Reddit, I’m afraid.

I will try that! Thank you.

Im sorry you and your family going through this. 💐
I signed your petition

@time4anothername

so sad to read of your loss OP. I remember seeing the publicity around this report but I suppose the pandemic has slowed reaction committees.parliament.uk/committee/406/gambling-industry-committee/news/115443/time-to-act-to-reduce-gamblingrelated-harm-says-lords-report/

and I saw this not so long ago www.channel4.com/programmes/footballs-gambling-addiction

You are not alone.

There is a review happening now but it takes so long. Also, quite a few MPs quite like gambling and recieved hospitality tickets for a lot of Euro games and Wimbledon matches. Luckily, there are a few that want safer measures too. Fingers crossed they will listen to these horrible stories and take note.

[quote LukesLaw]@Charley50 yes, it quite predatory and I was in shock at the lengths they would go to and what they are actually capable of. Thank you for signing 💙[/quote]
I'll share it on my WhatsApp too. I find the whole industry shocking and can't believe it's methods are allowed. You're doing an amazing thing, thinking of others while grieving yourself.

Thank you, that would be great! 💙

Signed. If free bets didn't suck people in, they wouldn't offer them.

Very true. Prevention is always better than cure.

Bumping

Bump

Bumping

Signed

BUMP

Bump

So sorry for your loss

Signed

Signed, I'm so so sorry for your loss

Bump

Bump

Bump.

Bump