Gambling Destroyed Me
- Gambling Destroys Marriage
- Gambling Destroyed Meaning
- Gambling Has Destroyed Me
- Gambling Destroyed My Life
Aaron had killed himself after losing £750 in one night, tortured by a secret compulsion for online gambling that destroyed his life. 'I still can't believe it,' says Kevin, 49. Gambling destroyed my life. My gambling took away nearly everything from me- my home, my marriage, my career, my reputation, and my freedom. But it took much more away from my family – for they are the true victims of this insidious disease. I have been fortunate since I was released from prison.
Of all the things I’ve done in my life, this might be the scariest.That’s saying something coming from someone who has documented the worst days, months and years of my life for all to listen to at any moment they choose.
The fear comes from my awareness of the firestorm and attention this post could receive. It’s very possible—and quite likely—that it will alienate many people. I hope they will hear me out, but I also understand if they simply cannot.
I Support Legalizing All Forms of Gambling*
Yes, despite gambling destroying my life, creating a mountain of debt I’m still paying off, and bringing me to such a dark place that suicide was one of the doors I saw as a path out, I think we should legalize all forms of gambling in all ways (in-person & online)*.
Please note the GIANT asterisk at the end of the statement. I’ll come back to that at the end, but here are four primary reasons for my change of heart.
NOTE: There are many others, but I’ll keep this short.
Reason #1: Prohibition Doesn’t Work
I do not believe prohibition works. The more we try to restrict something, the more people crave it and go to great lengths to obtain it.
Reason #2: It’s Already Happened
The toothpaste truly is already out of the tube. I haven’t looked, but I trust the people I know who follow gambling and those I meet that are trying to quit when they tell me that it’s so easy to gamble online already. Playing poker online wasn’t legal when I was doing it in the early and mid-2000s, but that didn’t stop me.
There’s no turning “off” gambling. It’s been with us since day one and will be here for as long as we live.
Reason #3: Consumer Protection
As outlined above, people are already gambling but the sites they are using are unregulated and lack the consumer protection of a regulated operator. Say what you want about Responsible Gambling campaigns (they need a ton of work), but at least there is some consumer protection.
And consumer protection isn’t simply about making sure a bet gets paid out. Properly designed legislation and regulation can increase our ability to identify and intervene with gamblers showing signs of a problem.
Reason #4: Funding
Of all the reasons, this is the one that has swayed me the most. Too often, the answer to questions around problem gambling and gambling harm is “we don’t know”.
I believe our lack of understanding is a direct result of a lack of funding for research. We lack the funds to be curious about the addiction and therefore we are forced to make extremely important decisions with incomplete knowledge of how gambling impacts society.
If legalizing gambling does nothing else, I would hope that it allows us to finally conduct studies and track impact so we can make better decisions in the future.
But that alone is not enough for me to support legalizing gambling.
*The Asterisk
I support legalizing all forms of gambling so long as we do so in a way that fully and completely addresses building the infrastructure for addressing problem gambling and gambling harm.
Let’s be real. There is going to be a massive windfall of cash. It’s a HUGE pie.
But with that huge revenue stream comes an equally huge responsibility to do things the right way and that means funding research, tracking studies, awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, and treatment facilities.
By no means is this a complete list, but it should be the minimum requirement for any state and is the minimum requirement for my support.
Legalization must raise the bar when it comes to addressing problem gambling and gambling harm and the items listed above can go a long way if properly implemented from the start.
And if by chance we look back in 10 years and find that we have OVER-FUNDED problem gambling, those funds can easily be directed to other initiatives.
But let’s be safe, not sorry.
Conclusion
In my heart, I know that making gambling more accessible will make it even easier for the Jamie of tomorrow to fall into the same harm I did.
However, we have so much that needs to be done and I see no other way to fund the progress desperately needed other than by legalizing gambling and using a portion of the proceeds.
We aren’t protecting everyone today and we won’t protect everyone in the future. But by building up conducting research, increasing public awareness, and deploying a much improved “safety net”, it’s my hope that we can reduce the rates of problem gambling and gambling harm.
That’s always been my goal and I will explore every option with endless curiosity.
Whether you agree with me or not, I hope you will join me in the pursuit.
Jamie
Gambling Destroys Marriage
FOUNDER OF AFTER GAMBLING & HOST OF THE AFTER GAMBLING PODCAST
Last Bet: July 15, 2010
My story starts Two years back when we all friends went out for a dinner party...there I saw one of my friend making bets for a cricket match..within 30 mins or so he won 15000 bucks...I got really excited by this and asked him how to make bets & all other stuffs. he gave me his bookies number.. I taught it was fun & wat harm it would do even if I loose few thousands...in the first few matches i made small bets which i lost...then i thaught its better to cover all the money at once by making a bigger bet...but i lost that too...slowly the hole started getting bigger. I always use to tell myself let me cover my all money & will surely stop this betting sh**..but it didn't happnd i started loosing huge sums..I may be hav won few times... all my savings were gone..i started borrowing money from my friends...relatives even from money lenders on huge interest rates...and i lost all the money...there came a time when there was hardly anyone left in my contact list from whom would I have not asked for money...rite now i owe a lot of money to lot of ppl..my family doesn't knows anything about it..I just pretend that everything is alrite...everyday...every moment i think how i am going to pay them back...wat if my family comes to know about my debts & betting addiction...that feeling really shatters my heart...now there's not a single person in society who will lend me a penny...I face insults...humiliation every single day...even my friends keep insulting me...I'm their hottest topic...I hav begged them so that they don't tell it to my family...when I'm alone I cry for hours...blaming the GOD for all that is happening...but its the choices I hav made hav ruined my life...and only I'm responsible for that. Two years back I had the best life anyone could hav imagined...ppl use to admire me...but now I don't hav any friend left...I hardly go out of the house...I'm sick of lying to my parents of why im not going out...The biggest fear for me is my family. I don't want them to know anything but I know my jar is filled and hardly in few days they will know everything... to keep everything secret I need to pay my debtrs..and for that i need to bet once again but I don't have any money & no one will give me a single penny..as a last throw of a dice i took my moms jewlery & mortgaged it...thought after winning will get it back...but today also I lost...i don't know wat to do..the only option left for me is to kill myself...I guess its better then to keep dieing every single day of your life...I don't know wat will happen when they will come to know about this..at least I will not be here to face them...
Gambling Destroyed Meaning
The only thing I wanted in my life is to die in respect...and not cowardly taking out your own life...but for me its my only option..
I just wished if god would have killed me two years back before I was going with my friends for dinner...I would hav not gone through all this suffering...through this post I just want people who are addicted to gambling to know that how drastically it can change your life..& your loved ones life..
Gambling Has Destroyed Me
I don't know wat image will be left of me after my death...I just want to say I'm not a bad guy..its just time & situation made me this..
Gambling Destroyed My Life
while writing this post I was crying the whole time ..nobody's there in the house..I just want a shoulder to cry...I don't have anybody to talk to...good night friends ...hope god will give me strength for one last time..