Gambling - trying to quit

I will set a goal to quit. I know I'm heavily addicted, maybe it will help me if I write about it and maybe get some feedback. I know it's a difficult step, but I have to take the risk, I've bet too much and I don't want to think about what I've lost. Now the point has come where I really feel like I'm putting my family at risk and I don't want that at all!

I hope I'm allowed to report about my experiences here - I'll write in 1-2 times a week.

But it has to stop! I would like to thank everyone for the support and so on. Wish everyone else that they have better luck or the strength to quit!

You are not alone in this dark hole. Sometimes sharing your story could really help and not just yourself.

Have you read about Charlie? Not an easy story to say...

If you feel like sharing your story, you can always get in touch:

initiative@casino.guru 

We know how tricky gambling is and what it feels like when you're on the way to the bottom, that is why we try to implement a global self-exclusion tool. It's a bold and very complex idea but certainly very needed as well.

I'm sure there are lots of players who would understand you.

Stay strong!

Let me ask you one thing, because that could be the point where the issue lies in.

Why do you gamble? Are you poor and you try to become rich this way? Do you like the feeling when you win? Do you like the games - how they look, how they sound, the design, the features?

You surely know you can't win back what you already lost, then the question is - what makes you to continue playing when you apparently know it's not good for you?

Hey Paclmaya,

You took a brave first step to realize you have a problem and share it with the community. As my colleagues outlined, there are several ways to go around unhealthy gambling habits. I want to share with you some local sources where you can find more information on what you can do next or talk with a professional:

Here you will find the list of help organizations in Austria and get online counseling:

https://www.spiele-mit-verantwortung.at/en/help-advice/counseling-centers/

This organization has a broader reach and also engages in group sessions

https://www.spielsuchthilfe.at/spielsuchthilfe.html

I have more sources in case you are interested, just let me know.

Hold tight,

Simon

So at the very beginning it was fascinating. Don't get me wrong, I've never played big stakes. So from time to time I staked 100 euros, stakes were 20 cents - just to play for a long time. Just for fun - if I was lucky, I had a + and if not, it wasn't tragic.

I have been gambling for about 11 years. , everything was actually always okay, or maybe I'm just telling myself it - only in the last 2.5 years, I've definitely exaggerated. It came covid-19-then quarantine was imposed, again a lot of time to play. Then it became more and more direction-playing to win back the losses. And since covid 19 came along, nothing worked in the casinos anymore.. Always just annoyed, cursed-terrible.

Recently I said to myself - out of the question, I want, I can't and mustn't anymore - I can't go on like this, otherwise I'll destroy livelihoods at some point, and that's not possible.

My first days without online casinos.

I'm on night duty at work. unfortunately too much time - my first thought - buy a Paysafecard. Bad. That was about 2-3 hours so buy yourself a paysafecard, come 25, is not much. Crazy what goes through your head. But then I realized I had to do more. So the next step was to block my Paysafe account. With an explicit emphasis, no matter what I write again, not to release it anymore.

And it was good - the next day, night shift again, and the first thing I did was write paysafecard.com, please activate my account. It's so extreme.

Went to the casino again today, what did I do, just tested games, without paying-that is, only with play money. Just try these game features where you can buy free spins. Brought me down a bit again.

My next step will be sometime in the next few days - to exchange the email address, it's amazing what emails I get from casinos, about bonuses and so on.

So those were my first days without a casino - it's not easy at all, but I want to make it, and I will make it.

I thank you all, wish you a nice week-because I'll be on vacation anyway until Holy Saturday! happy holidays to you all"

Hello, paclmaya.

Hope you enjoyed your holidays and remained balanced and positive.

I just wanted to check on you and ask how are you doing now. 🙂 Are you doing good?

Thanks, meanwhile I'm fine - haven't played until today, let's see how strong I really am - but it helps or makes it easier to just play with play money

I'm really happy it works for you!

Keep up the good way.

Are you in touch with anybody related to gambling issues? Have you got some professional care?

I'm sure it would serve you well if you have some option where you can turn if needed.

Stay well and strong!

no, i have no contact with people who are struggling with the problem i have.

It's important for me to create with my will, if that doesn't work I'll definitely get professional help.

But I recently took an important step for myself by having Paysafe block me. That was an important step.

And thanks for the compliments

I see, just want to make sure that you have some support and you're holding up.

The idea with Paysafe is a damned good one 👍.

Hold tight!

How do I learn more about the global gambling tool? Does it help with stopping crypto deposits? I strongly believe casinos should black list players deposit addresses aslong as they don’t tried to hide them. This would save so many problems and ultimately save so many people from gambling associated depression/ su—ide.

would be extremely grateful for such a tool to have existed a few months ago

I feel no matter how hard I try to not watch gambling streamers, or YouTube related "gamba" content; but the adverts on all my social media are nothing but casinos.

I had managed to self exclude myself and stay away from gambling for a good few weeks until I had adverts on my Snapchat,

Sorry for how long this message turned. I really would like to email my story of depression leading me into gambling addiction due to this weird similarity of lockdowns and this mass amount more Twitch streamers casually advertising slots

I'm also of the opinion that streaming games of chance should be banned, I also went there on the train, but thank God I've now realized that this train only has one end station - spoil it!! And I certainly don't want to end up there.

Thank you for your kind words - but the way is still hard and rocky - but done so far.

Hello,

That's what we think as well, the current state of the industry is missing a global tool to keep players safe. So we even established a project called "Global Self-Exclusion initiative".

Our current goal is to maintain support and grow the influence through the whole industry until enough experts are working together that the whole idea could begin to be implemented for real.

Sadly, it's not a simple vision.

And when it comes to streamers, well - at the moment we try to find streamers who would willingly stream the hard reality of playing ordinary slots. No sponsorship provided by the casino he/she plays in, no profit cut for sending players to the casino through bonuses acquired during the stream or advertised links...

Another brave idea hopefully yet to come true 🙂.

I can't even imagine how hard it must be.

Keep fighting!

I can now claim not to have gambled for 1 month, or almost a month. It's damn hard.

And quite frankly, if I hadn't blocked my paysafe account without a chance to open it again, I probably wouldn't have made it this far.

Since I swore to myself never to pay by credit card to a casino again, that was a good idea.

I can advise everyone, and I mean it seriously, if you want to stop, take the opportunity to deposit in the online casino yourself. That means blocking Paysafecard and other options.

LG to all

Hello, paclmaya!

There are players more suitable to comment on your progress, but I'd like to say that every minute counts. Even the most achievements are made by a small progress day after day. 👍

Hi paclmaya,

First of all well done for sharing your story. It really does help if you talk about your experience. There are many people who understand the position you are in. I have struggled for many years with gambling.

The best advice i can give you is to block yourself from all the casinos that you are registered with. You need a barrier in between you and the casino. As time goes by the urge to gamble will get less. When you feel the urge to gamble. Tell yourself how bad it makes you feel when you lose and how angry you are when you give in to temptation. Keep repeating this over and over and over again until it sinks in to your brain. It really does help. Sometimes only a 30 second distraction can make all the difference. If you feel like you must gamble. Take 30 seconds out and imagine the feelings you get when you lose.

Keep posting on your progress and don’t be too sad if you relapse. This is part of the journey unfortunately. It’s what you do about it that is key. Learn from past mistakes and try to do better moving forward.

Stay safe,

Charlie

I've been clean for almost 2 months now. I still play in casinos from time to time, but only with play money - I don't even log in there anymore. And then I even notice how angry I get when I just get junk here. After 10 minutes, I turn off again.

I'm really so glad that I let Paysafe block me completely.

I also let Win2day block me because I could buy eurobons there and pay in with them.

It helps if you watch netflix, amazon prime or skygo at work instead of playing in online casinos.

There is no longer such an extreme desire to have to make a deposit.

Will reach my goal and in the new year, put all the money I put on the side, cover my account and then save for a vacation 2-3 years later

Hello there!

Your progress is amazing! You're obviously a strong-minded person I'd say. I also, admire your long-term plan. 

Just stick to it. 👍🙂