Don't be a loser at gambling

Don't let your hobby become an addiction...

Who doesn’t dream and yearn for the day our lottery numbers finally come up, when we can leave the rat race and start a new life?

Every week, you carefully pick your numbers. Anniversary dates, family birthdays, the dog’s birthday, the day Aunt Ethel did her first bungee jump: all very special numbers that are bound to give you a chance of winning.

You have to keep doing it week in week out because if you didn’t, the numbers might just come up and you would miss out on the big cash prize.

You can’t just do it one day a week either. What about Wednesday? Your numbers might be drawn out then.

The odd £1 a week becomes £5. You’re hooked.

And it doesn’t stop there

Then there are the competitions on the TV to win a shiny new car, or thousands of pounds, or a holiday in some exotic location. It only costs £1.50 to enter by text and the questions are so easy.

But it’s no good entering it just one day. You might as well do the full week and then you’ve got “more chances to win” as the TV presenter says.

A friend suggests you have a go at online bingo. She’s won a few times and it doesn’t cost much. The first few games are free, so you sign up. You start to look forward to it every night and soon it becomes an obsession. But it’s OK because it’s only a bit of fun. It’s not that you’re going out night after night.

The tea caddy in the kitchen which used to be set aside with money for emergencies is suddenly empty.

It’s big jackpot night at bingo, so you’ve got to play. There’s money in your purse to pay for the kids’ bus fares and meals, but there are plenty of tins in the cupboard to see you through and anyway, if you win, you’ll be able to treat everyone to slap-up meal.

You don’t win.

The weeks turn into months and the months into years, and you haven’t won anything “life-changing”.

As the saying goes, “you have to be in it to win it”. But when you add up all the money you’ve spent entering lotteries and competitions, you’re actually a loser.

Be wise

Remember this fact: you’re seven times more likely to be hit by lightning than win the lottery.

We all like a little flutter now and then. Most gambling is harmless fun and who knows, you could be the lucky one.

Online gambling can be an enjoyable way to pass the time and win some money. However, for some people, this hobby becomes an obsession and they are unable to stop. This form of addiction can have serious personal and financial consequences.

As Gamcare, the charity committed to the prevention and treatment of problem gambling, says:

“Do not forget that being responsible [with gambling] is key to staying safe, out of trouble and making sure things remain fun.”

They advise that to avoid any chance of a problem, you remember:

You’re buying fun, not investing your money
Before playing, set strict limits on how much time and money you’re going to spend
Quit while you’re ahead
Only gamble with money you can afford to lose
Don’t spend more money on gambling with the hope to win back money that you have lost
Keep up other interests and hobbies – don’t let gambling take over your life
Don’t gamble in order to escape from stress or boredom
Gambling in moderation is OK
The key is... if you choose to gamble, gamble responsibly!

So how do you know if you have a problem?

You may have a problem if:

If once you start, you can’t stop, and find it hard to walk away
You lie to friends about your gambling and become secretive
Your friends are worried about you
The biggest danger sign is when you spend money on gambling to try and recoup your losses

Most people, especially family members, may rally round to try and go to a gambler’s aid and bail them out. However bailing them out could make matters worse by enabling gambling problems to continue.

If you or a friend or member of your family are struggling with paying bills and have maxed out their credit cards to the limit, then Gamcare provides support, information and advice to anyone suffering through a gambling problem. And here at the CCCS, we can help with the debts that have built up.

If you’ve got a debt problem our online debt advice tool Debt Remedy can assist in completing a financial statement, along with questions to help your own wellbeing. If you think you’ve got a gambling problem contact Gamcare.