Niall McNamee's Gambling Problem

[brokencrossbar1]

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/frank-roche/mcnamee-i-cant-handle-my-addiction-to-gambling-2983085.html//

I see he has a major gambling problem. Good to see he is addressing it.

[gerry]

with ail the technology we have now i expect to see more stories like this. Gone are the days when you had to go to the bookies to place a bet.

[mylestheslasher]

Best of luck to him, great player with a big fight on his hands. It's a very serious issue too and deserves some media attention.

[Lone Shark]

Due to my line of work I've seen the effect that this particular addiction can have on people and it is truly scary. The crucial difference between this and a drink/drug dependency is that you can be doing huge damage and yet show no physical signs to anyone, even those closest to you. If I was to start drinking to excess, I have friends and family who would undoubtedly notice the change in my behaviour and have a chance to step in. Of course life is littered with examples of alcoholics who ignored the advice of loved ones and gone on to do great harm to themselves and those around them, but unless you end up killing someone on the roads while driving drunk, or committing some other offence which leaves you behind bars, it's difficult to do too much damage in the space of 3-6 months. You can only physically drink so much in a short space of time after all.

Gambling is completely different, there have been people who have gone from never placing a bet in their lives to losing everything they've ever owned and piling debt on top of that, all in a few weeks.

Equally, Irish people in general know what they're dealing with when it comes to drink or drugs, while gambling addiction is an unknown affliction for a lot of people. I don't say this just because I'm in the sports betting industry, but a lot of Irish adults can't see the distinction between somebody spending a few bob every Saturday on a harmless pastime, and someone causing real problems for themselves by overdoing it. Drinking 50 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis is harmful drinking in any man's language and we'd all know it, but there is no equivalent for betting, everyone's situation is very different. The key issue is usually why you're doing it, rather than what you're doing. Somebody who has never crossed a bookies threshold in their lives except to put a fiver on the Grand National often doesn't appreciate the difference, and thus can't relate to the individual who bets frequently and may have a huge problem, or may just be a social gambler who has it completely under control. It's no good looking at the amount of money somebody places on a bet and deciding that this is a huge or a perfectly okay amount - all too often the guys in bother aren't the ones placing €500 on a single bet, they're the ones dropping €100 a day in a series of €5 and €10 bets, before quietly going home to a cold house with no food because they have no other money.

It's a horrible affliction which the proliferation of online betting opportunities hasn't helped, but ultimately it is one that if it gets hold of you, will be very tough to overcome even if you never log on - opportunities for gambling are everywhere, if you want to find them.

In this instance, Niall is a very friendly, likeable young man and he has a lot of good friends and family members around him, so he has a good start in that regard - but he has a long, arduous journey ahead of him and I truly hope he gets on top of this.

[Denn Forever]

Good post LS.

[Milltown Row2]

I think slot machines are as bad as lads heading to the bookies. I only spend a tenner a week online, as i have been doing online betting i have not been at the bookie shop which i think has saved me money.

Betting online also means that the wife can see what is being spent, good in that it's easily visible that i only spend a tenner a week (I can afford that) and would keep me from betting more. In the past year i took money out 4 times (80 to 100 quid each time) so while I'm still down it's not hurting me.

For me betting online is better that heading to bookies, the shop have the slot machines were lads sit there and are doing both!! I have noticed a lot of my students are wile for the betting so i believe it's getting worse.

[heffo]

Hope he get's the support he needs to get himself sorted.

I worked in a Poker machine place from about 9 years old until I was 18 - some amount of degenerate gamblers in that place - fellas pleading with the staff at closing time on a Friday night that they'd literally spent their weeks wages.

[HiMucker]

IMO slot machines are the worst.  I seen boys in bars and bookies pouring a fortune into them.  Some of them I would know couldn't afford to do so.  A slot machine is an out and out gamble.  There is no skill, logic or reason.  By law a slot machine can even be programmed not to pay out at all, as it is classed as an "entertainment/arcade machine".  Also by law bookmakers is only allowed to have two slot machines operating on their premises (is that correct LoneShark), but when I looked at Coral Bookmakers finances they accounted for half of their profit!  I always feel that anyone playing these constantly has a problem or could be vulnerable to developing a problem.  I can understand the wee trip at the weekend to the amusements is just a bit of fun all the same.
Although sports betting is still gambling at least you apply your own knowledge and other peoples knowledge before making a bet, but obviously some people get carried away or become addicted to it.  Good Al Pacino film "2 for the money" shows the problems of sports betting.  But as LS said more times than enough its the guys and women spending the food and nappy money that's the big problem.
I think the US has a big rise in housewives becoming gambling addicts since the on-line boom of betting and poker sites.  The fact that in modern society more and more women control the finances of the family it caused a huge problem, as the men were unaware that it was happening.
Does anyone know of any research that has been done that shows different personalities etc. as being more likely to be affected?

[ludermor]

I think slot machines are as bad as lads heading to the bookies. I only spend a tenner a week online, as i have been doing online betting i have not been at the bookie shop which i think has saved me money.

When i was in Australia i worked for a company who supplied the furniture and fitted out the shops for slot machines or 'Pokies'. it really was frightening to see some clubs which  had 1000's of pokie machine full every day with a crazy amount of old women tinkering away all their money every day. The state owns 51% of the bookies in New South Wales ( not sure about the rest of Australia) so it wasnt in their interest to reduce the reveue but i think this may be happening now.

[LeoMc]

with ail the technology we have now i expect to see more stories like this. Gone are the days when you had to go to the bookies to place a bet.

I would have thought the reverse would be the case. Now you don't even have to go outdside your front door and you can keep it hidden better.
With a bookie you at least had to go out the door and physically hand over notes. When it is an electronic transfer it is just numbers, a meaningless game, until your account is empty or your card max'd out.

[HiMucker]

with ail the technology we have now i expect to see more stories like this. Gone are the days when you had to go to the bookies to place a bet.

I would have thought the reverse would be the case. Now you don't even have to go outdside your front door and you can keep it hidden better.
With a bookie you at least had to go out the door and physically hand over notes. When it is an electronic transfer it is just numbers, a meaningless game, until your account is empty or your card max'd out.

I think thats what Gerry means

[LeoMc]

with ail the technology we have now i expect to see more stories like this. Gone are the days when you had to go to the bookies to place a bet.

I would have thought the reverse would be the case. Now you don't even have to go outdside your front door and you can keep it hidden better.
With a bookie you at least had to go out the door and physically hand over notes. When it is an electronic transfer it is just numbers, a meaningless game, until your account is empty or your card max'd out.

I think thats what Gerry means

Read, comprehend, reply.
I think I may have missed one.

[BennyCake]

You'll see more of this, especially in the recession.

A few years ago they got rid of tobacco advertising. Gambling is ten times worse in my opinion, yet it's plastered everywhere you look, especially in sport.

[sammymaguire]

Sensible gambling is so so important to anyone placing a bet. When you have a bad day betting it can leave you feeling empty inside, knowing, as LS says that the £20 or £50 you had an hour previously would do a long way in Asda or Tesco and I have been there once or twice myself. It can be scary stuff, that drive to chase any loses as there will always be another match or race to "win your own money back" . As with most things in life, everything should be done in Moderation.

[Square Ball]

Used to play the poker machines a lot befor I got married. Used to cash my wage in the club and have 2 or 3 pints and come out skint more often than not, as most gamblers would tell you, I diddnt loose, I nearly won.

Still play them but in moderation, throw in no more than a fiver or so and thats that