Gambling - Niall McNamee's and John Hartson's troubles

Started by theticklemister, January 08, 2015, 11:18:00 PM

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T Fearon

I'm saying if regulation is needed to curb addiction then the logic is that if the activity was outlawed completely there would be no addicts.I do not believe further regulation will curb addiction and I'm not advocating that they should be banned altogether

muppet

Quote from: T Fearon on January 10, 2015, 07:30:04 PM
I'm saying if regulation is needed to curb addiction then the logic is that if the activity was outlawed completely there would be no addicts.I do not believe further regulation will curb addiction and I'm not advocating that they should be banned altogether

You want no regulation.

So you are trying to polarise the argument into no regulation or a complete ban.

To do this you claim you are using logic. Try this logic: Should 3 year olds be allowed to smoke and drink? The arguments against an outright ban are obvious, but then that is not what anyone is proposing. You even say yourself that you are against it, even though you are the only one arguing for it.

Most normal people would accept that regulation is a happy medium.

MWWSI 2017

seafoid

"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

T Fearon

I am saying that regulation will not effectively tackle the growing problem of addiction,that's all,and if the problem was even proportionately controlled by greater levels of regulation (which it won't be) then the logic is ultimately go the whole hog and ban gambling,smoking tobacco and alchohol.

Addiction is only cured by the afflicted facing up to their problem and seeking personal therapy

illdecide

I just caught the tail end of a story there on Radio Ulster about a guy (Declan) with a gambling problem (sounded like a Derry man). Jasus to hear part of that story was unreal and how much it can destroy lives...still shocked here. I will try and listen to that again thru a podcast later
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch

NAG1

Quote from: illdecide on September 22, 2015, 09:33:51 AM
I just caught the tail end of a story there on Radio Ulster about a guy (Declan) with a gambling problem (sounded like a Derry man). Jasus to hear part of that story was unreal and how much it can destroy lives...still shocked here. I will try and listen to that again thru a podcast later

Illdecide

I think that could have been a guy from Loughgiel you heard this morning, he has been on the news before about this and the effect it had on his friends and family.

Tony Baloney

Quote from: NAG1 on September 22, 2015, 09:52:35 AM
Quote from: illdecide on September 22, 2015, 09:33:51 AM
I just caught the tail end of a story there on Radio Ulster about a guy (Declan) with a gambling problem (sounded like a Derry man). Jasus to hear part of that story was unreal and how much it can destroy lives...still shocked here. I will try and listen to that again thru a podcast later

Illdecide

I think that could have been a guy from Loughgiel you heard this morning, he has been on the news before about this and the effect it had on his friends and family.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-31608360

illdecide

Betting machine gamblers 'offered perks'

Betting shop staff say they are told to offer gamblers perks to keep them playing on fixed-odds betting machines, a BBC investigation has found. One ex-manager said he was instructed to offer free bets and drinks - in one case it was suggested he could buy lunch for high-spending customers. Other managers we spoke to said they were paid a bonus if they met financial targets on the
machines.
The industry says it takes responsible gambling very seriously. Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT) offer simple touch screen play, usually on a version of roulette, where people can gamble as much as £100 per spin, in theory every 20 seconds. 'Gods of the shop'
"John", who was a manager at Coral until recently, said staff were given instructions to offer machine players refreshments as soon as they entered the shop and do "absolutely anything" to make them feel comfortable. "If the shop was too hot for them, we would have to turn the heating down or vice versa. They were the gods of the betting shop," he said.
"There was a suggestion from the area manager at one time that if we had a customer coming in their lunch hour, we had to make sure they didn't waste time trying to get a cheese and ham roll instead of playing the machines. You could go out there, buy them a cheese and ham roll and get it ready for them."
Coral said it takes its commitments to responsible gambling "extremely seriously". It added it had "strengthened protections for all its customers, providing help and support for the very small minority that may have issues with their gambling activity". Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue. Media caption Nick Eardley explains how FOBT machines work John said managers had to hit their machine profit target and would receive a financial reward if they did. "I know another firm based their whole wage on how much money they made on machines, so there was every incentive for the staff to encourage people," he said. 'Use a hook' The two store managers, who still work for Coral, said they felt pressure to hit financial targets on the FOBTs machines.
One passed on internal emails from Coral's central operations department about a new FOBTs game called Big Banker, which gave advice on "smashing your targets".
It said: "Ensure your team has... identified your target key customers to demonstrate our popular feature game. Offer a demo to all of your machine customers to whet their appetite, then encourage them to play with their own money.
"Once you have identified your target customers, it often helps when you use a 'hook' to encourage them to play. 'You like Big Banker, do you have our bonus card yet? It's quick, it's easy and it's free.'" Case study: 'Red mist' of gambling Tony Franklin has had a problem with gambling since he was a child. He had managed to stay out of the bookies for a year, but over a couple of hours 18 months ago, he blew it all. Having avoided high-street bookmakers for a year, he cleaned out his bank account in just an hour after a trip to the barbers. As he left he was drawn to one of the many betting shops on his high street and one of its FOBTs.
"I was totally devastated and just completely caught up in the gambling, in the red mist of it," he says. His addiction has had a devastating effect on his personal relationships. He had been due to bring his wife and child over to the UK to set up home but his expensive relapse put his plans on indefinite hold.
Now Tony keeps his betting shop receipts from that day as a reminder of how quickly he can lose control when faced with temptation. He feels the industry should be doing more to stop addicts like him losing control. Under the industry's code of conduct, all staff should be trained to identify and help problem gamblers. But one woman, who works for another unnamed bookmakers, said that did not always happen. "I have never actually been trained. All we have is a leaflet and are told to give them out if we feel people have a problem. But working on your own at night, or even in the morning, makes it extremely hard to hand out leaflets and speak to customers who are clearly frustrated," she said.
Malcolm George, from the Association of British Bookmakers, said: "It is absolutely the case that anyone joining and working in a betting shop will receive training about problem gambling."
Coral said it rejected the allegations made by the BBC. It added in its statement: "Recent health surveys show that problem gambling rates have in fact fallen since the introduction of FOBTs and the average Coral customer's loss per session on a FOBT is around £6-9. "The introduction of supervised stakes above £50 from April last year has had a profound change in customer behaviour, with an approximate 70% reduction in stakes above that level. "Training, tools and processes are in place throughout the business to ensure that potential problem gamblers are identified and protected."
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch

seafoid

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/12/22/study-finds-statistically-significant-link-between-playing-team-sports-and-gambling/

Young men who play team sports in Ireland are four times more likely to participate in gambling on a regular basis than those who did not play any team game between the ages of 17 and 20, new research states.
A study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Higher Education Authority found a "statistically significant positive association" between participation in team sports and regular gambling among young males.
The study into the connection between gambling behaviours and participation in team sports found almost one in 10 young adults participate in online gambling by the age of 20.

Online gambling
The findings, published in the Journal of Gambling Studies, state that the propensity of young men who play team sports to gamble was entirely independent of any other socio-demographic factor such as education, household background and employment status. However, the study found no association between females who play team sports and gambling habits.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2023/01/28/we-should-be-screaming-about-survey-on-problem-gambling-among-intercounty-gaa-players/

The study published the results of a survey of 608 intercounty players – men and women – using the GPA and WGPA as a conduit. It found that the prevalence of problem gamblers was 4.8 per cent. That might sound like a fairly trifling amount, except that the prevalence of problem gamblers within the general public is 0.8 per cent. In other words, you are six times more likely to have a gambling problem if you play intercounty GAA than if you don't.
And even if you narrow the general population down to males aged 25-34 (2.9 per cent of whom are considered to be problem gamblers) or 18-24 (1.9 per cent), the numbers among intercounty players are still off the charts. "Biggest problem in the GAA," wrote one respondent. "In training dressingrooms or on buses to matches it is the core of the conversation for a high percentage of players," wrote another.
[ Study finds 'statistically significant' link between playing team sports and gambling ]
The numbers are worrying across the board. The study found that 79 per cent of intercounty players are current gamblers. Not only is that higher than the general Irish population (65 per cent), it's significantly higher than among European professional athletes (57 per cent). All problem gamblers in the report were male. Only four per cent said they would talk to a team-mate if they had a problem.
In comments by the players themselves, some of the very qualities that help them forge a career at the elite level of the game are put forward as factors. "The addictive/obsessive nature of most intercounty players' personalities leave them very susceptible to gambling problems," wrote one player. "With a feeling of no outlet, online gambling can be the buzz that this type of person seeks."
Maybe the most eye-catching number of all is the finding that 19 per cent of respondents didn't know that it's against the GAA rules to bet on a game in which you are involved. "Most players bet on GAA due the knowledge they have on it," wrote one player. "Betting on club matches players seem to think they have better knowledge than the bookie especially in club championships and tournaments with little exposure," was another reply.

"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Milltown Row2

I'd say my limit used to be a lot lower a good few years ago, I've now a £30 limit...

on the online betting it has the ability to let you know your winnings and your losses over the year... first time I looked I was down 40 quid, the following year down 35 quid have never been in front in my life, the big wins are generally lost with the many small losses. I remember working in a place many years ago and the guy that did the wages paid out to a workers wife as her husband had it spent on a Friday night before getting home

I bet what I can afford, it's still a lot less than her yearly hairdressing fees than mine ;D
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Taylor

Dont like to think about it but I would probably be considered a problem gambler.

It has gotten to the point that I dont actually watch live sport unless I have had a bet which started the alarm bells ringing.

As MR says you can check your plus/minus for the year with bookies.

Have been restricted with a number of bookies and had one account closed down.

Now I have not made any serious amount of money but I am averaging between £50 and £500 profit between the accounts each year over the last 4 or 5 years.

I wouldnt back any more than 5 horses in a week but would bet on every sports event I am interested in along with plenty of long term bets on competitions.

Luck is probably on my side but if I started shifting serious losses I dont even think I could stop gambling.


grounded

Quote from: Taylor on January 28, 2023, 04:03:32 PM
Dont like to think about it but I would probably be considered a problem gambler.

It has gotten to the point that I dont actually watch live sport unless I have had a bet which started the alarm bells ringing.

As MR says you can check your plus/minus for the year with bookies.

Have been restricted with a number of bookies and had one account closed down.

Now I have not made any serious amount of money but I am averaging between £50 and £500 profit between the accounts each year over the last 4 or 5 years.

I wouldnt back any more than 5 horses in a week but would bet on every sports event I am interested in along with plenty of long term bets on competitions.

Luck is probably on my side but if I started shifting serious losses I dont even think I could stop gambling.

Last thing i want to be doing is preaching, but please get some advice/help. A close family member lost everything through gambling and ruined his life. Not just his life but his familie's also.

Milltown Row2

Yes obviously if someone is spending what they can't afford they need to look at what they are doing.. the actual online betting has curbed me as it's her that looks after the money in the house, she ain't shy in telling me off  :D
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Kidder81

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 29, 2023, 06:46:26 PM
Yes obviously if someone is spending what they can't afford they need to look at what they are doing.. the actual online betting has curbed me as it's her that looks after the money in the house, she ain't shy in telling me off  :D

I used to do the horses years ago, couple of pound each day and then football at the weekend, it soon adds up, wouldn't touch the horses now.

I just do football at the weekend now,£10-15, maybe golf majors (always back my mate McIlroy). As MR2 says bet what you can afford to lose.