Being a big follower of the ‘luckyjim’ blog I was delighted to read his latest article posted on the Gutshot forum entitled ‘Beyond Responsibility?’ http://www.gutshot.com/articles/view.php
This article covers the now well published case of compulsive gambler Graham Calvert, who is attempting to recover £2.1 million gambling loses from William Hill bookmakers on the grounds that they failed to provide a ‘duty of care’ to him in permitting him to gamble after he had chosen to ‘self exclude’ himself from their bookmakers network.
As a compulsive gambler myself, I can certainly sympathise and empathise with Mr Calvert. I have been to the highs and hit the lows that gambling can take you. I have the ‘T’ shirt and bank statements to prove it. So is my empathy justified? Well I say YES.
Most ‘normal’ people on hearing of Mr Calvert’s case took the attitude of ‘live by the sword, die by the sword’ and nobody forced him to wager the money. This attitude just shows our societies ignorance of the disease that is gambling addiction. The attitude that the individual is free to make his own choice simply does not stand up to someone with an addiction. How many of us can recognise a compulsive gambler? Simply you cannot; there are no outwardly visible signs, unlike drug and alcohol addiction. We know the support groups available to help the alcoholics, drug addicts and even the smokers, but why does society not view gambling in the same way?
In a rare moment of clarity in May 06 Graham Calvert realised he had a gambling problem and contacted Hills informing them of his problem and requested self exclusion from their services. Hills duly obliged, closed his account and informed him that he was self excluded for a period of 6 months. Yet two months later Mr Calvert was able to open another credit account and resumed his gambling with Hills by telephone betting and walking into their shops with sacks full of money. His gambling then hit new highs with one wager of £347,000 placed at 6/5 on the USA to win the 2006 Ryder Cup……they lost. At the time the bet was the worlds biggest ever bet placed on a golf event and Hills made much publicity from it. A Hills spokesman at the time stated that the punter was a high stakes telephone punter well known to him.
Graham Calvert did not go out of his way to deceive Hills in opening another account; he did after all open the new credit account in his own name. True he could have opened an account with any other bookmaker but he didn’t, he was permitted to open a new account with Hills. So why was this allowed to happed? Simply Hills did not offer a duty of care to Mr Calvert, a self confessed gambling addict, but were negligent in allowing the account to be set up. Why did no alarm bells sound when opening the account in his own name, did they not have a database of self excluded customers? By admitting the Ryder Cup punter was well known to them, the Hills spokesman was admitting a lack of duty of care to his client, if he was well know to him then he should have also known he was ‘self excluded’. It is obvious there has been a massive breakdown in Hills self exclusion policy. Their eagerness to take the punters money and increase the profits for it share holders outweighed there duty of care to the punter, a policy Hills seem to pay lip service to.
So what happens if Mr Calvert wins? Well he will probably get a substantial amount of his money back but more importantly the gambling industry will be made to sit up and take their responsibility to clients seriously and perhaps society will do likewise in recognising that compulsive gamblers are addicts that need more help and support just like alcoholics, drug users and smokers. If the case is lost, well then gamblers and their addiction will continue to be swept aside by society.
My name is (DasLoot) I am a compulsive gambler, I have had a good day today, I haven’t had a bet, but does anybody care?
Friday, 22 February 2008
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
My name is...........
"My name is (DasLoot) I am a compulsive gambler, I've had a good day today because I havnt had a bet"
Those are the words any complusive gambler who has admitted his 'addiction' will recognise only too well. We have all seen TV documentries and films where the alcoholic and drug addicts gather round group meetings and make similar introductions. They are among friends in a self help group and they openly admit their personality disorder and seek assurance from their peers that they are doing all the can to deal with it. Gamblers Anomymous or GA follows almost the exact 12 step plan advocated by AA and is there to offer help to anyone who need it with their gambling addiction. The only requirement from GA is a desire to stop gambling.
Just over five years ago my relationship with my then girlfriend finished as a direct result of my gambling addiction although at the time I wouldnt admit it. The apartment was in her name and I was forced to move out. At that time I had just gambled away the rest of my wages and had no money and nowhere to go, so I found myself with all my wordly belongings living out of my car. A few weeks later the beginning of December 2002 I had just been paid and once again quickly blown my wages on the horses and greyhounds, so come the end of the first week I found myself with only £19 in the bank, virtually penniless and homeless. It was then and only then that I realised I had a problem and needed help. I threw myself on the mercy of my bank, not divulging my addiction but making up another story and unbelievably they came through for me giving me an overdraft which provided a few pounds and more importantly the money to get my kids Christmas presents. I then turned to GA and quickly found solace amongst my fellow gamblers, all of whom had been or where in the same position I was now in. A few weeks later with the help a some friends I found a flat to rent and set about rebuilding my life.
Although that was a low point and the point that spurned me on to admit I had a problem and seek help, looking back it was not the lowest point that gambling drove me to.
Four months prior to that my mother died. On the day of the funeral I left the apartment early and on route the crematorium stopped off at the bookies. I done a few bets on the horses and dogs and soon lost all track of time. I then realised I was late and rushed to the crematorium only to arrive too late to help my family carry my mothers coffin into the service. I walked in half way through the first hymm much to the dismay of my family. Four days later I collected the urn containing my mothers ashes from the undertakers and proceeded to the Church graveyard for the burial of the ashes beside those of my father. Needless to say I arrived late for that too, but at least on that occasion they couldnt start without me, I did after all have the urn !
At the time those two incidents didnt really affect me, despite being late for the two sevices I could still reach down into my pockets and pull out a load of bookies dockets, some winners but mostly beaten dockets and thats all that mattered at that time. Looking back now I realise that was my lowest point. My gambling at that time took the form of bettin on horses, dogs, football, formula 1 or two rain drops racing down a window pain, just about anything really, except poker!
So now several years on am I cured? Well no, as with any addiction, alcoholism etc, I must live with it for the rest of my life. I can however say that I honestly cannot remember the last time I went into a bookies to make a bet, nor have I any desire to do so.
I can however remember the last time I sat down by the computer and gambled playing poker !
My name is (DasLoot) I am a compulsive gambler, have I had a good day ?
Those are the words any complusive gambler who has admitted his 'addiction' will recognise only too well. We have all seen TV documentries and films where the alcoholic and drug addicts gather round group meetings and make similar introductions. They are among friends in a self help group and they openly admit their personality disorder and seek assurance from their peers that they are doing all the can to deal with it. Gamblers Anomymous or GA follows almost the exact 12 step plan advocated by AA and is there to offer help to anyone who need it with their gambling addiction. The only requirement from GA is a desire to stop gambling.
Just over five years ago my relationship with my then girlfriend finished as a direct result of my gambling addiction although at the time I wouldnt admit it. The apartment was in her name and I was forced to move out. At that time I had just gambled away the rest of my wages and had no money and nowhere to go, so I found myself with all my wordly belongings living out of my car. A few weeks later the beginning of December 2002 I had just been paid and once again quickly blown my wages on the horses and greyhounds, so come the end of the first week I found myself with only £19 in the bank, virtually penniless and homeless. It was then and only then that I realised I had a problem and needed help. I threw myself on the mercy of my bank, not divulging my addiction but making up another story and unbelievably they came through for me giving me an overdraft which provided a few pounds and more importantly the money to get my kids Christmas presents. I then turned to GA and quickly found solace amongst my fellow gamblers, all of whom had been or where in the same position I was now in. A few weeks later with the help a some friends I found a flat to rent and set about rebuilding my life.
Although that was a low point and the point that spurned me on to admit I had a problem and seek help, looking back it was not the lowest point that gambling drove me to.
Four months prior to that my mother died. On the day of the funeral I left the apartment early and on route the crematorium stopped off at the bookies. I done a few bets on the horses and dogs and soon lost all track of time. I then realised I was late and rushed to the crematorium only to arrive too late to help my family carry my mothers coffin into the service. I walked in half way through the first hymm much to the dismay of my family. Four days later I collected the urn containing my mothers ashes from the undertakers and proceeded to the Church graveyard for the burial of the ashes beside those of my father. Needless to say I arrived late for that too, but at least on that occasion they couldnt start without me, I did after all have the urn !
At the time those two incidents didnt really affect me, despite being late for the two sevices I could still reach down into my pockets and pull out a load of bookies dockets, some winners but mostly beaten dockets and thats all that mattered at that time. Looking back now I realise that was my lowest point. My gambling at that time took the form of bettin on horses, dogs, football, formula 1 or two rain drops racing down a window pain, just about anything really, except poker!
So now several years on am I cured? Well no, as with any addiction, alcoholism etc, I must live with it for the rest of my life. I can however say that I honestly cannot remember the last time I went into a bookies to make a bet, nor have I any desire to do so.
I can however remember the last time I sat down by the computer and gambled playing poker !
My name is (DasLoot) I am a compulsive gambler, have I had a good day ?
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Sell, Sell, Sell
Over the last week or so I have made numerous postings on the '88% Concentration' blog of Ed Hollis or 'bluescouse' This poker blog is undoubtably one of the most read and entertaining poker blogs on the face of the poker planet. However of late Ed seems to have lost his way, losing his roll, borrowing money, taking it to the big tables and losing that. Its a horrible situation he finds himself in.
So Ed has been posting his plight on his blog and as expected he has been inundated with people making comments on where he should go from here. I am no exception. I genuinely feel sorry for this young lad. He has major issues which centre around the basic fact that he has an addiction to gambling. So what sort of advice do you think alot of his friends are giving him? Quit, seek help for you addiction and financial problems........thats what most rationally minded people would advise, but NO, Ed's so called mates urge him on to get back into the game and take it to the pro's. As I have said in one of my replies 'with friends like that who needs enemies'
I have offered my advice to Ed, and its there for him or anyone else to read. I believe its sound advice and we must all wait with baited breath to see just where Ed turns next. In ending my replies to his post I always finish with 'Sell, Sell, Sell'..............As I have said I feel selling is the wrong thing to do, but for any regular readers of his blog then you will know that Ed seems to be his own man and rarely listens to advice. In the past he has been give advice on br management, gameplay, table selection, and chosing the correct limit to play, all sound poker advice and basic rules that any person making a living from poker treats as 'the commandments' Yet Ed choses to carry on blindly.
Sell, Sell, Sell..............its not urging Ed to sell, its just that no matter what sound advice Ed gets he will usually do the opposite !
So Ed has been posting his plight on his blog and as expected he has been inundated with people making comments on where he should go from here. I am no exception. I genuinely feel sorry for this young lad. He has major issues which centre around the basic fact that he has an addiction to gambling. So what sort of advice do you think alot of his friends are giving him? Quit, seek help for you addiction and financial problems........thats what most rationally minded people would advise, but NO, Ed's so called mates urge him on to get back into the game and take it to the pro's. As I have said in one of my replies 'with friends like that who needs enemies'
I have offered my advice to Ed, and its there for him or anyone else to read. I believe its sound advice and we must all wait with baited breath to see just where Ed turns next. In ending my replies to his post I always finish with 'Sell, Sell, Sell'..............As I have said I feel selling is the wrong thing to do, but for any regular readers of his blog then you will know that Ed seems to be his own man and rarely listens to advice. In the past he has been give advice on br management, gameplay, table selection, and chosing the correct limit to play, all sound poker advice and basic rules that any person making a living from poker treats as 'the commandments' Yet Ed choses to carry on blindly.
Sell, Sell, Sell..............its not urging Ed to sell, its just that no matter what sound advice Ed gets he will usually do the opposite !
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Operation Just Cause
Ok so what is Operation Just Cause?..........
Well apart from my poker game I have decided to address other bloggers in an attempt to pull themselves together and get their lives and poker game sorted out.
So any poker blogger will instantly know one prime candidate for my attention. That is of course Ed Hollis, aka 'bluescouse' Perhaps one of the most prolific bloggers on the face of the planet, his poker journey is one true rollercoaster ride. However it now seems that it may be drawing to its obvious conclusion.
My replies on his site to his postings are designed to berate and in some way try to get Ed to sit up and take note of what exactly is going on in his life. He is a degenerate gambler who is rapidly approaching self destruction and that is sad.
There are too many so called 'friends' giving him stupid advice whilst most people just want him to stand back, reccess and take control of his life. Seek professional advice for his addiction and financial advice. Learn the game if he must continue, exercise bank roll management and good table selection and avoid the big levels and the pro sharks that swim around those waters.
The guy is capable of making a living at the lower levels, despite some of my comments.
So 'Operation Just Cause' is up and running, if anyone has any comments then feel free to post. I am thick skinned and can take any criticism and will address any such comments as and when they come !
Onwards and upwards
Well apart from my poker game I have decided to address other bloggers in an attempt to pull themselves together and get their lives and poker game sorted out.
So any poker blogger will instantly know one prime candidate for my attention. That is of course Ed Hollis, aka 'bluescouse' Perhaps one of the most prolific bloggers on the face of the planet, his poker journey is one true rollercoaster ride. However it now seems that it may be drawing to its obvious conclusion.
My replies on his site to his postings are designed to berate and in some way try to get Ed to sit up and take note of what exactly is going on in his life. He is a degenerate gambler who is rapidly approaching self destruction and that is sad.
There are too many so called 'friends' giving him stupid advice whilst most people just want him to stand back, reccess and take control of his life. Seek professional advice for his addiction and financial advice. Learn the game if he must continue, exercise bank roll management and good table selection and avoid the big levels and the pro sharks that swim around those waters.
The guy is capable of making a living at the lower levels, despite some of my comments.
So 'Operation Just Cause' is up and running, if anyone has any comments then feel free to post. I am thick skinned and can take any criticism and will address any such comments as and when they come !
Onwards and upwards
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Tourney entry
I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!
This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.
Registration code: 1295215
The code above will look like the following:
I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!
This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.
Registration code: 1295215
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