People say that gambling is promoted as a casual way to have fun. Gambling companies tell them that gambling is harmless and something that everyone does. Gambling is now all around them. It is a big part of sport, television and other leisure activities. It can be something they do with their friends and important to being part of the group. There is little to no warning that gambling is addictive. People around them are not aware of gambling addiction and it is not widely talked about.
This means that addiction takes them by surprise. It also reinforces the idea that they are at fault and that everyone else is okay with gambling. So, people feel they are the odd one out, that there is something wrong with them, and they are left isolated.
Everyone was in the same boat. Everyone’s betting every week. Everyone’s losing money. It’s a joke at that point. It’s a laugh. You’re joking about having just put £400 on, lost it. You’re going, “Oh, not again,” and your mates are laughing with you. You’ve sat around the table doing the exact same thing, so if your mates are doing it, how is it a problem? I think that was the issue with it.
Found it really difficult because you just don’t see a way out. You think, “Is it just me feeling this way, or is it– Am I on my own here? Why is it just me suffering here, nobody else is? What have I done to deserve this? What have I got– Why am I doing this and nobody else seems to be doing it, just me?”
People point to how commonplace gambling advertising is. They also highlight the positive spin put on gambling in advertising. People mention being bombarded with gambling messaging in many leisure and social spaces. They say because gambling companies can advertise so freely, this makes people in society think gambling is just part of life and a bit of fun.
Gambling is sometimes an important part of people’s social groups. Those in the group may talk about what they are gambling on and when they win money. It can be a big part of what the group does together.
Friends appear to gamble without experiencing harm or ‘losing control’. People may be aware of others in their social circle getting into debt, or prioritising gambling over other commitments. However this is not understood or talked about in the group as addiction or harm caused by gambling.
So, people feel it is just them and they cannot talk to the people around them about their gambling difficulties. They may not want to ‘spoil other people’s fun’ or seem weak.
I kept it very much to myself. A lot of my mates had – they knew I had a problem with it, but they didn’t quite grasp how bad it was, I don’t think. And yeah, it put me off talking to people.
It was so hard to talk about it, and it’s hard to talk about it because it’s so normal. And my dad’s gambled in his life, you know. He doesn’t now, actually, but he didn’t have – when I say he gambled, you know, it was rare, but he’d go in the casino if he was on a cruise or if he was on a holiday somewhere and really enjoy it but leave when he wanted to having spent not a lot of money. And he would sometimes play on fruit machines but that was it. I was very different to that, and I guess as well, I couldn’t work out why, you know, why can’t I stop?
