What started with an innocent gamble on a football match grew into a serious addiction in which money problems and misery increased – and it became increasingly difficult to get out. Mark (25) talks openly about his gambling addiction in conversation with Omroep Brabant.
In one year, Mark has lost approximately 46,000 euros of his own money on legal gambling websites in the Netherlands. “I don’t dare say how much I won. Because much of what I won, I also used to gamble again.”
Bet on a football match
Mark first came into contact with gambling in high school, on football games. “I mainly saw that friends did that a lot. During the lesson it was often about which clubs you should bet on to win money.”
When he was 21, Mark actually ended up in an online casino by chance. “On a site where you could gamble on football matches, I saw a section with an online casino. I clicked on that out of curiosity. It did something to me and made me feel good.”
Mark started gambling more and more often. “Actually always in the evening, when I was home alone. It was very easy to log in, deposit money and play via the phone and app. And especially to get the happy feeling, it is really nice to win something.”
Higher amounts
To get that lucky substance, Mark started betting more and more money. He wanted more of the feeling of happiness. “When you create your account, the deposit limit is prescribed. But soon I wanted to win more and bet more than was allowed by such a limit.” He therefore requested that this be increased. “It took a few days, but in the end my maximum was 800 euros per time.”
But while Mark increased the deposit amounts, the miserable feeling of losing also became stronger. “Every time I lost or went through my daily deposit limit, I felt sad and devastated that I had done something so stupid again. But the next day it just happened again. There was always regret involved.”
Savings up
In the beginning, Mark paid for his addiction with savings. “I had saved a considerable amount of money. But eventually that ran out and I had to gamble with my monthly income. Even though there was little to no money in my account, I continued to gamble my salary every month.”
Due to his addiction, Mark was less able to do other things, such as going out. “But I was never into going out or drinking, so it was not noticeable to those around me that I actually had no money to go out.”
To deny
Mark got deeper and deeper into trouble and it became more and more difficult to get out. “If you gamble for longer and you start to run out of money, it is quite difficult not to gamble. Because you have already won a few times, you see that you can win a considerable amount. So why not try to win with your last money so that you don’t have those money problems anymore?”
Eventually it became clear to those around him that Mark had a problem. “My parents found out I was lying. They saw letters from insurers, taxes and others saying bills weren’t being paid. At one point my parents said: I want to know what’s going on.” This is how it came to light and they saw the account statements, which amounted to approximately 46,000 euros in deposits in one year at gambling websites.
Got help
Mark was registered by his parents Yes We Can Clinicsa clinic for young people and young adults with psychological problems, addictions and behavioral problems. “I learned a lot in the ten weeks I was here. Not only about the addiction, but also about myself,” says Mark. “I’ve been out for a year now, but I still have a lot of contact with people I met here. I am very grateful to this place, it has made my life better.”
“Since leaving the clinic, I have noticed how life can be lived without gambling. I’m going to compare that with the time in addiction, and then I see that I don’t want that time anymore. That makes it easy for me not to click on those ads. I see the misery that can come from it,” says Mark.
Looking back on his own addiction, Mark has some advice: “I would say: don’t gamble at all. It honestly doesn’t do anything for you. Winning a nice amount once is fun. But there is a really good chance that you will go through it. And then you can’t get away from it that easily.”
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