MY THOUGHTS ON SELF EXCLUSION — BY ARNIE WEXLER CCGC
The idea when it started was not a bad idea but we have learned a lot over the years.
First no addicted gambler ever gets cured so to have self exclusion as 1 year 5 years and lifetime is a joke in it self. It tells you that the people who set that up do not understand this addiction in the 1st place.
No addicted gambler will be able in the long run after on the exclusion list for a year or 5 years will go back to gambling and not fall back into the addiction over time.
AS A RECOVERING COMPULSIVE GAMBER MY LAST BET WAS 4/10/68 AND RUNNING 2 NATIONAL HELP LINES FOR GAMBLERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS FOR OVER 32 YEARS
800 GAMBLER AND 888 LAST BET.
I have spoken to 1000,s and 1000,s of gamblers and many on the exclusion lists today and some who have been on exclusion lists and now off
All the people who called that were on the exclusion before have gone back and have bigger $ problems today.
Lets share a few stories of people on the exclusion list i go to a 12 step recovery meeting and all the time i hear people who on the exclusion lists in the states i go to meetings at say “I am on the exclusion list but keep going to gamble i cant stop”
I have a lady i talk to all the time the last 10 years shes been in and out of recovery
got on the exclusion list in N J in 1994 about 6 years ago so stared to gamble in PENN 3 years ago got on the PENN exclusion list last year she won a jackpot and wanted to collect the $ they saw she was on the exclusion list so she ran into the bathroom took off her wig and ran out of the casino got arrested in the parking lot. So now shes gambling again in ATLANTIC CITY.
Had a man i was helping from the south he put himself on the exclusion list in MISS.
One day i get a call from LARRY GREGORY chairperson of Miss.Gam. Comm. he tells me the guy won a jackpot and the guy told larry to call me i asked larry to take some of the $ and send the guy to treatment he does that. And larry sent the rest of the $ to a foundation Sheila and i have to help gambers. I called larry to thank him he tells me the guy out of treatment 1 week was back in a casino in MISS. won another jackpot.
And could not collect the $ again
(THIS SURE TELLS YOU ITS NOT ABOUT THE $ ITS ABOUT THE ADDICTION TO THE ACTION)
P.S. Larry ended up putting this man on the MISS. STATE EXCLUSION LIST to keep him out of the casinos.
I think self exclusion is some ways is a big joke on the addicted gambler.
To have the addicted gambler think that after 1 ot 5 years they will be ok and able to gamble again and not go back to addictive gambling is a good idea.
IF SOMEONE GOES ON AN EXCLUSION LIST AND THEN LETS SAY GETS OFF AFTER 1, 2 ,OR 5 YEARS AND THEN A CASINO LETS THEM GAMBLE IN THERE CASINO THE CASINO IS TAKING A REAL GAMBLE AS THE PLAYER DOWN THE ROAD LOOSES MORE $ AND THEN MIGHT SUE THE CASINO SAYING” THEY KNEW I HAD A GAMBLING PROBLEM AND THEY LET ME PLAY ANYWAY”
What is Compulsive Gambling? BY ARNIE WEXLER CCGC
Compulsive gambling is a progressive disease, much like an addiction to alcohol or drugs. In many cases, the gambling addiction is hidden until the gambler becomes unable to function without gambling, and he or she begins to exclude all other activities from their lives. Inability to stop gambling often results in financial devastation, broken homes, employment problems, criminal acts and suicide attempts.
The gambler is eventually able to remove themselves from reality to the point of being totally obsessed with gambling. Eventually, they will do anything to get the money with which to stay in “action”. They will spend all their time and energy developing schemes in order to get the money to continue gambling. Lying becomes a way of life for the gambler.
They will try to convince others and themselves that their lies are actually truths and they will believe there own lies.
After they hit a real bottom they will have to do something if they want to try to recover. Most gamblers at that point will want to stop but can’t (they wont be able to).
Most even at that point will keep gambling some will end up in jail some will attempt suicide some will die from their addiction as they will not take care of their health or the stress will kill them.
And a small group of addicted gamblers will seek and find real help but the real trick is to get in to real recovery. Not just abstinence. By the time the gambler comes for help they have broken brains (Meaning their brains don’t work like they used to when they were not in there addiction).
To get real recovery the gambler needs to work on them self’s one day at a time and get someone to do there thinking for them who has been in recovery some time and has there brains are working right (a sponsor) After some time in recovery there brains will start to work again. They will become productive on there job and become a good father and husband. Recover is a process and does not happen with out a lot of work on your self . and making a moral and financial inventory. But people can recover and do.
