You may have heard the following before:

Dont gamble more than you can afford to lose.

When the fun stops, stop. 

Why then, when gambling online, does the gambling industry allow its customers to gamble with credit. 

What part of gambling within your means involves allowing someone to gamble using a credit card.

I believe the opportunity for vulnerable people to do this must be stopped. 

On Saturday I was 6 years free from a life that was consumed by gambling. I also worked for a gambling firm for 7 years so have an understanding of the work being down by staff, in store, to help regular customers they are worried about.

In a betting stop a customer is not allowed to use a credit card to place a bet. It was therefore a surprise and a source of delight when I discovered I could do this online.

Simply put, this transformed me from being a vulnerable adult addicted to gambling to a person who found themselves thousands of pounds in debt. 

I therefore have a very personal connection to this petition. 

As a wider community though, it is not just those gambling that this affects. It is husbands, wives, children, wider family and friends that feel the effect of this very secretive addiction. 

Apparently 1 in every 100 people are addicted to gambling. Ask yourself, how many facebook friends do you have? How many are you following on twitter? This number is multiplied when you consider a persons wider circle.

Getting over gambling is one thing, living with the consequences of debt being run up by being allowed to gamble with credit is another. 

Placing a bet online is as simple as sending a text. I have came across many, many cases of people running up thousands of pounds of credit without their partner or family having any idea.

The gambling industry, with a push from The Gambling Commission, have been trying to show they are interested in 'problem gamblers'. Advertising, a decrease in some advertising, catchy slogans, small print at the bottom of posters. I may sound cynical but I believe this is a step in the right direction.

The next step to be taken is to live by these values and remove a vulnerable persons ability to get into debt by gambling.

Gambling using credit should never be allowed.

It must stop. 

Discussions are already in place to do this. However, today (16th August 2019) online gambling firms have presented a case to the Gambling Commison on why this shouldnt happen. 

Let's please raise further awareness of this.