Responsibility for our own actions

I think freezing the interest on huge credit card debts is a good idea marpau as long as the person wasn't allowed to carry on running up more debts and it is a once only chance . From experience it's so easy to let credit cards get out of control when you don't have a steady income or your income fluctuates a bit. There are many times when if it hadn't been for credit cards I wouldn't have been able to buy essentials . Luckily I have always managed to pay the minimum payments but the interest can be massive .
It's so easy to judge others but the words "walk a mile in someone else's shoes" springs to mind .

My maternal Grandfather was a compulsive gambler, he had a good job but my Mother grew up in poverty. remembers going hungry, and no shoes for going to school. She had to leave school at 12 to help out the family and used to hide her wages in her knickers so her father could not find them. It has coloured her entire life, and at 97 is still afraid of "the poorhouse".
Gambling is an awful addiction and the fine this company recieved is not enough, they should have their licence revoked.

All this "toughen up and take responsibility " stuff presupposes that everyone is equally capable, and that everyone is in a situation they can control. That's not always so.

My maternal grandmother bought endless goods from the 'tally man' and her children were hungry and poorly dressed, although my grandfather had a decent job. Perhaps retail therapy was her answer to an unhappy life, who knows, but it certainly didn't help her children. There does seem to be a trend to blame others for the results of personal weaknesses; I had a neighbour whose child stole a bottle of nail polish from a local shop and the owner rang the parents rather than the police, only to be told that it was his fault for having things on display. I imagine that child grew up with a slightly distorted sense of what was acceptable behaviour, and an article in a newspaper recently had a similar story line from a person who felt that it was the fault of retailers for having goods on display. Another article said that student' exam cheating was the fault of teachers who should be more vigilant. I am struggling to see how. There are doubtlessly individuals who have serious problems with addiction but we do seem to have a 'no shame, no blame' culture now which tries to excuse absolutely anything

Saw that on the news but it's what you can expect with online betting some people are just not responsible for their actions
It's rediculous what these company's let them do. They just want their money.

I think the whole of society has a moral duty to support those who are frail, mentally or physically.. and companies have an obligation not to take advantage of such people.
Those of us who are lucky enough to be self regulating and healthy should, of course, show some restraint.

But MawBrown Gambling is an addiction/illness and if one is addicted to gambling they need help.

There should be a limit as to how much one can spend on online gambling at any given time.

It does not cure the addict, however it limits the actual gambling.

The OP is really misleading about why the betting firm was fined ( and I agree with the PP who said it should have lost its licence). This firm ( registered in Gibraltar- I wonder why?)was fined because it ignored the express wishes of 7000 people trying their best to not bet by voluntarily banning themselves from gambling on the company's site and the firm allowed them to continue to access their accounts. The gamblers were taking responsibility and deserved to be supported in this. My link to the Guardian article demonstrated the really dirty tricks that some betting companies are using - deliberately targeting people who have stopped gambling and/or are on low incomes. It comes to something doesn't it when we as human beings think that the 'nanny state' shouldn't try to help and support people who are already trying to help themselves and we should just let them be treated badly because it's up to them to show personal responsibility. And that's before the issue of gambling as an addiction. If society means anything, then there should also be corporate responsibility. Out of interest, I went on the 888 website ( the firm that was fined) and it's frankly a disgrace.

One way of looking at the Stock Market is that it's based on gambling. And they're the people who help to run our economy (such as it is.)

Gambling is the same sort of addiction as alcohol. We can't ask the Government to curb alcohol sales to alcoholics, it would be impossible. By the same token, I think that it would be impossible to curb someone with a gambling addiction. If they are curbed by one shop they will just go to the next. The "cure" for any addiction is for the addict to reach rock bottom and get help or for them to realise they have a problem and get help hopefully before that point.

But Bam the point I was making is that these people banned themselves and the firm ignored their wishes. Perhaps they had got to rock bottom - they certainly needed supporting in their wishes, not ignoring

Yes! maryeliza54 I totally agree with you that these people who are trying to take control of their addiction should be allowed to ban themselves. And if these firms are deliberately targeting them, that is disgusting and the firm's should face a massive fine.

I just think its sad that some (not all of course) posters were very quick to criticise individual gamblers but don't seem to think that betting companies should be criticised at all

I feel desperately sorry for anyone addicted to gambling , alcohol or anything else. It's definitely an illness and they deserve to be helped. Gambling is being used as a cash-cow by the Government now that their coffers are not being filled as much by taxes on tobacco. Advertising gambling sites on tv should be made illegal.

It's a disgusting way to make money anyway - tempting people to participate in an activity which, if they continue with it, will guarantee they will end up poorer or even destitute.

I, like maryeliza, am astonished that many posters on here are quick to judge people with a gambling problem but appear to see very little wrong with betting firms which use every trick in the book to draw people in and get them hooked.

I think perhaps vulnerable people are more easily trapped into ways that appear irresponsible. With the current state of zero hours contracts, pitifully inadequate wages and a government that seems intent on grinding people who are poor into poverty that we have not seen since Victorian times, it is all too tempting to pay essential bills on credit cards. I was in a similar position after I lost my job due to disability - I was not eligible for any council tax relief, I had a mortgage and quite simply did not have any option other than to pay for the council tax on my credit card. It racked up and soon became counter productive. I was extremely fortunate in being able to sell my house clear the debt and move to a cheaper area of the country. Many people who get trapped in these downward spirals through no fault of their own, are not so lucky. They have nowhere to turn, and what do you do if your children are hungry or you are threatened with having gas or electricity cut off?
Gambling - for those who are addicted is an irresistable compulsion and like addicts of all kinds need help, not censure. Sadly as the first post in today's gransnet demonstrates, help with mental health problems is very rare.

maryeliza54 The reason I believe, that as you say, many posters were very quick to criticise individual gamblers is because they have no concept of what it is, to be truly desperate and engulfed by such an addiction and therefore they make a judgement having never had any experience of it.

If these 'judgemental posters' had to live just one day as an addicted gambler or alcoholic they would have a much different opinion.

It is a forgivable offence in that if you know not of an experience how can you have true knowledge of it.

YES we all should take responsibility for our actions, of course we should, however we are all different and were one may be strong in character and would never attempt to get out of control, others may not be as fortunate to have that type of characteristic about them.

How does the old saying go ..Do not judge me less you have walked a mile in my shoes..

Absolutely agree with you serkeen I just wish I was as perfect as some of the posters on this thread.

Yes me too Ilovecheese and serkeen I find it sad that some are so quick to criticise when they might not have ever been in such desperate situation.

maryeliza54 thanks so much for pointing out that this was compulsive gamblers trying to control their addiction and the gambling companies ignoring their self imposed ban because (apparently) of a soft ware failure. In my opinion the fine was well deserved and should have been more. It's nothing to do with the "nanny state" but of having a well regulated industry where the vulnerable are protected. I don't suppose many of you would sympathise with the drug dealer rather than the addict, this is entirely similar.
It is wrong to make money from the weaknesses and vulnerability of others. Companies who do so (and I include breweries and alcohol producers) should be taxed to provide an adequate service to support those whose lives are ruined by them.

Trisher your use of the phrase 'well regulated' instead of the emotive 'nanny state' is very apposite. There are many things in every day life that are well regulated ( or as well regulated as possible) that take away from us our personal choice, freedoms and responsibility because such regulation makes for a safer, more protected, healthier society. I appreciate that there are debates to be had about where to draw the line but giving online gambling companies and banks unfettered rights with no responsibilities is clearly for many of us not acceptable.

Cigarettes and alcohol are heavily taxed. Is gambling taxed in the same way? If not, perhaps it should be.

It's very complicated, tax is paid on profits for most gambling, but then some,for instance gambling on machines is then not subject to VAT. I have no doubt that there are ways to maximise your allowances by 'adjusting' your profits.

I remember, back in the 60's before I was married, my Mum and Dad discussing a neighbour's marriage break-up due to the husband's gambling and Dad saying it was a worse addition than drink or "another woman" as it could be covered up until it was too late and everything was lost. During the war he had been stationed with guys who were compulsive gamblers and would bet on anything. Of course back then there wasn't the "attractive" places to go to lose your money!!

VIOLETTE, you have obviously been through some terrible times

I think you're right - addicts cannot be saved from themselves, they have to be saved by themselves. I have a close friend who was a GP in an area where alcoholism was a major problem, and he always maintained that the only ones who managed to kick the habit were those who made the decision to do so themselves.

If I can go back to the OP, we have had our credit card limit increased without asking for it more than once, and had to contact the bank to get them to reduce it again.