The US national gambling impact study commission called these electronic gambling machines the crack cocaine of creating new addicted gamblers. ~ John Kindt , Professor, Business and Legal Policy, University of Illinios

The worst thing that ever happen to me was winning some money, I ended up spending more money trying to replicate the feeling. ~ Slot-machine Player.

Once you interact with these machines, the dynamic changes, and what you get out of these machines is not necessary the excitement and thrill of winning but the pleasure of being in this rhythmic zone. ~ Assistant Professor Natasha Schull

It was like a trance that came over me ~ Slot-machine Player

When you are sitting in front of that machine, you are intoxicated. You have not taken a pill, you have not taken a drink, you have not put something into your vein, but that doesn’t mean your brain chemistry haven’t change. ~ Dr Robert Breen, Director, Gambling Treatment Program, Rhode Island Hospital

In 2001, Doctor Hans Breiter and colleagues at Massachusetts General hospital conducted an experiment comparing the brain of a cocaine addict receiving a dose of cocaine and a healthy control subject playing the game of chance.

You look at the brain images of the activation of the primary reward system in the center of the human brain when they are a cocaine addict expecting a cocaine infusion vs a normal control subject expecting a monetary win, we saw the same thing, they are nearly identical, I could not distinguish who have receive cocaine and who have won a gambling task. ~ Doctor Hans Breiter, Director, Motivational and Emotional Neuroscience Center, Massachuset ts General hospital

The Gambling industry members talk about how to keep the people playing the machine longer, faster and more intensively and the way they speak about their aim is an aim of player extinction. Keeping the player there until their budget is thoroughly exhausted , until they have zero the player out.

Hi Rip and welcome to the forum. I hate to tell you but if you continue it will only get worse. I can say from experience. In four years of gambling over a roughly six year period of time I managed to sabotage my life.

You threw away your cards but we all know how to get replacements or new ones. Can you ban from the casinos? Not possible? Well then can you ask a trusted family member to help you with money? If we don’t have access to money we can’t gamble.

Thank you as from me as well Kin! You have always been so smart, intelligent. We know that falling for this doesn’t mean we are stupid people. Thank you for being here.

Keep posting RIP. We are often isolated because of our addiction. Staying connected to those who know what this addiction is like can be part of the answer.

Keep searching for answers and knowledge. Take care,
Laura

Laura has some great advice.
There’s barriers that can help you and the more the better.
You have taken a huge step coming here, read the threads, post to others, take on board what others have done to help themselves. Not everything works for everyone, so its a matter of trying things to see how it goes.
You can live a gamble free life. Do something now. This addiction is progressive, so the sooner you do something the better.
I hope to read more from you.
Love K xxx