Gambling is a bad addiction and less noticeable so it goes under the raider

My housemate in group home has a gambling addiction and he goes out every UC benefit day at midnight when the money goes in to the local 24/7 casino in town and literally puts all his benefit money into the machines until he’s skint. He doesn’t buy food or cigarettes. Then he’s asking me for to lend him money, I don’t mind helping him out if he buys food and he always pays me back so I don’t mind.. It just seems like his type of gambling goes under the radar especially with my group home support staff who don’t support him with it because he has mental capacity, when I was drinking I had more help and support off staff.

It must be horrible being skint for a whole 2 weeks until next benefit day? He doesn’t seem to mind… Thing is I’m deemed to lack capacity with money by a psychologist and I always have money as I get my personal allowance which is £155 every week and I don’t have to pay anything out of it. He has capacity and wastes his money. Does that mean he lacks capacity when he’s wasting his money? It doesn’t make sense to me.

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its a horrible, costly addiction. I have struggling with online gambling in the past.

Just a word of advice, i wouldnt help him with money. Its enabling him. It sounds as though he has a issue with it. Food is a priority and gambling food money …well.. its not good.

I did the same thing a year ago. Gambled money for bills and money for food. So i had to sell a games console I had. In a way it was my punishment… I didnt ask anyone to help me… I literally sold things than meant alot to me to get the money back in my account.

After that I put myself on gamstop. Its a website that bans you from all onlien gambling sites. Though if he is doing it in person at real casinos this would be useless to him.