{"id":1179,"date":"2024-10-25T08:07:22","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T08:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buckinghamshire-removals.co.uk\/?p=1179"},"modified":"2024-10-31T15:02:37","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T15:02:37","slug":"the-dark-side-of-gambling-the-scariest-casino-addiction-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buckinghamshire-removals.co.uk\/index.php\/2024\/10\/25\/the-dark-side-of-gambling-the-scariest-casino-addiction-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dark Side of Gambling: The Scariest Casino Addiction Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Halloween is a centuries-old Celtic tradition that first began as a way to ward off spirits when the souls of the dead returned to their homes once a year. Today, it\u2019s an excuse to dress up and eat candy. <\/p>\n

Many online casinos capitalize on the spooky season, offering bonuses<\/a> like \u201cPragmatic Hallowins\u201d (a Halloween-inspired version of Pragmatic Play\u2019s \u201cDrops & Wins\u201d promotion featuring games like Big Bass Halloween<\/a> and Madame Destiny Megaways<\/a>). There are thousands of Halloween-themed slots<\/a> with exciting gameplay, bonus features, and big payout potential for those who take the risk. <\/p>\n

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Addiction is a dangerous and prominent threat to every bettor<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But much like the haunting roots of the Halloween festival, there\u2019s a dark side to gambling. Addiction is a dangerous and prominent threat to every bettor, whether you\u2019re playing at a licensed and regulated casino or a black market offshore sportsbook. <\/p>\n

Ahead of the year\u2019s scariest holiday, we\u2019ve highlighted some of the most chilling addiction stories from around the world to raise awareness of the darker side of gambling. <\/p>\n

A father sold his toddler on Facebook to bankroll his gambling <\/h2>\n

Yep, you read that right. An Indonesian man sold his child on Facebook Marketplace<\/a> <\/em>in order to keep gambling on online slots. After running out of cash for his online gambling addiction, the man \u2013 identified only as RA \u2013 decided to cash in on a desperate Facebook Marketplace ad and sell his 11-month-old baby for 15 million Indonesian Rupiah ($958). <\/p>\n

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Both the father and the couple involved in the sale were arrested<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When his wife returned home and discovered the child was missing, she immediately called the police, and the baby was soon returned. Both the father and the couple involved in the sale were arrested and questioned by the police, but the mother withdrew her case against the couple. She said that although their actions were unforgivable, she could understand the desperation of trying and failing for a decade to have a baby of their own. <\/p>\n

Gambling is a big problem in Indonesia. A journalist was killed in a home fire for reporting on gambling<\/a> in the Indonesian military; influencers in the country are being arrested for advertising black market gambling platform<\/a>s; and even its Governor has been accused of embezzling government money<\/a> and gambling millions of dollars worth of public funds. <\/p>\n

\u2018Mick Jagger\u2019 began gambling at 12 years old<\/h2>\n

Earlier this year, the UK-based broadcasting channel ITV revealed that a British man legally changed his name to Mick Jagger<\/a> in an attempt to distance himself from decades of addiction. The man, whose previous name was not revealed to the public, began wagering on horses when he was only 12 years old.<\/p>\n

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 \u2018Jagger\u2019 lost hundreds of thousands of pounds<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the five decades since he started gambling, \u2018Jagger\u2019 lost hundreds of thousands of pounds, became homeless, was disowned by his children, and contemplated suicide on numerous occasions. <\/p>\n

It was only two years ago that the 62-year-old gambler was able to turn his life around. After building a relationship with the homeless charity Emmaus, \u2018Jagger\u2019 moved into the charity\u2019s accommodation and, with their support, was finally able to overcome his addiction. Far from the rock-and-roll lifestyle of his namesake, \u2018Mick Jagger\u2019 now works as a gardener. <\/p>\n

Though he no longer gambles, \u2018Jagger\u2019 says he gets the urge every day, especially as British sports like soccer are \u201crun by gambling advertising.\u201d He\u2019s not wrong; 11 of the 20 English Premier League teams are sponsored by gambling companies. Though the EPL has instituted a ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors<\/a> by the 2026\/27 season, several major EPL teams \u2013 including Chelsea, Liverpool, and Newcastle \u2013 have recently been called out for breaching the Under 18\u2019s gambling code<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani was scammed out of $16m by his interpreter<\/h2>\n

Shohei Ohtani, superstar of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was recently embroiled in a career-defining scandal when it was revealed his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen over $16 million from Ohtani\u2019s bank account<\/a> to pay off his gambling debts. <\/p>\n

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The baseball legend had been completely unaware of the money leaving his account<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Mizuhara set up a bank account specifically for Ohtani\u2019s baseball salary, then used it to pay off the illegal sportsbooks with which he had accumulated millions in betting debts. Despite conspiracy theories of potential Yakuza coercion<\/a>, Ohtani himself was found innocent. The baseball legend had been completely unaware of the money leaving his account. <\/p>\n

Mizuhara now faces up to 33 years in prison, a fine of $1,250,000, and five years of supervised release. Matthew Bowyer, the bookmaker who accepted the bets<\/a>, has also pleaded guilty to three charges of unlawful business operation, money laundering, and false tax returns. <\/p>\n

Mizuhara\u2019s capacity for blindsiding and preying on the vulnerabilities of the very man he was hired to translate for is a horrifying tale. But you know what\u2019s even scarier? Having so much money in the bank that you don\u2019t even notice millions of dollars disappearing\u2026<\/p>\n

A son stole over $80,000 from his dying mother <\/h2>\n

In another case from across the pond, a British man named Dominic Wilkinson stole more than \u00a365,000<\/a> ($83,117) from his dying mother, who had given him control of her finances after moving into a residential care home for dementia. Instead of putting the money towards her \u00a378,000 ($99,740) care home fees, Wilkinson gambled it all away. <\/p>\n

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Wilkinson applied to the local Council for support to pay her care home fees<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Wilkinson sold his mother\u2019s house for \u00a3157,000 ($203,694) and transferred the \u00a365,000 ($84,332) to his account after the sale. When his mother\u2019s savings dropped to just \u00a38,000 ($10,379), Wilkinson applied to the local Council for support to pay her care home fees. <\/p>\n

The care services manager reported the suspicious situation to the police, who discovered that Wilkinson had made 70 payments to the Entain-owned Coral bookmakers<\/a> in just seven months. His 55-year-old mother passed away during the police investigation, and he received a two-year suspended prison sentence and 300 hours of community service.<\/p>\n

A Twitch streamer lost his life savings after partnering with Stake.com<\/h2>\n

Popular Twitch streamer DNP3 rose to fame by playing video games and giving away consoles and PCs. After venturing into the world of gambling streaming, DNP3 was offered a sponsorship agreement with the (in)famous crypto gambling platform Stake.com. <\/p>\n

Stake.com is well-known for its numerous high-profile sponsorships, most notably the Canadian rapper Drake with his Stake-sponsored giveaways<\/a> and astronomical sports bets (most of which result in astronomical losses<\/a>). But what first appeared to be a once-in-a-lifetime, career-advancing opportunity for DPN3 soon turned into a living nightmare as he fell into a deep gambling addiction and wagered away his life savings<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It took only a year or so for the streamer to fall from the peak of his career to the lowest pits of debt and despair. He\u2019s now part of a gambling rehabilitation group to aid recovery from his addiction. <\/p>\n

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streamers are finding loopholes that allow them to continue streaming casino content<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Despite a Twitch ban on gambling<\/a>, streamers are finding loopholes that allow them to continue streaming casino content<\/a>. Those who don\u2019t just move their profiles from one streaming service to another, including the Stake-backed platform Kick. <\/p>\n

Kick, whose leading live streaming category is \u2018Slots & Casino,\u2019 launched right after Twitch announced its gambling ban. It even offers a Creator Incentive Program<\/a> to entice more users to stream (and gamble) on its platform. <\/p>\n

Responsible Gambling <\/h2>\n

Feeling suitably spooked by the haunting stories detailed above? If not, you should! Gambling addiction can happen to anyone, no matter if you\u2019re a total novice or an experienced player. <\/p>\n

Online casinos make it even easier to deposit and wager life-threatening sums of money, so it\u2019s essential to implement responsible gambling habits when betting online. Set budgets, use account restriction tools, and self-exclude if necessary!<\/p>\n

Below are some of the biggest responsible gambling resources available to players around the world. Additionally, every legal gambling jurisdiction will offer localized support like counseling, toll-free phone lines, and support groups. <\/p>\n