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Paul Merson... Gambling Addiction

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
But but but its just a bit of harmless fun innit....a bit like drinking or light drugs.

Ban it? Oh no no no no no
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
But but but its just a bit of harmless fun innit....a bit like drinking or light drugs.

Ban it? Oh no no no no no

Not sure there's much of a movement to ban it altogether, but I think there's a growing feeling that the advertising of it in particular has gone way too far and that bookies are not being held accountable for deliberately taking advantage of people who they know full well are gambling away far more than they can afford to.

For example, if a landlord of a pub kept plying someone with booze to the point of lunacy and the customer ended up dying of alcohol poisoning, I bet the landlord would lose their license. If a bookie knows someone has gambled away tens of thousands, had their house reposessed, their wife and kids left them etc. and they still keep encouraging them to gamble on the FOBTs etc. there seems to be absolutely zero repercussions for them.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,353
87,819
I remember a sky match donkey's years ago, where Merson was in the commentary box, and the commentator who wasn't that tit Martin Tyler, said something like;

"... so close, you'd have bet your house on him scoring that"
Merson: "A couple of years ago and I would have".
 

WorcesterTHFC

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2016
1,777
2,545
Doesn't help that he works for Sky and with the old boys brigade who push SkyBet every Saturday, from Super 6 to betting on which way the wind is going to blow.

They best take a long hard look at themselves. Hope he gets the help he needs
Does Herr Klopp have a quick bet on that?

Don't know about anyone else reading this, but there's an advert for 888 casino on my screen. The last time I bet on anything was at Newmarket races about 25 years ago, and I have no wish to start again (not that I was anything like a heavy gambler anyway). As it is, I've wasted too much money on other stuff.
 
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spurs mental

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2007
25,075
49,234
Does Herr Klopp have a quick bet on that?

Don't know about anyone else reading this, but there's an advert for 888 casino on my screen. The last time I bet on anything was at Newmarket races about 25 years ago, and I have no wish to start again (not that I was anything like a heavy gambler anyway). As it is, I've wasted too much money on other stuff.

I've got "Mature Ladies in your area" on mine.



Think the ads are random to be honest.


:cautious:
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Does Herr Klopp have a quick bet on that?

Don't know about anyone else reading this, but there's an advert for 888 casino on my screen. The last time I bet on anything was at Newmarket races about 25 years ago, and I have no wish to start again (not that I was anything like a heavy gambler anyway). As it is, I've wasted too much money on other stuff.

I just get one advertising black prostitutes for some reason. "Blacky" the website is apparently called :confused:
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
I did initially think, fuck him, he's a bit of a prick. But after seeing him on the Redknapp ITV show the addition sounds horrible. I guess its one of those you don't understand until its happening to you.
 

Insomnia

Twisted Firestarter
Jan 18, 2006
20,199
55,542
I did initially think, fuck him, he's a bit of a prick. But after seeing him on the Redknapp ITV show the addition sounds horrible. I guess its one of those you don't understand until its happening to you.
I genuinely felt sorry for him, was proper made up when he scored the winner too.
Sadly, like our Gazza, he's full of demons that he faces every day. Regardless of who they played for I hope they both get on top of they're situations, but history has showed us (George Best etc) that's unlikely :cry:
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
I did initially think, fuck him, he's a bit of a prick. But after seeing him on the Redknapp ITV show the addition sounds horrible. I guess its one of those you don't understand until its happening to you.

As someone who has suffered from the misery of addiction ( not gambling) I always feel empathy towards another addict. And moving the Arsenal connections to one side Merson seems like a decent guy, despite his inane punditry.

Thought that whole programme was very entertaining and quite sad in another way as you realise the huge vacuum created by retiring for these guys.

Although I did find it a bit pathetic how Fowler was simply unable to go two days without going on the piss and sneaking out like a teenager. Also don’t have much faith in Razor Ruddock modifying his lifestyle :D.

Seems Harry is now going to be on every other programme and advert on ITV as well. Got himself a new career.
 

Insomnia

Twisted Firestarter
Jan 18, 2006
20,199
55,542
As someone who has suffered from the misery of addiction ( not gambling) I always feel empathy towards another addict. And moving the Arsenal connections to one side Merson seems like a decent guy, despite his inane punditry.

Thought that whole programme was very entertaining and quite sad in another way as you realise the huge vacuum created by retiring for these guys.

Although I did find it a bit pathetic how Fowler was simply unable to go two days without going on the piss and sneaking out like a teenager. Also don’t have much faith in Razor Ruddock modifying his lifestyle :D.

Seems Harry is now going to be on every other programme and advert on ITV as well. Got himself a new career.
I agree with most points, but, if Robbie Fowler wants to go out on the piss good fucking luck to him. He dedicated himself to football & was fucking good at it. Now he's retired he can do what he wants as far as I'm concerned
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
I agree with most points, but, if Robbie Fowler wants to go out on the piss good fucking luck to him. He dedicated himself to football & was fucking good at it. Now he's retired he can do what he wants as far as I'm concerned

Yeah fair enough. Footballers do make a lot of social sacrifices in their teen/early adult years..... although listening to Parlour say he regularly sunk 30/40 pints a week whilst playing high level football maybe not that many sacrifices!
 

Insomnia

Twisted Firestarter
Jan 18, 2006
20,199
55,542
Yeah fair enough. Footballers do make a lot of social sacrifices in their teen/early adult years..... although listening to Parlour say he regularly sunk 30/40 pints a week whilst playing high level football maybe not that many sacrifices!

That amount would mean me having to cut down drastically :cautious:
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
As someone who has suffered from the misery of addiction ( not gambling) I always feel empathy towards another addict. And moving the Arsenal connections to one side Merson seems like a decent guy, despite his inane punditry.

Thought that whole programme was very entertaining and quite sad in another way as you realise the huge vacuum created by retiring for these guys.

Although I did find it a bit pathetic how Fowler was simply unable to go two days without going on the piss and sneaking out like a teenager. Also don’t have much faith in Razor Ruddock modifying his lifestyle :D.

Seems Harry is now going to be on every other programme and advert on ITV as well. Got himself a new career.

I've been listening to Johann Hari talk a lot about addiction and please allow me to butcher everything he says but he has fascinating insight into addiction. That addiction isn't necessarily about the chemical hooks from drugs or alcohol or the particular thing you are addicted to but it's about your life in general.

He talks about how they put rats in a cage with 2 bottles of water, one with cocaine in and the rats will kill themselves by drinking the cocaine water. However if you do the same experiment and give rats plenty of things which make a rats life meaningful then they won't drink the cocaine water. There's pretty good human evidence too from where they've legalised Heroin in Switzerland but give them help with employment etc and the same in Portugal too, all drugs are legal and they help addicts get jobs and find purpose in life and the results are staggering.

The reason I quoted yours is because as you say it's the vacuum of purpose in life that can lead to addiction issues, personally I think the actual illness of addiction as the same across the board, where you're trying to get that dopamine hit to keep your brain happy but the symptoms of some addictions are far worse in say drugs or alcohol because you're poisoning your body or in gambling where you can ruin your financial security.

Here's it put in a far better way than I have:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4JEDaIAOlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxdNYWJNDts&t
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
I've been listening to Johann Hari talk a lot about addiction and please allow me to butcher everything he says but he has fascinating insight into addiction. That addiction isn't necessarily about the chemical hooks from drugs or alcohol or the particular thing you are addicted to but it's about your life in general.

He talks about how they put rats in a cage with 2 bottles of water, one with cocaine in and the rats will kill themselves by drinking the cocaine water. However if you do the same experiment and give rats plenty of things which make a rats life meaningful then they won't drink the cocaine water. There's pretty good human evidence too from where they've legalised Heroin in Switzerland but give them help with employment etc and the same in Portugal too, all drugs are legal and they help addicts get jobs and find purpose in life and the results are staggering.

The reason I quoted yours is because as you say it's the vacuum of purpose in life that can lead to addiction issues, personally I think the actual illness of addiction as the same across the board, where you're trying to get that dopamine hit to keep your brain happy but the symptoms of some addictions are far worse in say drugs or alcohol because you're poisoning your body or in gambling where you can ruin your financial security.

Here's it put in a far better way than I have:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4JEDaIAOlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxdNYWJNDts&t

No you are quite correct. There is no surefire rule that no one with a fullfilling life can become an addict, but it’s a pretty good starting point.

Any addiction or obsessive behaviour in general is a product of other underlying issues. Even if they don’t seem glaringly obvious.

I know this from personal experience as often the problem is not so much conquering the addiction itself, but dealing with the problems which led to the addiction in the first place. Which is one of the reasons why relapse is so common. Often when people quit they are left with all the same problems they had before they became an addict, except now they have an addiction on top of it.

Oh and agree with the legalisation of drugs you mentioned for several reasons. Safer, more likely as you say to get help with personal life issues, cuts out a huge industry of organised crime and would net the country a huge tax windfall as well if done right. There would obviously be some downsides and there are valid counter arguments, but overall in the long term I think it would be beneficial and the “war on drugs” as successive governments call it is completely futile.

Will never happen though. Middle England won’t abide it and no government has the balls to do it.
 
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spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
As someone who has suffered from the misery of addiction ( not gambling) I always feel empathy towards another addict. And moving the Arsenal connections to one side Merson seems like a decent guy, despite his inane punditry.

Thought that whole programme was very entertaining and quite sad in another way as you realise the huge vacuum created by retiring for these guys.

Although I did find it a bit pathetic how Fowler was simply unable to go two days without going on the piss and sneaking out like a teenager. Also don’t have much faith in Razor Ruddock modifying his lifestyle :D.

Seems Harry is now going to be on every other programme and advert on ITV as well. Got himself a new career.

Redknapp will do anything for a bit of cash, he’s slways been the same.

The bit I’ve bolded from your post was what struck me too.

Also Chamberlain’s wife talking to the other 2 wives was quite revealing when she said they had to be quite forgiving and the other two agreed. No idea why they marry so young.
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
No you are quite correct. There is no surefire rule that no one with a fullfilling life can become an addict, but it’s a pretty good starting point.

Any addiction or obsessive behaviour in general is a product of other underlying issues. Even if they don’t seem glaringly obvious.

I know this from personal experience as often the problem is not so much conquering the addiction itself, but dealing with the problems which led to the addiction in the first place. Which is one of the reasons why relapse is so common. Often when people quit they are left with all the same problems they had before they became an addict, except now they have an addiction on top of it.

Oh and agree with the legalisation of drugs you mentioned for several reasons. Safer, more likely as you say to get help with personal life issues, cuts out a huge industry of organised crime and would net the country a huge tax windfall as well if done right. There would obviously be some downsides and there are valid counter arguments, but overall in the long term I think it would be beneficial and the “war on drugs” as successive governments call it is completely futile.

Will never happen though. Middle England won’t abide it and no government has the balls to do it.

It's very hard not to be cynical in this world when you do some digging, see what has been possible in other parts of the world and also what science has taught us about human beings and we won't implement any of it despite the numbers.
 

Dr Know

SC Supporter
Aug 21, 2008
11,492
9,306
This is something that's always bothered me and I guess this thread is a good place as any to mention it.

I started listening to talk sport in the mornings on my commute to work and I can't remember a single day (when Alan Brazil) is on that he does not mention drinking or gambling. That sound he makes (pulling is finger on the side of his mouth, making a popping sound) when he's referring to champagne is just cringe worthy and he's always taking about putting bets on.
The point is, there is much more that can be done to assist some people from taking this path or even those trying to get out of it

I no longer listen to that shite station, which is a shame as he used to have some good guests on there
 

CantSmileWithoutYou

Well-Endowed Member
May 20, 2015
3,851
15,419
This is something that's always bothered me and I guess this thread is a good place as any to mention it.

I started listening to talk sport in the mornings on my commute to work and I can't remember a single day (when Alan Brazil) is on that he does not mention drinking or gambling. That sound he makes (pulling is finger on the side of his mouth, making a popping sound) when he's referring to champagne is just cringe worthy and he's always taking about putting bets on.
The point is, there is much more that can be done to assist some people from taking this path or even those trying to get out of it

I no longer listen to that shite station, which is a shame as he used to have some good guests on there
I still listen to talk sport every weekday and most shows on and off, and still like it for my sins.

However. Pretty much every show is sponsored or supported by a different bookmaker with a feature in each show from the particular shows bookie discussing odds on anything/everything.

Coral/Paddy Power etc. Never did understand why there was no conflict of interest with competing bookmakers.
 

Gb160

Well done boys. Good process
Jun 20, 2012
23,646
93,314
I did initially think, fuck him, he's a bit of a prick. But after seeing him on the Redknapp ITV show the addition sounds horrible. I guess its one of those you don't understand until its happening to you.
Yeah I dislike him as a pundit because he talks a load of old nonsense.
But on a human level it’s not nice seeing someone in that state.
 
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