Punter loses thousands on “grate gambling site”

Following the summit on Internet gambling we talked to people who find wagering too much of a temptation. This is the story of one woman who did not wish to be named, Marge Billingsworth.
"It all started one afternoon when I heard about a grate gambling site. It was so easy to get access to, I could play all day without having to travel to a casino or even to my local newsagent for scratch cards.

"I would play for a few hours a day. Initially I was just doing £10 a throw, but then I realised it was more exciting doing £30, then £60 and more. By the end of the week I was completely hooked. I would sit on the kerb and throw the notes towards the drain. Some would flutter harmlessly to the side, others would land across the grate, but as I threw increasingly large bundles of cash into the sky, more and more would fall into the sewer.

"The thing is there were no warnings at all on the grate. No one told me that I could so easily lose thousands of pounds, nor that I would develop a bad case of piles from sitting on the cold pavement.

"There needs to be more regulation to save us from ourselves and from doing things that are, well, obvious to most people. Friends tried to help me – they said that if I talked to someone or took advice from a professional that I would probably be sectioned as frankly if I can’t cope with something as straightforward as gambling then how can I realistically take part in society?

"I was one of the lucky ones, I discovered Internet gambling, now I can sit in the comfort of my own home playing poker without any risk of piles. Other than the piles of debts I am accumulating!"