Student Degree Lost at Casino

David was a Gambler’s Help Southern client who participated in the Council of Gambler’s Help Services stories project, “Life After Gambling”. Thanks to David for sharing his story.

 My name is David. I arrived in Australia, from Indonesia, in 1999. I lived in Perth and did my high school year there, then came to Melbourne in 2001 to go to University. I lost $40,000 to $60,000; I lost my school fees and couldn’t stay at Uni; I have a court case happening at the moment. 

I’m 23 now. When l look back I’m full of regret…I had 97.2 for my high school TER and even though I want to go back to study, financially I’m not able to. I’m in this situation mainly because of gambling - it has ruined my future. I was really good at Maths, but now I can’t use my skills and study the things I like…I’ve used my chance already. 

I had some experience of gambling in Indonesia. I started gambling on cards with friends from 13, 14 year of age…but not much…you might lose a total of $20. After that I moved on to soccer gambling…it’s quite big for high school students… gambling $100 to $200. 

In Perth I went a few times to Burswood Casino…illegally, because I was under 18. But it was very hard for me to get in…they kept checking my ID. Over 2 years I probably only went 3 or 4 times. On New Years Eve we’d play cards at a friend’s house until morning or maybe when someone had a birthday. I was quite naughty…I started gambling at the TAB…so I know the dogs and the horses. And footy sometimes. They didn’t check my ID at the TAB.  

When I came to Melbourne I only had two friends and both of them were into gambling. So we went to Crown because it was entertainment for us. The first few times I played the pokies, then I moved on to baccarat.  

First, I did actuarial studies…commerce, including probability, so I knew that in any gambling game the chance to lose is more than the chance to win …and they already take commission for the games…but every time I tried new things, they always seemed to give me a win. Then as I gambled more and more, I’d start losing.  What I’d lose today, I’d want to win back tomorrow. Then I changed to studying IT, but I didn’t really like it. At the time I was only thinking, “Let’s do the easy one and just graduate”…but I was already too lazy.  

I think I was gambling quite big because, after 3 or 4 months gambling in the Casino, one of my friends borrowed some of the money put aside for my school fees…$1,500. He said it wasn’t for him, but for another friend who is very rich. I said “OK, I‘ll lend the money but you return it to me in the next two days”. I thought, “It’s the really rich guy so it’s OK”. But then he didn’t return it to me for a few weeks, so I couldn’t pay my school fees and I couldn’t contact him. I was so desperate that I tried to win back my school fees…I was about $1,000 short and I didn’t think I could actually pay half at a time. Then my school fees were all gone. It wasn’t the rich guy who had borrowed the money, it was him. He tricked not only me but two other friends for about $7,000 altogether…we got it back but I’d already lost my money. 

By May or June 2003 I had lost a lot and I was relying on my girlfriend for money to live. At that time, I went with her to Crown just to meet up with a friend, but we met another guy who usually gambled with me. He asked me to lend him a bank card or credit card so he could put money on them and then give me some commission at the end. I didn’t expect it was money laundering or that he had stolen money from somewhere else. To be honest, I suspected maybe it was illegal money like drug money that he couldn’t receive. He promised me that nothing would happen to me because it wasn’t my illegal money – I was only helping him. I agreed with to help him. Most of that money went to pay my debts. 

Before gambling I played games…games on the computer. When I was in Indonesia maybe I played some sport…soccer or badminton. But when I came to Australia, I didn’t have the equipment and not many friends to go with, so mostly it was games on the computer or snooker and pool. I think it was at the TAB that it first got out of control…maybe I would lose $1,000 a day…but it wasn’t so often.  

At the start in Melbourne I only lost $50 to $100, but it just got bigger. By 2003 it was almost 7 days a week. For half a year to a year it was about $1,000 a day.Usually, I’d go there after I woke up, withdraw some money and keep going until I had lost it all or until I had won quite a lot…then I’d go. On average, it would be 3 or 4 hours. The most I was there at any one time was 36 hours. 

I didn’t really think about “problem gambling” in Indonesia…but then I was only playing a bit, with not much money, just for fun. I don’t know if more information about the risks would have helped me then - I just did what I wanted to do. Maybe make the legal age for gambling 21…I think 18 is still a little young. It’s not fair that 19, 20 olds gamble using their parents’ money…it’s not their own money, money that they worked for.  

Only my friends knew I gambled, my parents didn’t know. They know now – they were angry but by the time I told them, I had already stopped. Actually my life changed quite a lot, because when I was gambling I never went to Uni, only played games, went out with my girlfriend…did nothing every day. I never thought about my future… but then the turning point was when I stayed with my family. I learned…small things… like they ask me, “Please turn off the light when you go out” or “Please turn on the fan when you have a shower.” I think those small things, bit by bit, they changed my life from really bad to being a better person. I have been helping my family in their shop for almost 2 years now. 

Basically I have to have lots of activities every day because for me, when I’m bored and have nothing to do, that’s when I think of gambling. I try to keep busy at home, play games, chat with friends. I’ve only been to Crown maybe 2 or 3 times in the last year…especially when I feel really depressed or angry. The last few times I never won…I’d say to myself, “Why are you playing again? 

When I started my court case, they suggested I phone Gambler’s Help. It’s been good. I had no idea of counselling before...my lawyer recommended it. First time I was a bit worried because I thought maybe the counsellor would ask me things I didn’t want to answer. But counselling has been a benefit to me because I gamble no more. 

Lots of overseas students are losing money on gambling, especially from Indonesia. My advice to someone starting to gamble…maybe it would be better to find recreation other than gambling, because if gambling becomes a problem, it can be as bad as drugs...it can ruin your life. And you can’t turn back the time.