Who is SweFjorod

[SweFjorod]

Just remembered that I haven't made a introduction of myself on this forum.

My name is Patric "SweFjorod" Andersson, I'm a 45 year old male that has a gambling addiction.

I'm not ashamed to say that I have a gambling addiction, because that was the best thing I've ever said in my entire life.

Sadly 20 years ago when I confessed to myself that I had this issue there was no help to get in Sweden.

When I talked to doctors here in Sweden they said, gambling addiction? what, it's just to quit......

Gladly I can say that's not how it is today, today the medical staff know that gambling addiction is a serious issue and there is places to get help.

What helped me get my addiction under control was from two things, talking about it, to anyone and everyone, admitting to your friends/familty saying that you have this issue.

Second thing is actually a odd one, but it's actually Texas Hold'em for me poker isn't gambling, it's all about math and psycology, I exremly rarely play poker online, I just play live at the Casino here in Gothenburg where I live.

Why I tell people I have a gambling addiction, well, it is to help myself, if they know I have this and I would ask them to borrow money, they would think twice about it and really ask why I would need the money.

I like to say that I have control over my gambling today and I allmost allways do, today I could go to a black jack table at the pub and exchange 200 SEK, if I win it to 400 SEK I stop, if I loose those 200 SEK I stop. I don't have the same urge to HAVE to gamble anymore, 20 years ago the only reason I would stop was if 1) I ran out of money, 2) The bar closed and I had to leave.

Sure, even today 20 years later I still have relapses that I spend more money than I really wanted to spend at the Casino, but I ALLWAYS pay all the bills first, I never go to the casino if not all my bills are payed, I extremly rarely ask friends to lend me money as I usually have enough as I set up a budget for everything. How much money do I need for food/coka cola/cigarettes this month, that is set aside before I put anything in the "fun" account.

If you ever want someone to talk to about gambling or whatever feel free to PM me, I've been at rock bottom and I know how it feels to be there, if I can help anyone with their addiction I'll gladly do so.

 

[SuperSmask]

Nice with the background story, welcome @SweFjorod officially 

[SweFjorod]

I think I need to explain abit more as I've got some concern about my post.

Yes, I have a gambling addiction, I will have it for as long as I live (and I know I will, this isn't something that just goes away, same with any other addiction).

• Do I have problem with gambling today ?
• I would like to say no..... but that is just fooling myself.....
•  
• Is gambling causing me stress or causing problem for me today?
• NO, will it tomorrow.... maybe.... that is the issue, if I'm not in 100% control then it's extremly easy to fall down the pit again.
•  
• Should I stay away from gambling?
• To be 100% sure I never slip up again, then yes, I should.
•  
• Do I gamble today?
• Sadly, yes I do, but I finance my gambling with winnings from Texas Hold'em.
•  
• Do I ever drink and gamble?
• No, NEVER, well, I do actually sometimes play for 200SEK on blackjack when I'm at the local pub, but like I mentioned in my first post, if I doubble the money I quit, if I loose those 200SEK I quit, so I see that as abit of fun not as gambling, I'm not fooling myself that I will win a fortune, as I quit the moment I either hit 400 or 0.
•  
• So is this blackjack at the local pub gambling?
• Both yes and no, why I would say no is that atleast for me, the reason I got into problem with gambling was because I belived I would win alot of money with no effort, "I'm going to hit the jackpot, just one of these days...." so for me peronally, it isn't gambling, for me it's just abit of fun.
•  
• Do I play blackjack everytime I go to the pub?
• No, not even close, and I go to the pub maybe 2-3 times / year
•  
• Do I go to the Casino?
• Yes, I do. I mainly go to the Casino to play poker, in the long run I'm a winning poker player, because for me poker isn't gambling, for me it's just about math and psycology, calculating your odds of winning the hand based on your hand itself and by reading your opponents. Some hands just play themself and there is nothing you can do about it. But poker is as far away from gambling as you can come (for ME, this is just the way I play poker, I know there is alot of people that have problem with poker). 
•  
• Do I only play poker when I'm at the Casino?
• Sadly most of the times, no. But the money I gamble on other games (slots, blackjack, roulette) is from my poker winnings, so I loose some of my bankroll from poker to other games, sometimes I win on other games, sometimes even big but in the long run I loose on other games.
•  
• Do I have a budget?
• Yes, I have a budget for everything these days, bills (rent, electricity, mobile phone, tv, etc.), food, cigarettes (yes, I'm addicted to cigaretts as well), coca cola (yup, another addiction), savings and my poker bankroll.
• I never gamble (past 10 years) for anything else but a part of my poker bankroll.
•  
• Do I sometimes gamble more on other games than I would have liked to?
• Yes I do, if I wouldn't gamble on anything and just play poker I could support myself on only doing that, but sadly, I'm dumb.....
•  
• So back to the question earlier, is gambling a problem for me today?
• Still the answer is, I would like to say no, but it is, it's not causing me financial problems but it is a problem never the less.

 

[SweFjorod]

Now for some personal views on addictions.

I belive that addiction is cause by a "gene" (in lack of a better word)

I belive that 1 in 10 people, all over the world has the addiction "gene"

And 1 in 10 of the people that has this "gene" allso have multiple addictions.

Not all people with this "gene" will develop a addiction because they might not ever try their addiction.

As an example, in a poor village in africa, even if 1 in 10 has the "gene" to become a alcoholic or develop a gambling addiction, they never during their lifetime ever will try alcohol or gambling so they never knew they have this "gene".

But now I'm rambling, the point for me to make these posts is actually to reach out and help others if you need someone to talk to, it doesn't matter what you want to talk about, feel free to PM me.

[SweFjorod]

Oh wonderfull, just got a call from Leo Vegas, I made this post because of a member that yesterday said that he had selfexcluded himself from all gaming sites because of his gambling addiction, I made this post just to show that I'm willing to help, to talk to anyone about anything to help them.

However Leo Vegas just called me, they have excluded me from their site, I can live with that, they allso took away my chanse to win the trip to the US and the 500 euro price that was included in it, I allso got a PM from Kim that I'm not welcome to the party on the 2nd because I'm trying to be helpfull.

Atm I'm extremly pissed of, I'm open about my gambling addiction, it helps me stay strong, I admitted to myself about it 20 years ago and haven't had any problem with it sience, however now when I try to help others I get punnished for it.

[SweFjorod]

Something people have difficult to understand.

Gambling Addiction for me is a possitive word, when I admitted to myself that I had a gambling addiction over 20 years ago was the best day in my life.

Now I know what my problem was and could start to heal.

And I have, I have a gambling addiction but today I don't have a gambling problem.

For me that is 2 different things, 20 years ago I had a serious gambling problem, today I'm cured from that, I'm still have a gambling addiction but it's not a problem, it's rather a strenght for me, I wrote that sure there is a risk that I might get a gambling problem again, but the risk of that is extremly low, just because I have the self insight that I have a gambling addiction and have learned to control it I can today enjoy gambling.

It's rather a much higher risk for a random person to get a gambling problem than it is for me just because what I above mentioned, that I have the insight that I have a gambling addiction.

What I'm trying to say, the word gambling addiction that I used in my previous posts is not a negative word, it's a possitive word.

[m3evil]

Nice to meet you Mr. Sweforjod

 

Really think its good that you told the truth, sad thing about this is that now when you told that.. You get excluded from a casino, they gladly took money from you earlier but now when you tell the truth that you have it under control and know your limits.. You are not allowed to gamble... Ffs... 

And then you also get shunned away from a party, where you really could do some good.. I'm not sure but I think you probably could spot an gambling addict from their behaviour... And might even be of some help... 

Really feel bad for you, trying to help.. Tell people about who you are... And all that you get is an kick in the face.. 

 

Keep on posting here! It's always good to have someone who knows the real deal.

[SweFjorod]

Well, the thing is, that Kim didn't say I wasn't allowed to come to the party, he recomended me not to come.

All the issues that has happend because of this is I didn't articulate myself correctly from the beginning.

The post I made after Leo Vegas called me was because I was angry.

First Kim told me that because of my post the I have a gambling addiction, it would be better if I don't come to the party.

Next Leo Vegas calls me and says that for my own well being they have excluded me from their site and stripped me from my chanses to win the trip to the US and the 500 euro pocket money.

So I was pissed off, and I wrote the post in anger.

What I tried to explain in my first post (but aparently totally failed) because when some people read Gambling Addiction it's a red flag and they stop reading, is that Gambling Addiction is a good word, not a bad one, gambling problem however is a bad thing.

For me (sorry for swedish) "Spelmissbrukare" (a person that has a gambling addiction) is a person that has confessed and have the self insight that he have a gambling problem.

With out know that a person is a "Spelmissbrukare" they can never get cured from they gambling problem.

I don't have a gambling problem, I haven't had it in 20 years, and I will most likely never have a gambling problem again because I KNOW I am a "spelmissbrukare" and because of that and that I remind myself of that every day, and work with it every day I don't have a gambling problem, and the risk of me developing a gambling problem again is minimal, but there is allways a risk alltho it's much lower for me than for those that don't know they are a "spelmissbrukare".

But because I said in my first post that I am a "spelmissbrukare" people read it the wrong way and because of that I get punnished.

I said it because I wanted to help, I help both myself and hopefully someone else that will reach out to me and want to talk.

[SweFjorod]

18 minutes ago, m3evil said:

Nice to meet you Mr. Sweforjod

 

Really think its good that you told the truth, sad thing about this is that now when you told that.. You get excluded from a casino, they gladly took money from you earlier but now when you tell the truth that you have it under control and know your limits.. You are not allowed to gamble... Ffs... 

And then you also get shunned away from a party, where you really could do some good.. I'm not sure but I think you probably could spot an gambling addict from their behaviour... And might even be of some help... 

Really feel bad for you, trying to help.. Tell people about who you are... And all that you get is an kick in the face.. 

 

Keep on posting here! It's always good to have someone who knows the real deal.

Well, the problem is that I didn't explain myself correctly from the beginning.

I didn't want to out Kim in any way, I was just pissed, and yes, I do spot people quite often that has a gambling problem (when I'm at the Casino) and I allways introduce myself and offers to talk to them if they want. For me it's easy to read people (helps me in poker as well :P) and I can spot someone with a gambling problem quite easily, I don't work with gambling problems, I do it on my free time to share my experience and trying to help other to not fall in the trap I did when I was young.

[SweFjorod]

And to explain some more about Gambling Addiction.

The brain gives the same "reward" to someone that's gambling when you have a gambling problem, to someone that takes drugs and are addicted to that.

The differense is that because you're not taking something into your body to get the "reward" (like a alcoholic or a drug addict), with help you can get cured.

Today I don't feel forced to gamble, I'm not gaining anything from gambling, I do it today because I enjoy it, not to get the kick out of it (in hopes to hit that big jackpot or whatever).

When I gamble online I usually play at micro stakes, it is as fun for me to play at a 2 SEK bet as it would be at a 50 SEK stake, so I don't need to play high stakes just to get the kick out of it.

When I got the 1000x+ hit on Fat Rabbit I bet 50 SEK, but that was with bonus money and for once I thought I would take a stab at it to try to win big (did I get a extra kick out of betting 50 SEK.... no, not at all). I got extremly lucky and it started a huge luck streak that I kept for 10 days resulting in me winning over 110k SEK, when I had that on my bank account, I stopped playing, booked a trip to Thailand (where it's forbidden by law to gamble). And had my best vacation ever for 1 month.

Did I miss gambling ? No, not at all, I didn't even think about gambling, I was just enjoying life.

For me, my gambling problem has been cured, but there is allways a risk (ofcourse) that I might develop it again (alltho that risk is minimal just because I know I have a gambling addiction).

I can't stress this enough a person that says he has a gambling addiction is a good thing, that means that the person has acnowledged that he/she has a gambling problem.

And with the right support and working with it a person that has a gambling addiction can be cured from having a gambling problem. And because a person with gambling addiction can later in life actually enjoy gambling again without falling into a gambling problem.

I have most likely repeated myself a 100 times in my posts here but I'm just trying to explain what Gambling Addiction is and that is' completly different from gambling problem.

[SweFjorod]

Well, this post has brought me more heat than I wanted...

I made this post to reach out and help people, but some people aparently just read what they want (or they can't read)....

I mentioned Gambling Addiction and then people jump the gun and say I must have a gambling problem (I haven't for 20 years) but no, it must be so, I aparently can't have a gambling addiction and not have a gambling problem, some people just don't understand how it works.... and these people work in the gambling business......

Because I made this post, I was removed from the competition that CG/Leo Vegas held yesterday that could have won me a trip to US and 500 euro in pocket money.

Because of this post people have told me that they don't recoment me to come to the party on the 2nd (as I wouldn't be able to participate in any of the events because I aparently have a gambling problem.....)

I still want to help people that wants to talk about gambling/gambling problems/anything else, this was the point of me making this post.

I'm sad that by doing that I have been punnished.

And to clarify no, I'm not going to gamble because I'm sad (just making sure as some people read what they want and make their own decitions on what's best for me)

Gambling sites say they take gambling problems seriously but when someone reaches out and offers to help those who has gambling problems then they seem fit to punnish that person, as hey, someone who is a "spelmissbrukare" and had over 20 years to work on his gambling problems can't know anything about what is best for him and others that might need help, no, it's the gambling sites that know what is best (for their business).

[SweFjorod]

What annoys me the most is that no official has even bothered to even respond to this post, they just made their judgement and then totaly ignore everything.

[artwork79]

I really have to agree that this sound of silence is kinda strange. People seem to be some kind of affraid to discuss this issue - which really is the right place to discuss it. I know there has been alot of posts previous, but that  doesn't mean that you don't learn or progress in your points of views, and there is a lot of newcommers as well. Seems confusing to answer to an important debate with nothing. Almost like the problem would disapear if noone talked about it.....
 

[Andreas]

Hi Swefjorod,

I was notified about this thread earlier today and hence why the reply has been delayed.

I believe there is some misconception about the situation here. What happened was that after your post the other day it was seen by a Leovegas representative (there are many casino reps reading the community's forums) and, as you have previously been in contact with them via the forum, they were able to identify your account. What happens then is that the casino notifies their RG department - not only because it's (what in my opinion) the responsible thing to do - they also _have to_. A licensed casino is not allowed to give a customer that has admitted to be gambling addicted their custom.

Furthermore, when a rep from CG had read your post and also learned that you were to attend the Community Party, they notified a few others in the company to inquire if it was appropriate for you to attend. As the party is gambling themed and also has some casinos and game provider sponsoring parts of it, it was deemed that it probably isn't. Shortly after this Kim contacted you and told you about our reasoning.

To be clear, we are not blocking you from the party itself but we strongly believe it's best not to attend given the theme of the party. As you've said yourself, an addiction will not go away, and even though you feel you have control right now your (and any other admitted problem gambler's) wisest choice will be to stay away from gambling related activities altogether.

I hope this clarifies our standpoint.

Best,
Andreas

[SweFjorod]

Hello @Andreas, first of all, I've never been in contact with Leovegas through this forum before, thank you for bringing this up because my username on this site is not the same as it is on Leovegas. So the only way they could have connected them together is by accessing my private information and connect my email adress from this site to the email adress in my account on Leovegas, and that is a clear breach of the GDPR Privacy Policy Complience.

And as I have written before, it was 20 years ago that I had any issues with gambling. I'm still a 'spelmissbrukare' but that is just a possitive name for me. 

And how is something that I have been looking forward to sience I was at Reggies moving in party 1 year ago in my best intrest not to attend ?

Oh and btw, I told everyone at that party 1 year ago that I was a 'spelmissbrukare' but I had no issues with gambling as I'm cured from the problems with my gambling.

Now I never bet more than I can afford, I mentioned that I sometimes bet more than I intended to but those money is still won on Texas hold'em so it's still winning money.

Where in my posts here have I ever said that I have a problem with gambling ?

All I've said the entire time is that I have managed to get out from my problems and are willing to help others.

The best way to help a person with gambling issues is to talk about it, the more you talk about it the more it helps.

But to me it seems like no, that would actually hurt our business if someone helps somebody that brings money to the company (well, it would actually hurt the business, but isn't this about people and not money) ?

But Andreas I would like you to once again read through all of my posts in this thread and please point out where it seems that I have a problem with gambling.

And to a Leovegas representative, I would like you to look at ALL of my deposits and withdraws on Leovegas, and then tell me the sum that I'm down/up. I'm actually quite sure that I'm up and not down.

[SweFjorod]

And another thing, whom of the CG staff is responsible for responsible gambling ?

What experiense does said person have with problem gambling ?

Or is it just that you read Gambling Addiction and then come to the conclusion that yeah, you've heard that word, that must be a bad thing, lets make sure we block him from everything, noone has even mentioned about helping me with my so called problem you think I have, no, lets just block him and the problem might go away.

Oh and I have solved my gambling problems (for the 100th time) I was offering to help other that still has it.

[SweFjorod]

The thing is, you have adressed this issue the wrong way, first of all Leovegas breaks the GDRP law, if you thought I had a gambling problem, you should have contacted me and talked to me to see if there was any way you could help me with my "issue".

Instead telling me that it is in my best interest not attend the party, when I kindly say that the party is something I've been looking forward to sience last year, just hoping that Kim would host another one, get told that I should respect the decition and not attend.

Now, if I would have had a gambling problem, how would that have helped me ?

The right way (if I still would have a gambling problem) would have been to ofcourse have me come and then sit down and talk to me, talking about it is the only thing that helps, geting the person to understand himself that it's not working the way he/she is destroying it's life and the life of his/hers loved ones is something that the person in question need to understand, blocking the person isn't going to help, that would just be to push the persons problem upon someone else (a other site).

I offered my help here to the CG community that with my experience and my kind and helpfull nature take the time to talk to anyone that wishes to do so.

Instead you just want me to dissapear aparently.

[SweFjorod]

I actually have to correct myself regarding the GDRP claim I made.

I totally forgot that about 1 year ago, I had contact with a representative from Leovegas and flirted to get a bonus.

So my account here on CG was actually linked to my Leovegas account.

I'm sorry for the accusation I made as it's faulty on my behalf, I totally forgot about that conversation, but got reminded through a PM

I would like to point out that I've never ever have had any issues with Leovegas prior to this.

I understand their reaction as I might not have been clear in wording in my first post.

They are under strict regulations that they must not provide content to someone that has a gambling problem.

And if you missread my first post you might assume that I have a gambling problem.

Hence my 100 replies to this thread (as you can't edit posts) trying to explain that I don't have a gambling problem, I haven't had one for over 20 years.

[NorwegianViking1991]

Seems to me that a dialogue with SweFjorod before taking any action would be the appropoiate way to tackle this difficult dilemma from LeoVegas.. I understand both sides here - but it seems a bit short handed to immideately jump to the conclusion of exclusion. 

I hope you are well, @SweFjorod. 

[SweFjorod]

5 minutes ago, NorwegianViking1991 said:

Seems to me that a dialogue with SweFjorod before taking any action would be the appropoiate way to tackle this difficult dilemma from LeoVegas.. I understand both sides here - but it seems a bit short handed to immideately jump to the conclusion of exclusion. 

I hope you are well, @SweFjorod. 

Yes, that's my point, calling someone to say we have closed your account instead of calling someone to ask how they are is the wrong way around.

Actually having a dialog with me before taking action would have been a correct way of doing it.

[NorwegianViking1991]

I bet @LetsGiveItASpin and all the others at CG thinks the same.

But the dilemma was also very clear.. Everyone with an addiciton knows that the chance of relapse is always a threat. So I can see both sides. 

 

 Your not going to the party now,  or? 

[SweFjorod]

No, I'm sadly not going to the party

[NorwegianViking1991]

Too bad, I honestly feel ?

 

But all the best anyways, my fellow (low stake) gambler ?

[SweFjorod]

So my account on LeoVegas is permanently closed and won't be reponed according to their chat.

I have been a member there for 5 years, in that time I had made these deposits and withdraws.

So, I've deposited little less than 107k SEK and withdraw abit over 116k SEK

That is, I'm 10k ahead on Leovegas over 5 years of gambling....

This is aparently the behavior of someone that has problem with gambling.

If I devide the sum of deposits over my 60 months there, I would have deposit ~1782 SEK / month, and withdraw  ~1941 SEK / month

So I'm making around 160 SEK / month there over a 5 year period, that's typical behavior of someone that has problem with gambling aparently....

This is just sad as LeoVegas is basicly the only site I play on as I've allways liked their support, they have been kind and allways acted fast when I've asked for something.

[Belona]

Waw. Respect you for your honest. Could you tell when was that main breakthrough and you open your eyes and realized about your addiction?