Yes! Way to go. I also blocked my atm , creditcard and check cashing from casinos but I did it by sending a form I got at everi.com n it blocks nationwide at casinos. Then I gav my atm card to my daughter. Because my bank doesn't let u blocked atms at the bank. But anyway it has limited me loosing as much as I had been. But it's funny how after I did loose, the thought was.... Just how can I get cash now. But then on the way home I said same as u. Thank God I couldn't get any money. Yeah for us. At least we are trying to limit damage. Even tho we know we have to stop gambling at all cost. Hang in there. One day I will beat this addiction.

This can work for many folks, not everyone. Maybe it is my multiple decades of gambling addiction or my compulsive/addictive personality, but "controlled" gambling does not work for me. It has worked for short periods, but ultimately gambling in any amount, even pretend gambling triggers me to go back to full bore gambling. The only way I can stay abstinent is for it to be pretty total.
I do not quite restrict myself as much as GA suggests we may have to. For instance they define gambling as playing for money, or points or to earn prizes. So this definition would include Scrabble, Yahtzee, all board games, collect and win games at grocery stores. Every one must figure out what our own triggers are. Scrabble, Yahtzee, Cribbage, Spider Solitaire don't trigger me. Poker or slots for free on line, pretend gambling with poker chips and sometimes the "candy crush" type games trigger me. I don't play them any more. I have a friend in recovery that had to quit going fishing. The anticipation of catching the fish was giving her the feeling of gambling. I know actually going to a casino would send me over into the deep end.

I do not want to discourage you, if this works for you, great! I did use all the cash blocking tools I had as slot machines are almost on every corner, in every deli, bar and restaurant in my town.

Yes I guess I'm lucky here that we don't have gambling everywhere just one big casino. Inwas not trying to say to keep gambling but have control .. I was stating until I'm fully 100% gamble free .. I still screw up and go and at least it's not as devestaing .. My main eye on the prize is to never gamble again. people were just asking for ways to prevent spending so much money, and I just informing people until there are 100% done gambling not work for me

I put up road blocks, Got rid of ATM card, gave money to my husband. I am still asking myself how I became so crafty getting money.
Here is the problem that has nothing to do with money. It was when I lied about where I was. When I left work "Sick" just to go to the casino and then didn't beat my husband home and had to come up with some elaborate lie to cover my tracks. The sick feeling after I lied was worse then the sick feeling of losing money.
How did I become this person that would look someone in the face a lie to them? The lies were coming easier and easier. What level would I stoop to?
No more............... Self Ban was the only way for me to stop the lies.

Maria said it, it isn't about how much money you loose. On the surface it seems as though getting into financial devastation gets people into recovery but, it has more to do with who we become because of gambling. Financial will get better in time when you stop digging the hole deeper. However, the lost self, time and our dignity does not recover unless we truly work on how and why we got to the point where we are now.
Everyone has different approach of their recovery just as everyone has different triggers to gamble. But the one most commonly talked about among gamblers in recovery, who has some time under their belt, is how we appreciate our life without gambling, what makes us feel so much better as a person, emotionally and psychologically. It isn't about how we are able to control our gambling but it is more about living freely, honestly and with honor and dignity we've once lost by gambling.
Kudos to your effort! Keep doing what works for you. One day at a time!

Love,
Victoria

Great idea. I'm a scratcher addict, and the ATM was not my friend. So I limited my withdrawals to $20 a day. The bank people look at you funny but it is SO worth it. I applaud you for setting up roadblocks!

I've done a similar thing and it does tend to help.

Hi blonde1900,

When I first tried to quit, I put myself on a budget, much like you. I gave myself $40-100 per week to go to the casino (as opposed to $300-1200).

This worked for about six months. Sometimes I won, sometimes I lost, but it didn't matter, because I could technically afford a swing up or down of $40-100 per week without my significant other noticing. I thought I had the best of all worlds.

And then, about six months in, I had a windfall. I was ecstatic. About $9K, all at once.

Of course, I reasoned, I wasn't going to gamble it all. I was just going to "supplement" my casino wagers with this $9K. Just enough to double it, I thought.

So I went back. A few hundred here, a thousand a time or two, and before you knew it, I was bringing the entire $9K, in cash from a bewildered-looking bank clerk, to the casino at the bottom of my bag. I reasoned I needed to spend money to make money.

I don't need to tell you how this ended for me. I think you already know; I went up $2K and then proceeded to lose $11K on a dreadful day at the casino. And I ended up having to tell my significant other the whole story. I didn't even quit for four months later, at which time I did a self-ban.

Look, you have to do what works best for you, and I hope that my cautionary tale is received as it is meant to be, which is just a gentle warning that I personally could not wane myself away. I consider myself to be a person of solid judgment and character, but I could not think clearly so long as I was under the power of our addiction. Maybe you can. But I thought I would share in case it helps or resonates at all.

I tried the method of controlled gambling with some success at first. I told myself it was wasteful not to go and use my "reward play" sinced I had "earned" it. I would only bring enough cash to activate the reward play and I'd leave my credit cards and ATM card at home. After a few visits I starting bringing those cards with me again. I rationalized my actions by convincing myself that if I didn't come with access to money some karmic energy floating around the universe would sense I had no bankroll and I'd be destined to lose since I couldn't play past my reward play. My point is ultimately the solution is to quit for good as we all will eventually fall back into old habits. Once someone crosses the line into compulsive gambling it is no longer possible to switch back to a casual gambler. This addiction simply does not function that way.

Agree completely Limit, once you cross that line you are a compulsive gambler for life. Your choice if you want to die that way,misriable and broke.