A small bet for “fun” can quickly turn into a decade-long struggle with online gambling, eventually wreaking havoc on family life. T.Ö. and D.K., who overcame their addiction, shared how their journey began, the hardships they faced and how they found support through the Turkish Green Crescent Counseling Center (YEDAM).
T.Ö., who was addicted for 10 years and quit gambling in 2021, reflected on the danger of underestimating the habit: “Never think ‘one time won’t hurt.’ It’s like stepping into a coal mine; the smoke clings to you. Once you start, you can’t easily stop.”
Married with two children, T.Ö. explained how gambling, which he started in 2012, caused major upheavals in his life, straining both his family relationships and work. “Until a few years ago, life wasn’t going well. Gambling harmed my family, my children and my job. After quitting, everything returned to normal, and now we have a happy, peaceful family,” he said.
He explained that he neglected his family and social circle due to online gambling: “Until about four or five years ago, our life was not going well. My family, children and work suffered because of gambling. After quitting, everything returned to normal. Now, we have a happy and peaceful family.”
T.Ö. said that he had no addictions in his youth and did not use cigarettes or alcohol. “The process started after military service. I played my first bet in 2012 in a friend’s circle. The day I first won was actually the day I first lost, because winning made me play again and then I played even more to recover what I lost.”
He added that he initially gambled with small amounts but gradually increased the stakes: “At first, you play with TL 2-3. Then it’s not enough. Even TL 100,000 no longer satisfies you. Winning or losing doesn’t matter anymore. You play to play. Morale drops, unrest grows and family disputes arise. You seek happiness there, but you don’t find it. It went on like this for years.”
T.Ö., who struggled with addiction for about 10 years, said that June 18, 2021, was a turning point and with the support of the Green Crescent and YEDAM, he overcame the addiction.
He recalled attempting suicide amid rising debts and family issues at the time, “I survived by 3-5 seconds. In the hospital, I saw someone on a stretcher with a broken arm and leg. He said to me, ‘I am still breathing; I can still do so much.’ Those words changed my life. I told myself, ‘I am not too weak to quit this addiction.’ Then I applied to the Green Crescent. I had my first appointment in June 2021. I took my last therapy session in August 2023. Now, I continue group therapy at YEDAM.”
T.Ö. said he never borrowed money personally but got into debt, using bank loans, overdrafts and credit cards during his addiction.
He admitted even turning to a loan shark once to continue gambling: “I never asked anyone for cash, but I approached a loan shark once. I wondered what would happen if I couldn’t pay. I was already at that point. I repaid on time, but otherwise, I dealt with bank debts. I played, even knowing I would lose, because experiencing that stress gave me a strange sense of pleasure. I played until I got stomach cramps.”
He said personal care, meals and daily life were neglected while gambling: “I didn’t play at home for them to see, but as soon as I left the door, it started. If you saved the money you put into gambling, it would have been much more beneficial.”
T.Ö. warned that gambling is everywhere in advertisements, making young people easily fall into the trap, “Ads are on phones, computers, social media. Watching a movie, on a bus screen, in newspapers, there’s nowhere to escape. Trying it even once is very dangerous. Children get lured by the desire to earn money easily. My wife monitors my bank accounts because overcoming this addiction is very difficult without family support. Young people should not get involved at all. Just trying once can ruin your life.”
D.K. said he started gambling for fun: “TL 2 won’t hurt, TL 5 won’t hurt. Then the system pulls you in as it wants. Eventually, the known results happen. It’s fun at first. After a while, you set goals. You think, ‘If I get this, I will do that.’ After that, you’re already in trouble. Ten, fifteen years have passed.”
D.K., who lost hundreds of thousands of Turkish liras over nearly 10 years of online gambling, eventually borrowed money from others and fell into debt.
He highlighted that borrowing for gambling initially felt satisfying but later led to depression: “Debt from gambling causes depression. You may feel happy thinking you will win, but when you lose, you realize how deep the loss is. I’ll put it this way: someone addicted can lie very easily.”
D.K. admitted that he felt happiness from the adrenaline of gambling, but later experienced deep regret: “Winning makes you happy, but then regret starts. Gambling gives you TL 3, takes back TL 15. That TL 3 makes you happy, but you don’t realize the 15 is gone at that moment. I incurred a debt of TL 60,000 for TL 3,000. In 2018, I left my home and went to the seaside to attempt suicide. An uncle passed by and said, ‘Forget it, worldly goods stay in the world. As long as you breathe, everything will be okay.’ After that, I came to my senses.”
He emphasized seeking help from the Green Crescent to fight gambling addiction and said his life completely changed after recovery.
D.K. stressed that stigmatizing people struggling with addiction is a major mistake: “Don’t think ‘one time won’t hurt’, it can do a lot. People think, ‘I play for fun, TL 200 or TL 500 won’t hurt,’ but they get stuck in the swamp. Stay away from such things. Don’t play at all. Spend that money on food or something else. I got out. Others should get treatment. In our society, going to a psychiatrist or psychologist carries a stigma, but I went to both. Thankfully, I don’t carry that stigma. They should come and get help.”