‘I don’t want to lose my son’: Gambling addict’s losses about more than just money

A former gambling addict who lost tens of thousands of dollars reveals the one event that made him quit for good, as fears are raised over the rise of online gambling. HIS STORY >>

DEEP down, Mark Kempster knew he had a problem.

He’d been gambling for most of his adult life, mostly on horse racing, but during 2019 and 2020 he admits it got out of control.

But after waking with a throbbing headache the day after the Cox Plate in October last year, his turning point arrived.

Arriving home intoxicated during half time of the AFL grand final that evening after a big day on the punt, Mr Kempster had left his phone out on the table.

His partner Madeleine went through 12 months of bank records and discovered a slew of gambling transactions.

Until then, the extent of his gambling had been hidden from his closest family and friends.

“I think I lost $1000 at the pub that day,” the 33-year-old from Hobart recalled.

“I was really pissed off and upset with myself, went to a mate’s place and wrote myself off.

“The next morning, she put it on me and said ‘you’ve got an addiction and you need to fix it otherwise we’re going’.

“When she put it to me like that ... I don’t want to lose my son (three-year-old William), I don't want to lose her out of my life.”

Mark Kempster, of Hobart, admits his gambling got out of hand and turned him into a “horrible person”. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

That night, he phoned Gamblers Anonymous and went to see a counsellor at Anglicare the next morning.

He hasn’t had a bet since.

“I’m in the best mental health and place I’ve been in my whole life now,” he said.

He praised the support of his partner and other family and friends who rallied behind him to support him through his addiction.

But Mr Kempster, who used to work for a corporate bookmaker, still laments the tens of thousands of dollars lost to the punt.

“I probably lost 10-15 thousand last year,” he said.

“Adding things up, I reckon I’ve lost close to 70-80 thousand across my adult life. It’s shocking.

“I’ve probably known I’ve had an issue for five to six years. I tried to deal with it myself for a long time and it got to the point where I couldn’t deal with it anymore, it was really getting out of hand.

“It turned me into a really horrible person to be honest. I was a very angry, disengaged, horrible person to be around. I’d vent on social media just to make myself feel better.

“I’d lose 500 bucks on a Saturday and then not know what to do.

“I’d get all the bills and all the mortgage and all that type of stuff out of the way, and whatever I had left over in my account, I’d knock that off on Saturday and then dip into the savings.”

Mr Kempster gambled mostly on horse racing and estimates he has lost as much as $80,000 over his adult life. Picture: Getty

Now having kicked the habit, Mr Kempster is determined to get the message out in the hope of helping other problem gamblers.

Mr Kempster also questioned the tactics used by bookmakers to lure customers back after they’ve chosen to have a break, or multiple breaks, arguing companies have a duty of care to protect those with a problem.

He also thinks there is too much gambling advertising on commercial television.

“You can’t get away from it,” he said.

‘You can lose your home without ever leaving it’

PRESENT and future problem gamblers are carrying a “gambling machine” in their pocket due to the prevalence of online bookmakers and mobile phone apps, a federal politician warns.

Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie has called for greater protections for gambling addicts, including a nationally implemented pre-commitment scheme that would operate all across all bookmaker platforms.

“This isn’t like the poker machines where you at least have to go to the pub or club or the casino,” Mr Wilkie said.

“This is worse again because almost everyone has a smartphone in their pocket, which means almost everyone has a gambling machine in their pocket.

“As my friend Nick Xenophon comments, you can now lose your home without ever leaving it.”

Andrew Wilkie says almost everyone is carrying a “gambling machine” in their pocket. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Mr Wilkie believes a pre-commitment system with each app linked in real time to prevent deposits through multiple accounts would be a significant harm minimisation measure.

“I’ve challenged the industry on this, and they tell me that is technically simple to do,” he said.

Mr Wilkie said he would like to see gambling advertising banned, if not reined in.

“For someone who is not a gambling addict, the advertising is encouraging them to take up gambling,” he said.

“If you are an addict, including a recovering addict, it can be a trigger to gamble again.”

He said the federal government had the power to legislate stronger protections, but claimed politicians where loathe to challenge the industry because it was too powerful.

“The gambling industry pays millions of dollars in political donations,” he said.

“These are cashed up, powerful companies. You don’t want them to turn on you if you’re a politician or political party.”

Responsible Wagering Australia, which represents online bookmakers, said online wagering was subject to more protections than any other form of gambling.

“Although unlike pokies and betting in retail TAB venues it does not have an established correlation with being the root cause of the development of problem gambling, online wagering in Australia is subject to greater and more effective consumer protections than any other form of gambling,” a spokesman said.

RWA said online wagering in Australia was now covered by a national consumer protection framework that was supported by its members.

“The NCPF has enabled strong nationally consistent measures, including deposit limits, activity statements, responsible gambling training for staff, a ban on lines of credit being provided to customers and a national self-exclusion register which bolster an already tightly regulated and relatively low-risk form of gambling,” the spokesman said.

The rise in online gambling avenues means potential punters don’t even need to leave their house to make a bet.

‘Gambling is as addictive as drugs and alcohol’

GAMBLING counsellors say while most gambling harm in Tasmania as associated with poker machines, online betting is continuing to emerge as a serious issue.

Program manager for Anglicare’s gamblers help service in Tasmania’s North-West, Ruth Rowlands, said Anglicare’s counsellors were seeing more clients presenting with such issues.

“It’s technically very easy for a person to block gambling websites and direct messages that encourage their gambling behaviour, but this relies very much on the individual’s level of self-awareness and their state of mind,” she said.

“The psychology of addiction means that a person is not in control of their behaviour.

“If they are betting and losing, they will simply try harder to win.

“Our Gamblers Help counsellors can help people to understand what triggers their gambling and how they can cope when they get the urge to gamble.

“Our service is here to support and encourage, and build a greater understanding in the community that gambling is as addictive as drugs and alcohol.”

Anglicare counsellors can help block gambling content and unwanted content from people such as bookmakers.

If you need support, phone Gamblers Helpline Tasmania on 1800 858 858.

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Originally published as ‘I don’t want to lose my son’: Gambling addict’s losses about more than just money