Gambling addict on hunger strike to close betting shops

Chingiz Kozhogulov is hunger striking outside parliament to raise awareness of the destructive nature of betting shops. He wants them closed!!!! Please support him!!

Chingiz Kozhogulov, 32 who lives in Tower Hamlets has been addicted to gambling since 2004 when a friend of his introduced him to fixed odds betting terminals.

"I lost trust from my friends, wife even my kids. I will not stop my hunger strike until shut down betting shops or at list remove FOBT machines. " Says Chingiz.

He says it is his only option now , when speaking to him he told us if he was going to die from gambling addiction, he may aswell do some good.

He plans to go on hunger strike until betting shops are closed down.

Since the gambling act 2005 came into place in 2007, corporate gambling industry giants such as Ladbrokes, Coral , William Hill and Betfred have launched an all out assault on the UK's general public.

There are more gambling addicts and betting shops on our high streets than ever before. This is contributing to part of a mass depression, with higher rates of crime, poverty, family breakdowns and mental health issues , causing our communities to become very dark places.

Please support him , he is outside of parliament doing a very brave thing.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=453236591407154&set=a.431030676961079.101324.169369983127151&type=1&theater

http://neuroliberation.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/Neuroliberationcampaign

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36386

https://twitter.com/NLcampaign

Neuroliberation campaign
e-mail: neuroliberation@gmail.com
Homepage: http://neuroliberation.blogspot.co.uk/

Comments

Hide the following 18 comments

Choice!

06.11.2012 16:02

People have choices, they are not forced into betting shops or forced to hand over money, it is done through their own free will. If this man has the willpower to starve himself shouldn`t he show the same commitment in not going into betting shops. Seems we are being americanised into the blame culture. Lets start taking personal responsibility.
Let`s ban banning things. By banning things,groups,ect are we not becoming dictators!?

Libertarian

Totally agree with above

06.11.2012 23:08

There has to be a lot of caution of banning things just because a smaller minority of people don't like it. Otherwise, it could be argued that going on hunger strike is harmful to your health and therefore should be banned. It could be argued that it is the behaviour of a person who is unable to look after themselves, a person who is self-harming, and therefore should be sectioned under the mental health act as they clearly are not capable to not to cause themselves serious harm.

I occasionally bet, I occasionally bet on fixed odds (fruit machines, bingo, etc etc).
Yet, like many people, i'm not 'addicted'. Why should i suffer the banning of something i want to do because of ONE person who doesn't like it.

If it comes down to it - let the guy starve himself. I bet he will crack before I do.

no addicted

my 2 pennies worth is this

06.11.2012 23:40

although i wish the man every success in starving himself and bringing more light to the 'problem' that is betting shops and capitalism in general (?), i much prefer to brick their windows in and treat them the same as a bank or a cop car or an estate agents. legitimate targets in the social war. smash gambling shops. burn them. etc.

none gambling rebel

choice to live in a safe environment?

07.11.2012 13:21

since 2005 on prosecutions only, there has been £60million pounds stolen from gambling addicts in frauds, thefts and robberies. spend enough time googling 'gambling addict court' and you will find the many stories of people from all parts of society doing crimes in moments of desperation and insanity. postmen, police officers, community carers , bank managers, boyfreinds , sons and daughters , grandmothers stealing from their daughters for bingo.

There are a lot of people seeing what is happening in our society at the moment since the gambling act came into place. gambling promotion has expanded like wild fire and the whole point of these community groups highlighting the gambling expansion is so they don't have to say in ten years time " don't say we didn't warn you" when social consequences begin to manifest

ben

The most common addiction...

07.11.2012 14:47

is alcohol, some 60 odd % of prisoners committed their "crimes" while drunk, which is the main case of violent offenders, including myself, or stealing to feed their addiction added to the fact that it is reported that billions of pounds are lost to workers suffering the negative effects of alcohol coupled with the financial drain on the NHS. If I were to suggest banning alcohol there would be an out cry.
Look at the U.S.A. in prohibition era, all it did was create violent crime as those supplying didn`t have the choice of legal court hearings, same as drug dealers nowadays, their trade is illegal so instead of taking people to the small claims court for debt they feel they have to send out a strong message of deterant by means of violence as well as people committing violent robberies on them as they do not have the law to mediate with. some good points raised by the above posts too.
Personal responsibility rather than blame. Freedom of choice!! Liberty!

Libertarian

I am free...to be an oppressor.

07.11.2012 15:35

Good stuff.

Good to see somebody taking this seriously at least.

For what its worth I think its pretty naive to say that because gambling is a choice it must therefore be good. The vast majority of the gambling houses this guy is talking about are heavily corrupt anyway. Show me a slot machine that hasn't been carefully crafted to spin the odds away from the player. Its like those machines where you have a claw that picks things up in a glass box. The claw itself is carefully crafted so that it is incapable of picking anything up at all. People spend ridiculous amounts on those things. Its like you put your hand in a box full of goodies but your hand is completely paralysed...no matter how much you swing your hand about it aint never gonna bring anything out!

Remember that as far as gambling is concerned, the digital revolution has been a godsend. Thousands and thousands of people have been thrown into debt as a result of this industry...and all on the basis of machines which have been electronically tweaked and engineered to bias the odds heavily against your favour. This is not a fair game, the odds are stacked in favour of the underworld.

This industry is bent as you like and earns millions as a result of being bent. It also encourages addiction in its customers and when it see's addiction, it does nothing at all to stop it...all on the basis that the customer has a choice and the customer is always right.

Its got nothing at all to do with choice...and precious little do do with the customer always being right.

Libertarian Communist.

what?

07.11.2012 16:53

i know that New Labour changed laws on gambling so that all the ghettos have got a bookies on everycorner.
Bookiess need they're windows smashed, but this nutter is wasting his time.

lord haha

The law is just an opinion with the threat of violence

07.11.2012 18:01

The law is just an opinion, with the threat of violence.

It seems to me that so many people think that the only way to make the world a more just place is to pass yet another law, i.e.. make yet another arbitrary threat of violence.

To be specific, to me the word "violence" means to initiate force, as opposed to act in self defence.

It doesn't matter wether gambling, alcohol, drugs or what ever, are preferable or non preferable to you, what matters, is that making threats or initiating force, against those who may disagree with your opinion, is not self defence but violence.

To attack someone who offers you the free choice between harming you self, or not harming your self, is not self defence but violence.

anarchist

anarchism embracing gambling and property?

07.11.2012 18:16

lol at the 'anarchist' with his theary of violence against property...

William Hill

@William Hill

07.11.2012 21:19

No, there's no violence against property.
But you can have violence against the owner of property.
If you destroy a mans crops and leave him to starve, that's violence.
If you destroy a mans home, and leave him out in the cold, that's violence.
If you take by force, the effects of a mans labour, that is violence.
The violence is against the man, not his property.

(or woman)

anarchist

Just let him get on with it

07.11.2012 22:01

If anyone listens, then they will listen. If they don't, then they won't.

He can't force anyone to do what he wants.
I always feel a hunger strike on things like this is a bit cowardly and underhand.
I don't see the point either, if he wants to go hungry then thats his affair. People would be stupid to let that persuade them on issues. Its an emotional blackmail thing and I refuse to fall for it. Sooner or later he will have food.

Leave us alone

ignorance is bliss (so they say)

10.11.2012 13:28

Chingiz has cancelled his hunger strike following advice from his family, Neuroliberation campaign and others. however he is still out there spreading the message of this destructive industry.

I could never have made a mistake posting this on indymedia, for all its publicity on the topic. As a vegetarian, animal rights supporter and a big fan of social justice i'v been totally disappointed with my feedback from the left wing movements.

See the problem im finding is i see all these people taking social and political action to change the world, yet hardly anyone is willing to take the step to heal those that are wounded.

What about crime victims, children that grow up in care, people that are murdered , people that get mental health problems, all because of this destructive industry.

if you are proposing that we let this carry on and get worse then so be it...

I don't expect many of you to understand because i didn't before my own personal addiction and experience in 2009 when i saw it happening to thousands of others.

The media has been trying to point this issue out.... this is seriously affecting our communities.

I challenge anyone to google "gambling addict court uk" and go over all the stories (of at least 200 i got so far) of frauds, thefts and robberies including murders ect all because of gambling addiction.

open your eyes to what is going on!!! observe your community and support each other , otherwise just be ignorant and live in a dark world where no one cares about each other and social consequences. its your choice.

neuroliberation
Homepage: neuroliberation.blogspot.co.uk

@ Neuroliberation

10.11.2012 14:19

"As a vegetarian, animal rights supporter and a big fan of social justice i'v been totally disappointed with my feedback from the left wing movements. "

Do not presume that the comments here came from the left - many of the commenteers/trolls are EDL, Zionists and cops.

old hand

to those reading

10.11.2012 14:38

However much we all have our own opinions, i'm actually looking for the support of the police on this campaign , the gambling industry has affected many police officers.

I myself am not totally against the police, but i am against the use of force for political reasons but at times they have a very important role to play when it comes to crime and safety ect.

So if the police are reading this and im sure they will , then please support our campaign...its messing up our communities , this campaign is not at all about the police and hopefully never will be!!!

If the edl are reading this then i'm sure they will understand how much gambling has screwed up peoples lives (i'm not for the edl but i'm not talking about that!!)

If the gambling industry read this , then either you are very niave and think that this should continue or you outright know the damage you are causing and you should be very ashamed of what you are doing with no social concious.

If there are any trolls reading this , then i would like to ask 'are you pinching wifi from the pub above the bridge'??

this campaign is for anyone no matter what politicals or whatnot you believe in ... it is a serious issue affecting everybody! And we won't let other issues or judgements stop us from telling the truth to everyone and getting them to think a little about this.

neuroliberation
Homepage: neuroliberation.blogspot.co.uk

told you

10.11.2012 18:38

> If it comes down to it - let the guy starve himself. I bet he will crack before I do.

Then....

> Chingiz has cancelled his hunger strike following advice from his family,...

You lose.

not addicted

the above post??

10.11.2012 20:23

Can't feel any love in that above post.

just a empty hatred.

we all lose mate.

ya think your in heaven but ya livin in hell.

neuroliberation
Homepage: neuroliberation.blogspot.co.uk

So basically

09.02.2013 18:08

This guy has ruined his own life because of gambling so he wants to stop everyone else from putting a bet on down their local bookies.

Dan Factor

You'll still think you're right after reading this but at least you read it.

17.06.2013 02:01

I've been a gambling addict for the past seven years because, in a large part, of FOBT machines.

The most objectionable thing about these machines, and their most addictive quality is the quick turnaround - you can bet £300 a minute.

Also, they are designed to give a momentary thrill before taking mercilessly, especially punishing those chasing losses (addictive gambling sign 1). You would be hard-pushed to design a more perfect machine for creating problem gamblers. And this is why people are up in arms about these machines.

I, for one, and i suspect many others who want to see these machines banned on the high street, don't want to outlaw gambling in this country, we would like casino games moved back to casinos, which are properly licensed, and which need to apply for special permission before moving into an area, for obvious reasons.

A more accurate comparison, than the banning of all alcohol, is the move to ban super-strength lagers. These are drinks aimed squarely at one small but very loyal customer-base - alcoholics, and have only one purpose.

The number of gambling addicts in this country is rising exponentially, and the current infrastructure to deal with problem gamblers (one clinic for the whole country, funded entirely, not by the government but by The Gaming Association) is woefully inadequate.

Whilst i may not agree with a hunger strike as the best means of protest, I can understand it. When you're not being listened to on something that is so blindingly obvious it's easy to feel the need to do something extreme.

People i've met through groups have gone on to do much more extreme things in the name of gambling losses

Daviedoesdallas