Bankruptcy procedure - a way out for gambling addicts (sports betting and casinos)

A new Code on Bankruptcy Procedures has appeared in Ukraine, which came into force in October 2019. It sets out a bankruptcy procedure for individuals, which did not exist before.

The bankruptcy procedure for individuals should help banks solve the problem of “bad” loans issued to individuals, and the latter – get rid of old debts and restore their financial reputation.

The code has deprived creditors of the opportunity to initiate bankruptcy of individuals. But it plays into their hands that a year after the code comes into force (in October 2020), the moratorium on the forced seizure of real estate for outstanding foreign currency mortgages, which account for the lion's share of citizens' "suspended" debts to banks, will cease to be in effect. The quiet life of foreign currency borrowers is over - there are many debtors who took advantage of the foreign currency moratorium and endlessly failed to pay their debts.

The debtor may file a petition for insolvency provided that:
* The amount of his debt is not less than 30 minimum wages (125,190 hryvnia);
* He does not pay more than 50% of the monthly payments for two months;
* There is a court order stating that he has no property that can be collected;
* There is a threat of insolvency (serious illness, loss of job, etc.).

This is not cheap. The debtor will immediately have to pay a court fee in the amount of 10 subsistence minimums (1921 x 10 = 19,210 hryvnia) and three months' remuneration to the arbitration manager who will manage the debt restructuring. It is five subsistence minimums per month. Total: 1921 x 5 x 3 = 28,815 hryvnia.

In total, opening a bankruptcy case will cost the debtor 38,420 hryvnia.

Many gambling addicts use bankruptcy to break the endless cycle of "loans - interest - debts" and start a new life. Let's take a closer look at one story and understand how a person comes to the bankruptcy procedure and what awaits him after it.

Russians have been familiar with the bankruptcy procedure for individuals for a long time.




Alexander Lev

Yesterday I received a promo code from PokerStars, top up with any amount and get a bonus of $50. I came in the evening, slightly tipsy, the idea of throwing in was intensified. And I threw in $50, did not receive a bonus, as it turned out later I needed to top up in a certain way. As a result, I played for an hour, lost from $50 to $35. Went to bed. In the morning I continued, raised to $65 and I sit and think what do I want to achieve?, win back? Nothing will work. To satisfy the gaming need, but for such small ones it does not bring any feelings, only takes time. In general, I put the funds on withdrawal. What was it, I myself did not understand.

I remember the first time I went to a casino with friends, they talked me into playing roulette. I had 500 rubles, I decided to bet 10 rubles, but I didn't know what number and decided to bet on a color (black or white), I clicked on some color, but they immediately corrected me that the bet on a color is not less than 50 rubles. and I didn't, I felt sorry (in the subconscious sat that this was a scam and losing was inevitable, probably my upbringing). I never played in a casino again, except for testing the theory of roulette cheating online (it didn't work out).

The same about slot machines, the first time I went with friends. I tried to dissuade them, saying that it was a scam. They talked me into it, I sat with them, lost a bit and somehow it didn't grab me, the only thing I liked was the free drinks. But I knew from childhood that slot machines were bad, a scam. I can't say that my parents gave it to me, rather it was everything together, people, stories, television (those horrible stories about grandma standing there and losing her entire pension and not being able to stop, how people lose their businesses, apartments, cars and don't stop, I couldn't understand how they could do that. Now I understand them).

My bankruptcy procedure is coming to an end. Final 12/19/2019
Yesterday the last bank was added to the register of creditors.

I calculated the debts that should be written off:

Bank No. 1
total principal amount - RUB 98,721.10
total interest amount - 41,374.32 rubles.

Bank No.2
RUB 186,867.47 – principal debt,
17,267.13 rubles – interest debt,
7,537.1 rub. – penalty debt.
499,936.04 RUB – principal debt,
33,783.11 rubles – interest debt,
RUB 12,450.78 – penalty debt.
RUB 288,300 – principal debt
RUB 42,825.85 – interest arrears,
10 066, 53. – debt on penalties

Bank No.3
437,191.92 rubles – overdue principal debt,
RUB 39,119.45 – overdue interest,
5 163, 28 rubles – penalty for overdue court debt
189,731.38 - overdue principal debt,
26,089.28 rubles - overdue interest
RUB 5,517.67 – penalty.

Bank No. 4
64,040.36 rubles – principal debt;
RUB 5,195.16 – interest payable.
RUB 291,986.99 – principal debt;
RUB 17,422.06 – interest arrears.
RUB 107,658.95 – principal debt;
8,374.12 rubles – interest debt

total principal amount - 2,164,434.21
total interest amount - 231,450.48
Penalty debt - 40,735.36

Total - 2,436,620.05

I never thought I would owe so much.
My problem led to the following consequences - ALAS and AH.

How did it happen that a normal guy ruined his life and got into cosmic debt?

Everything is like everyone else. Lived, was. In 2007 graduated from the university. Got married. In 2008 moved to his wife's parents in another city. All the way loved computer games, was quite knowledgeable about hardware and software. They lived in rented accommodation. Her parents offered to move to their city and live with them, because there was a small child and a job was looming. We agreed and moved. A year passed, my father-in-law asked me to set up online poker, PokerStars, I knew nothing about it then. He helped and became interested himself, deposit 600 USD and get another 600, as it turned out later they still need to be won back, well, who knows, will understand. In general, at first it was going well, but then there were losses after losses. And my father-in-law continued to play at micro limits. And I was already minus an overdraft of 200 thousand rubles and a loan of 70 thousand rubles. Sleepless nights, irritable, not understanding what I did wrong.

Family breakdown. Bachelor life ahead.

I paid off my debts in 2 years, even went to Thailand on vacation. And then the next stage began. A colleague at work suggested getting together to play poker among ourselves, like-minded people were found among friends and acquaintances and we bought cards, chips began to be played on weekends in the garage with draft beer. The maximum win at the end was 2000 rubles, well, 3000 maximum. I almost always won. This spurred my ego. Once after another game we went to continue in a club. There we got drunk and one of the teammates told me about live poker, about an underground club where people like us gather but the stakes are more serious. And how he once won 10 thousand rubles in an evening. At that moment I thought that if I win him and he was able to win there, then God himself ordered it. I asked to go with him, and so my path to nowhere began.

In general, I spent 200 thousand rubles on overdraft, then took out several loans for 200 thousand rubles. Not right away, there were swings back and forth, but the result was the same. At that moment I felt like a high roller, the feeling of having imaginary big money, the loss of any value for money, a thousand for a hand - ugh nonsense, 10 thousand rubles are so-so, 100 thousand rubles in adrenaline, shaking, everything is burning, you feel every cell of the body, a loss. Numbness, lack of air, cold sweat, vomiting, consequences. I told my parents, they helped. They gave me 300 thousand rubles, I paid, the rest I gave myself. A feeling of guilt, a thirst to return the money, injustice, all this plus alcohol consumed me. What always drew me there was that in moments of loneliness, I knew where you can find company for conversation and where they will always pour you a free drink. This poker was run by two people and they played themselves, the casino existed due to the rake and maybe a couple of their own cunning schemes.

Half a year passed and I didn't play. Then life became boring again, I'm there, they always wait for me, there's always fun at the table. Minus 700 credits and I owe the casino 400. I'm thinking about suicide. I overcame it. My parents give me 400. I beg the casino to tell me, they forgive me 100 if I give back 300 right away. With this calculation, if you win, you give them 50 sometime. I'm happy with everything, just to pay less. My mother moves in with me for a year, lives with me, helps me pay the rent, controls me, finds a job, feeds us, and I spend my entire salary to pay off the debt, we pay it off in a year.

For all this time since the move I have been receiving a raise, salary of 90k, alimony, about 65k in hand. Hack work in the winter months for 7k. Total about 70k. Live and be happy, but no, it does not let me go. As it has not been half a year since mom moved, I start anew secretly, when mom asks where you disappear to at night, I tell the woman (deception, shame, disgrace, but at that moment it seemed like it was necessary for the great goal of returning what was lost). According to the terms and documents, all loans are closed, mom leaves in the hope that her son has come to his senses and everything will now work out. I have a debt of 600 thousand rubles. I am in the game. A lucky streak has started, I win 150 thousand rubles. I close the loans, refinance them all in 1 bank and one loan is a debt of 500 thousand rubles, 11 thousand rubles monthly payment. Live and pay off everything little by little and don't buzz. I meet a girl, she's beautiful, she loves me and I seem to love her, you know that feeling when it's like we've known each other for ages and our communication is just as relaxed and on the same wavelength. She knows that I pay alimony, she treats my daughter well.

Everything is fine but no, I need to think about the future, and what can I offer her, although she never gave me a reason like I want an iPhone or a mink coat. But something went wrong with me, I went into overdrive again. I immediately won 30, played carefully and got up in time. Well, I thought, every week 30, a month 120 additional income, that's what I need. No, everything was wrong, cheating my beloved where I am and what I am, losing 800 thousand rubles. Confession, forgave, swore off. A month, two, three and again I can't pay 800 anymore. Again parents, problems with people from the casino, nervousness (it seemed like my heart was jumping out). The result is that my beloved does not know what to do and does not leave and does not make contact, stupor. Parents are broken, but did not leave, gave the last they had and my father took out a loan of 200 thousand rubles. The current debt to banks is 1,400 thousand rubles and an immense debt to parents. Contempt for myself as a person. Fear of even myself as a gambling addict. Understanding that all this is the very bottom, I have dug my feet into the ground, only a push to the top is left. I want to leave my beloved myself and I can’t. I understand how much grief I have brought. I have not been on the forum for long, I did not understand before that it turns out that this is a weakness of character, a disease that is worse than drug addiction and which has one end. I have not played for 3 months, forgive the spelling, and in general God will forgive. The result is sad, but not all is lost, 32 years old, good job, with God's will I will get out. And yes, my mother lives with me again. I am a mama's boy again. I promise I will not disappoint her again.

Since August 2018, I've been in serious trouble. I've accumulated unbearable debts until the end of the year. As a result, I owe the banks 2.2 million rubles. I won't chew it up or drag it out.

Bottom line: I quit my job where I was earning 90k. I left that city for my hometown to be with my parents. I spent 3 months without work, receiving unemployment benefits of about 9k. I filed for bankruptcy at the end of July 2019. Now I got a job for 30k, I'm not looking for a better one because for bankruptcy you need to - no more than 30k, lawyers advise. I haven't played since February 2019.

Everything happened, collectors, banks, deception, lies, tears of relatives, you are not my son, loss of friends, loss of everything that was dear in this city for 11 years lived in it. I changed the SIM card, I do not communicate with anyone in the old world, not that I did not want to, I just do not know what to tell them, for them I just left, and for some reason I did not explain anything and did not say goodbye. For colleagues, I said that my parents got sick and I need to leave urgently.
Until I filed for bankruptcy, I tried to find a well-paid job (large corporations), it didn't work out. In every questionnaire they ask about debts, in one they immediately asked, "didn't you quit that job because of debts by any chance?" So for now it's like this. Sorry for the mistakes and stuff.

While I live like this, I give everything I earn to my parents, I get money from them for transport and some urgent needs. I am not trusted, but it should be so, I understand them. I found people here who play volleyball, two groups of people, I go with one on Tue, Thu, Sat, with the second - Mon, Wed, Fri. And now I understand that I did not need millions to be happy. Now, taking into account all the troubles and conventions, I am happy in my own way. I work at a job that is not like that when it is down, I am not a manager anymore, I do not have to answer for anyone. I came, worked, left and my head does not hurt. That's all for now, to be honest, I am in a strange state now. Calm with a lot of debts, a lot of problems, but I am calm.

The rest of the time free from sports and household chores I immerse myself in the virtual world, skating with people online. There, no one gives a damn who I am and what I have done in this life. This helps me not to stop communicating with people, not to withdraw into myself. Since it is difficult to get close to people now, everyone is interested in what and why, and why is it so, they want to get to know you better, but I do not want this. I have not drunk or smoked since March 2019, although draft beer is my favorite drink, and snacks ... yes, sometimes it seems to me that I like goodies with beer more than beer itself.

I live like a vegetable, but for now I'm happy with everything, since I have no financial freedom of any kind. But it's still better than sitting in jail or in a ditch on the side of life.

It's strange, but now I've started driving a car, although I couldn't before, I had nothing to drive, and now I have my father's car. And you know, it's very pleasant to drive a comfortable foreign car. These are the pros and cons. Don't judge harshly and you won't be judged.

Still, how poisoned my brain is...

Sometimes you just don't have enough money, not critically, but still. And at the moment when you don't have enough, for example: something costs 5k, and you only have 2.5k. And the first thing that comes to my mind is not to earn, borrow, choose something cheaper, no, but to increase it (how to make some easy money somewhere) because the brain is used to making money easily, quickly and in large quantities. For my brain, the norm is to get something for 5k or lose 2.5k, because it has been deposited in the brain that these are approximately equal chances. And what do I care about these 2.5k if I don't get pleasure from the thing for 2.5k, but for 5k it's a real blast. I always knew that if I lost today, then tomorrow I will definitely win (although this is not true, I can't stop after winning and even after winning I continue until the game ends or the finances run out). And analyzing this, I understand that my thinking is fundamentally wrong. But I can’t stop myself from thinking this way – it’s subconscious, as it should be.

Maybe the brain will rebuild itself over time? Or will it always be like this. Am I the only one like this or are we all the same?

How can you get so many credits for a game that it would be profitable to give 40K UAH for the bankruptcy procedure? I still understand that people took them for business and went broke. Taking out a loan for gambling is a crime against yourself and your family.

If you have no brakes, get a tattoo on your forehead that says "I'm a complete gambling addict" and no one will give you any more loans.

DLK wrote:
Sometimes you just don't have enough money, not critically, but still. And at the moment when you don't have enough, for example: something costs 5k, and you only have 2.5k. And the first thing that comes to my mind is not to earn, borrow, choose something cheaper, no, but to increase it (how to make some easy money somewhere) because the brain is used to making money easily, quickly and in large quantities. For my brain, the norm is to get something for 5k or lose 2.5k, because it has been deposited in the brain that these are approximately equal chances. And what do I care about these 2.5k if I don't get pleasure from the thing for 2.5k, but for 5k it's a real blast. I always knew that if I lost today, then tomorrow I will definitely win (although this is not true, I can't stop after winning and even after winning I continue until the game ends or the finances run out). And analyzing this, I understand that my thinking is fundamentally wrong. But I can’t stop myself from thinking like that – it’s subconscious, as it should be.

1) "MULTIPLY"
That's what I do )))) my wife wanted to buy a new ring, we went into a jewelry store and found a beautiful one, but it was almost twice as expensive as we expected
instead of withdrawing from the card I go and multiply in the nearest hall... this is FIXED RESULT GAME
if it works out, then everyone is happy and satisfied MUCH MORE than with a simple purchase
if not, then the purchase is made with a card

important! the game for multiplication is NOT CRITICAL but simply taking advantage of the opportunity the current session is done, as if for interest

2) "IF I LOST TODAY, I WIN TOMORROW"
this is the usual state of an experienced player, the main thing is not to fall out of reality and your statistics

3) "EVEN AFTER I WIN, I CONTINUE TO PLAY"
there are no games that give infinitely )))
you need to be realistic and understand the waves of the dispersion, have REASONABLE stop-losses and stop-wins

when you suffered for 2 hours and did x5 or x10, then
a) you can increase the size by an order of magnitude and fill everything back in 30 minutes
b) you can go down a lot and lose all your income in 3-4 hours in a swamp with a small dispaly
c) you can allocate 10-20% of the current loan and CHECK further growth at slightly larger (aggressively) or smaller (carefully) rates

= I'm sure you usually play a) and b)
but even in this situation a) is preferable, because once in 10-20 times it will work))) and you will get a springboard and multiply further... the only thing you need to understand is that a successful scenario will not happen often and it should be a CONSCIOUS CHOICE = with the understanding that right now in 30 minutes you will lose everything or fly to the skies + you should be ready for both outcomes and perceive them calmly

Shpilevoy wrote:
but even in this situation a) is preferable, because once in 10-20 times it will work))) and you will get a springboard and multiply further...

It will shoot (a), if you play the right game. If you play scripted slots, it is easy to run into a situation when the total bets up to 5 UAH play, and more than 5-10 all fly into the pipe.

The owner of the hall set limits on winnings and everyone has the same scenario - there is an increase on small bets, but when you start playing bigger, everything goes back.

Therefore, it is necessary to understand the providers, the games, and even the habits of the casino owners.