On a bright and sunshine filled morning in Spring I stepped onto Australian soil in the city of Melbourne.
I was warmly welcomed by my relatives upon arriving. Kind hospitality for family members is always present at reunions and this was no exception.
The happiness of my family manifested itself through a shared meal. Everybody was happy that I had finally arrived in a country that they genuinely felt was paradise.
 
Following my arrival my relatives introduced me to the beautiful attractions that Melbourne so proudly boasts. The activities I did ranged from mountain climbing to pipi catching at the beach.
 
My family and friends hosted many parties where we all shared stories.  The topics stretched from the unforgotten past to the inconsistent nature of the weather here in Melbourne. Some would suggest that
qualities of all four seasons could be seen in a single day!
 
There were some who had worked extremely hard and had several real-estate properties to show for it. These were often leased for extra income. Others had children who were building successful futures for themselves through professions such as engineering.
 
In stark contrast some others lived in commission housing units as they could not yet afford to purchase a house.
 
Those who were the owners of multiple houses and shops often had to re-sell their properties in order to cope with mounting debts. 
 
Surprised, I asked “Why?”
“Don’t you know? The Casino is a place many go for recreation.”
“Yes that’s true. However when inside those walls do you know how many develop gambling addictions? The gaming floor houses hundreds of tables which attract people from the local community and high rollers too! Their wins and losses range from a few cents
to the millions!”
“Oh really?”
“You really don’t know? Well then, I’ll have to take you in this Sunday. You can watch how everything is played. Don’t worry about being judged as you are a newcomer after all. There is a wide belief that newcomers are lucky.”
 
My friend picked me up at around 3pm and drove us to the Casino.  The place was so extensive that there was no way I could explore the premises all in a day.
 
There were shops and eateries that served many different and appetising cuisines. The Casino was crowded with people, so many I could not imagine ever being able to count them! The sight that met me when entering the gaming floor could never have been conjured by my imagination.
 
The area was buzzing with dazzling lights, roulette tables, card tables and poker machines. There were places for the general public to enjoy and also designated areas for the high-rollers. I felt overwhelmed by the numerous people exchanging dollars into gaming chips and placing
their bets.
 
“Go on. Try your luck and place a bet. People from overseas always win!” my friend exclaimed. “Once I won $3000. I was so happy that I thought it was all a dream.”
 
After that I found some work to earn a sustainable living. I bought a house for my wife and children that I was paying off slowly.
 
However, a friend of mine visited us once to invite us to go to a birthday party and then the Casino afterwards. Half drunk and half sober I agreed to go with a slight hint of greedy anticipation,
 
“Yes let’s go if you want. What have I got to lose?”
On that night my losses outweighed my wins. I gambled until the early hours of the next morning. I was glad that it was a Sunday because I did not have to go to work. From that point I suppose I was enticed by the gambling GHOST and became a frequenter of
the Casino.
 
My wife and children urged me to suppress and fight
the need to gamble, but I went anyway in order to earn money to pay off the debts I had dug. The more I gambled the more I lost.
 
I had no alternative but to borrow money from friends to feed my spiralling addiction. I could not afford to pay the bills and the instalment payments that arrived monthly. Eventually I was forced
to put my house on the market. I was severely depressed and made an attempt on my own life. I was lucky to be saved.
 
After my suicide attempt I awoke on the hospital bed to the company of my family who were weeping and denigrating my actions:
“Were you waiting to die before you returned home, just a corpse and no soul?”
 
Fortunately our good friends persuaded me to break the habit and to start afresh. I finally came to my senses. I realised that I was blind and hence compromised my assets and family by continuing
to gamble.
 
Because of my eagerness and greed to win I failed to
recognise that the Casino does not solely operate for people to win and become rich. The Casino is ultimately a company that holds lots of strategies to lure people into gambling away their savings to
make a profit.
 
That’s right! I was a moth drawn to the flame. Every step I took towards satisfying my addiction was embarking towards the devil who would send me to the fiery depths of hell.
 
I had to avoid the Casino and hope that I could survive living with my family who I had profoundly disappointed.
 
I have made myself a promise and as a result I plan to rebuild my life by working hard to buy another house for my family to livehappily.
 
I write my own story honestly in order for you to realise the dangers of an addiction. I want to encourage my friends who are addicted
to gambling to return to the right track where everybody works hard to earn a successful living.
 
I sincerely hope my story of slipping into an unhealthy cycle of gambling that nearly ended my life can be utilised as proof to deter you from travelling this dangerous route.
 
In addition to this I am an alarm bell that wakens those who still frequent the Casino to return to their homes with this mindset:
 
“Never step foot into the Casino. Your efforts towards redeeming your lives are praiseworthy. Good luck.”
 
H.V.L