Home » Risking All - Stories of Vietnamese Gamblers

My Story

 I was born and raised in the quiet countryside of Vietnam.  I was more fortunate than my brothers and sisters because I completed high school.

However society was full of corruption and owing to the fact that my family’s history could be connected to the former government, I failed the university entrance examinations.

The denial of my entry into university angered me and I felt deeply upset. No longer able to withstand life under a regime marked my corruption, I asked my parents for permission to leave Vietnam and escape to a location where my dreams could be fulfilled.
 
I wept as I farewelled family and departed by boat in 1986. The journey towards freedom was difficult and dangerous, fierce waves struck my boat and food supplies were scarce.
 
Along with the other escapees, I was incredibly frightened when our boat was confronted by Thai
pirates. At this time, everyone was fatalistic and expected to die at sea; feelings of regret and disappointment welled up inside me as I thought of my family. I reminisced and recalled the wonderful times we enjoyed together and also the difficult times that we endured as a single unit.
 
 
The Thai pirates released us after holding us captive for a day and they even provided us with food to sustain our trip. The engine of our boat failed and our journey was rendered even more hazardous as we drifted off course and floated about.
 
Everyone grew more distraught as any hopes for a safe and uneventful journey had evaporated. As night was looming, another boat approached ours, our feelings teetered between both relief and worry.
 
Although we did not speak the language of the crewmen aboard the boat, we begged them for aid.
The kind captain gave what we interpreted as
a nod of assent and helped us by pulling our boat inland; and as we floated closer, our eyes could distinctly make out a landscape dominated by coconut trees!
 
After staying in a small temporary camp on the island for three days, we were sent to the Pulau Bidong Island in Malaysia. I stayed here for months until I was accepted to go to Australia - a peaceful country that many dreamed of living in.
 
My first few days in Australia were a mixture of confusion and happiness and I found settling down hard. I took part in an English language program targeted at newcomers and afterwards enrolled to study at high school. However I dropped out because I did not feel that I was smart enough. Following my failed attempt at school, I married and had children.
 
I never thought that I would ever become a gambler and become as immersed gambling as I did. I did not know how to gamble and had never been to the casino before but this all changed one day when
I received a phone call from my sister in Vietnam who informed me that my parents needed $5000.
 
I did not know how to acquire this
amount of money in such a short time and I received phone calls from Vietnam every day reminding me that my parents needed the money urgently.
 
Following the Vietnamese custom that one should
not refuse requests from one’s parents as it is bad manners, I was polite and did not refuse responding that I would send the money as soon as I had enough.
 
The casino seemed to be a quick and easy alternative to obtain the money that I my parents desperately required so I ventured there and I won a few times. I hurried home after my big wins to send the money, but I felt compelled to return a 2nd, 3rd and 4th time to win more.
 
I thought that I had found an infallible strategy to acquire money and I was happy as I was able do something useful for my parents, who in return were grateful.
 
I never expected that I would be tempted to return for more after sending my parents more money than they requested.
 
But my mind was infected from the wins I had experienced and I came back to try my luck again and again. From these sessions at the casino, I emerged with more losses than wins, although I was still keen to go back to chase my losses and win as I had done previously.
 
My family found out I was gambling a lot and advised me to stop. I ignored their cautionary words and was determined to continue, even defending my behaviour and refusing to admit that I had capitulated to an addiction.
 
I needed money to sustain my gambling and borrowed from friends, relatives and even brokers with high interest rates to feed my addiction. I did not care about the consequences and my debts increased daily.
 
My creditors constantly demanded payment from
me and even threatened to harm me until I had paid. I was so afraid and felt like I was suffering in hell. My health deteriorated and I even considered death.
 
It became obvious that my behaviour was preventing my family and friends from having anything to do with me.
 
My husband never spoke lovingly to me anymore. I was made to feel the shame of being a mother who neglected her children, and who diverted much needed income away from the family to fund an addiction that continue to grow.
 
At this disastrous point in my life, someone apparently kind, who seemed to understand my troubles, approached me at the casino.
 
They provided me with the money that I so urgently needed under the condition that I would carry out the jobs they asked. Although hesitant at first, I agreed out of sheer desperation.
 
They asked me perform illegal tasks and for a few months, I had enough money to pay my huge debts.
 
Regretfully, I did not know how to properly
manage the small fortune that I had gained. I returned to the casino to gamble. Unsurprisingly, I lost all of my money again and this time I was in trouble with the police.
 
I was taken to the police station for questioning and was charged.  From that point I had to report to the police station three times a week and was awaiting trial at court. On my hearing day, I was sentenced to seven years jail! Unprepared for the dreadful outcome, I collapsed as I heard the judge’s ruling.
 
A few hours later I was taken to the Deer Park Jail where I was to spend the next seven years of my life. I was terrified as I arrived at the jail, but jail has given me time to think of my misguided decisions in the past. I missed my family so much.
 
I have regained good sense now; I think of my family everyday and I know that I need to better myself for the sake of my children. I have encouraged myself to move forward and am motivated by my loved ones.
 
I also feel empowered to change the course of my life
My life has been very eventful to say the least; I now understand the consequences of problem gambling, as I am reminded everyday that this is why I have been imprisoned.
 
Gambling is not a solution for changing one’s financial situation and it cannot resolve stress, boredom or personal problems.
 
 
GAMBLING IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM
As the Vietnamese saying goes
“Gambling will cause you to be broke”