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Mike Simmons told our reporter he’s a long way off cashing out with the old toaster in the bath trick – but never say never, he says.

The 28-year-old explained to The Advocate that he’s tried to quit gambling on sports, horse racing and Namibian bike polo many times but the constant bombardment of betting-related advertising has made that difficult.

“I haven’t lost everything yet,” he said, looking down at the brown sugar slowly dissolve through the head of his cappuccino.

Simmons caught up with our reporter at the Pigeon & Cholera Canteen down in the Flight Path District earlier this morning.

“My wife took the girls away from me though. She gave me a few chances but I guess I’m just weak. I feel pretty weird about it. My betting app keeps making me feel like a winner but my wife kept calling me a fucking loser,”

“Maybe I am a fucking loser? My kids were eating cereal for weeks before they walked out on me. My fucking BS family, man,”

“Lucky my betting app won’t abandon me like they did. It’ll always be there to give me the best odds and give me the option to cash out early if it looks like I’m about to lose. The ads are so relatable, too. They always have portly blokes in pubs half cut with their mates. I don’t have any mates anymore.”

Our reporter paid for the coffees and rubbed Mike on the back as he broke down in public – for the third time this week.

The hardest step can be firstly admitting that you have a problem with gambling, then reaching out for help.

Lifeline Far South West has Gambling Help and Financial Counsellors who provide free and confidential counselling in a non-judgmental and supportive environment.

They can also help you understand and manage your gambling addiction, and start finding a way out of addiction.