Son speaks out against father’s gambling addiction
In countries like the United States, gambling is not permitted in most states. And that is because many communities are not prepared for the complications that normally follow gambling operations. Several casinos operate at the Northern border and one is located along a popular strip in the Old Capital. And anyone who has ever visited a casino at least twice can tell you that there are people who make the stools at slot machines and card tables, their home away from home. Gambling is considered an addiction, and one brave twenty one year old young man came to our studios this morning to break the silence about the addiction that has consumed his father while ripping the core of his family.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
The face of Johnny Richards senior appears to be a happy one. But behind the smile there is darkness that is affecting the Richards family. Gambling, like drinking, smoking and drugs, can be addictive. Twenty-one year old Corozal Resident, Johnny Richards Junior, says the addiction has gripped his father. It’s a situation that has destroyed many households across the country.
Jose Sanchez
“Your father clearly won’t be happy that you did this interview. Why?”
johnny richards jr
Johnny Richards Junior, Son of Alleged Gambling Addict
“I did this interview because I wanted to share my experience with everyone and the casino is an entertainment place, it’s not a place for a habit. So everyone out there just don’t lose control when you go these places because they are highly addictive.”
Jose Sanchez
“I know it is very hard for you but how has it affected you and your siblings. I mean your father is supposed to be the man taking care of you but now it seems you’re the one trying to make an intervention. How is this affecting everyone at home?”
Johnny Richards
“Well, it’s a real chaos, it affects the family mentally. Sometimes you see my father going, losing all the money. We try to stop him but he just goes behind our back and when we get to find out it’s already too late; he already got bankrupt. So it affects us mentally because then we wonder what could be the future if every time this comes to this.”
alvajean richards
AlvaJean Richards, Sister of Alleged Gambling Addict
“We want to help him see how he could change his life even if maybe God would help him, if he would ask God to please help him to get out of that problem because it’s like being on drugs. He’s losing everything and so we came here to try to help him out.”
Richards Junior brought examples of his father’s addiction that has led to financial ruin. He showed that his father was able to rack up a credit card bill of nine thousand one hundred and sixty-eighth U.S. dollars in a few hours at a casino. He explained that over time, when there was no cash on hand or credit card to push to a limit, Richards Senior then sold property, including one for ninety thousand dollars. Junior says, however, eventually everything runs out.
Johnny Richards Jr.
“My dad lost two houses; he sold them and he busted all the money in the casino. He spends all the business money and lots of stuff, he sold properties, cars, everything and bust them up in the casino.”
Jose Sanchez
“Which casino does he go?”
Johnny Richards Jr.
“He goes to Princess and Golden in Corozal Free Zone.”
Jose Sanchez
“You guys have a restaurant as well. Is there a worry that he may do something to that business as well?”
Johnny Richards Jr.
“Every dollar that he gets from the business he would go and gamble it out, spend it out, bank account money everything. So it’s a fear that I have as a son because I don’t know when he will stop going to the casino.”
AvaJean Richards
“Then when he already spends out the money, he come and tell us that they stole his money but we know that’s a lie because the people come and tell us that he was just in the casino.”
Richards junior also provided documents from the casino to prove that they accepted the numerous requests to have his father banned from the establishment. But eventually, without the knowledge of the family, they did let him in and he squandered whatever was available from the family business.
Johnny Richards Jr.
“I went many times to talk to them like good people who care about their family. But they have banned him in 2005 and we made multiple bans right there at Princess Casino and Golden Casino. I talk to the manager and every time they sign, then I find out the ban has been broken. When I find out my dad has already lost lots of money.”
Now the son says, the casinos aren’t being responsible and he wants to sue.
Johnny Richards Jr.
“Yes I intend to sue the casino because now there is evidence that shows that my family is in need. My dad lost a fortune and I intend to get it back.”
Jose Sanchez
“Your dad might be watching this particular interview. What would you want him to hear?”
Johnny Richards Jr.
“I would like to tell him to make a change. Stop going there, you don’t need to go there. You have a good business and a good family who supports you.”
Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
There should be a legal way to get something like a restraining order that someone can no longer gamble, and if a casino lets him gamble after knowing about the order, then all the loss is on the casino.
Casino can be fun, but for an addict it is financial suicide — and murder for his family. A law to prevent it could be enacted very quickly.
Some people can handle a little bit of vice, some cannot. Government should protect addicts, AND THEIR FAMILIES. It is evil and immoral to let casino owners get rich by ruining addicted people.
One of the PROBLEMS OF PROGRESS. There needs to be some type of treatment available through the Ministry of Health.
Junior, he’s a junky, he may sell you to feed his habit.
Johnny Jr. try getting your dad some therapy asap
I would like to tell people that these casinos area business they exist to make profit and that the poor people who think they can beat them are getting poorer as the casino owners get rich. They have those machines fixed and there is no way you can get rich on the casinos, no way.
snap!..that’s a good kid there and gambling like any other addiction will ruin your life. i hope they can find the solution they need
One thing i would say that your father need help. I don’t believe its the casino duties to try and stop him. All business are looking for is to make money and if they see that this man is bring all this money in there business ofcourse they would want to encourage him. It’s very good that you guys want to help your father, the best thing i beleve is to get him some counseling.
kudos to Johnny Richards Jr. You have demostrated strength of character. Don’t ever lose it. Keep up the integrity and you will be a true success.
What I know about the addiction gambler I feel for this family in the most profound way. Its obvious that this father is very emotionally sick to the extent that he has lost his will power’s if he had any at all. breaking this distrucful habit is no easy matter, Its like the cocain addict that will stop at nothing to get the money to fuel his addiction, this is why there should be a law for the express purpose of helping those that are the victim, such as this family who stands to be out on the street because who is suppose to be the head of the family is leading them to distruction against their will.
I won’t be presumpteous in thinking that I can speak for God, but my response to the person who wishes that God will intervene with a miracle,might be wating a long time while they go down this road to financial distruction along with this person that is of a weak moral fiber. I’m no phycologist, but I’m a person who pay keen attention to the phenominon of livng this thing call life, and going on four score of age I’ve seen and do my cataloging of the experiences I’ve had along the way, so I feel that I can make a few rational comments, here and there. And as far as God and human is consern, when it come to this sudden miracle we expect from God, in my experience its possible, but rear.
Study yourself as best as you can and you will come to the reality of how miraculous we all are as human beings. In the miraculous self we were design as human being of “will dignity”; this is the mean to be created in the image and likeness of our Heavenly Father. The will to do, or not to do. The causation of human behavour styms from many different aspects. Readers of the comment, note, simple mind make,(create) simple things. The fact that we are so complex should cause us to realize that we have been created by a great mind. This person with this gambling is like a little child in his actions. Cronologically he is an adult, while emotionally his behavour is that that of a child, and a selfish child at that, which most children are if not thought to be considerate of others.
He does not love himself, for whatever reason it is that cause him to be that way, therefore he cannot love anyone elce. He is a walking no body incapable of feeling anyone elce’s emotional pain. And those that own the casinos are no better, as a matter of maybe worst. If they had any concience they would not assist this person in destroyng himself and his innocent family in the process. What if this had been done by the head of their family, would they not want to put a stop to it as this family who feel so helpless? How about do unto others as you would that they should do unto you? (The gloden rule) For the time been this family will have to put the remaining assets (if any is left) out of the reach of this person to prevent him from disponsing of it to further support his habit. In the mean time get very good pyhcologicaly help, in my opinon, is the only option that may have a lasting positive effect.
Johnny jr, i feel for you, i know exactly the true feelings you and your family is going true. One of my family members is in the same situation as your dad on ly that he hasn’t gamble away houses loys and cars because he doesn’t own that, but it had destroyed his family because likewise, he has used up credit cards, and always is borrowing money from people and can’t pay back and lucky his wife has a good job, she’s the one always bailing him out of hot water. And it had come to the point where his home is broken, he has lost all his friends, no one lends him money and now he’s living back at his mom’s home, and believe me, he’s already stressing her out as well. I believe Said Musa has to be blame for all this because he was the one that gave permission to have casinos in our country, i remember clear when the bishop was against this but Musa still went ahead and let them come to destroy homes. Those one hand bandit machine as they are called because truly they are one handed thief, will never stop if the government doesn’t do something about it very soon. And believe me, a lot of people go to these places thinking that they will come out winning. You can never win those machines, never. I know of a lady that gambled out everything but when i mean everything, EVERYTHING. At one spell, she even start prostituting herself, gambling is like drugs. You start to lie, cheat and even thief just to maintain it. And I believe that you all need to take your dad to get real help. A phycologist can help. He needs someone to open his mind and let him remember all the wealth he has and let him see now what he has left. Believe me its still not too late for you guys to help him because he can’t do it by himself. Please i suggest don’t leave your dad alone, simple as it looks maybe ha doesn’t show it but he is stressed too and believe me sometimes you wonder why people commit suicide. Because the way i see it, he’s heading that road. I am proud that you had the courage to come forward on tv and talk about it because believe me, you are not alone in this situation, there are many belizeans living that hell you and your family is living but they are too ashame to talk it out. I hope and pray that your dad get the help he needs and come to his senses and realize that he has a family that loves and cares for him and if hwe can just admit to himself that he’s really addicted to the casinos, maybe that will be a start for him getting better.
Life sucks and then you die but before you die you have to suffer like a motherf@#$#$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Casino’s in Belize. Another great idea by our Politicians, only the rich benefit from Casinos at the expense of the poor. For every 100 poor persons gambling you may find one who is rich and gambling. Its a big trap for poor people. I am happy that so far in San Pedro two attempts at Casino’s have been tried and both failed. We are not prepared to deal with the consequences of legalized gambling in our country. The Casino’s and politicians are the only ones to benefit…and we put those politicians in power take care of us…aye aye aye…hypocrits…
All the casinos should pay into a fund where people like this can turn for help.
Manford……………. U deep dude!!!!! Real DEEP!!!!!
Why in hell would the family of this person ever think that the casino would ban this man from entering their establishment????? The casinos would never turn back a paying customer and a well paying customer at that. Casinos are there to make money plain and simple, they aren’t there to refuse money from paying customers. Now the family on the other hand needs to forcibly restrain this guy and send him to get some psychological help….he’s an addict ….it’s probably too late to save him anyways. What would be the smart thing for the family to do is to get a good lawyer and remove this guys name from all the family assets and allocate them to trustworthy family members before its too late…..he won’t stop spending until its all gone!
With all the casinos being allowed to open in Belize, why aren’tthere any GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS in Belize? Government should look into having a chapter of GA in Belize.
kudos to the johnny jr, mein you have the guts to bring this family problem to viewers which actually is affecting alot of people and families. i’m so amazed that people go to extreme actions like selling properties to satifiy their addictions like gambling. nice of you that you step up to bring in this problem to an awareness of these things can affect not only your family but our families also. hope your dad reflects on his actions and changes with God’s will. it’s a pity you guys have to go through this humulations because of his selfishness.
Must be tough….I feel you pain Johnny, try to get him to take psychological therapy.
Johnny Jr., dont be ashamed in any way, you are the voice of srength. Definately by your appearance on TV, you prolly had some people cringing, because they too are in the same situation. You can never win at Casinos, never. Be proud, your dad will thank you one day. Get at the forefront and take charge of that restaurant business, you cant have him take that down the drain too. Pray and have faith, it will work out.
johnny i want to be ur stepdad allow me to come over remove all his stuff out the house and we make him a lil tent by the casino door and put all his stuff there then maybe he realize how much the casino owners love him when them chase his …. off the property im serious im lookin for a middle age wife from belize so i can get my belizean green card i have something to offer too dont think im broke
Johnny Jr. see if there is some way where you can take the casino to court, once they allow your father to enter the casino.it might be under the sub-heading of restraining order> Secondly your family have to stop enabling him let the people he is in deb twith take him to court he needs consequences. Your family already lives without his physical, emotional,and financial help good luck>
Johnny Jr. you speak for many suffering belizean families ! You should be proud of yourself ! The CASINOS has ripped familes apart and have driven them into poverty ! Belize Government should not allow Politics and Donations given to the Govermnet for an approval to open casinos at the expense of the Belizean people. Belizeans have it hard already ! There is no need for a Casino in Belize. Especially when the Casionos are owned by Foreigners that take the profits out of the country. Its time for Prime Minister Dean Barrow-“A man of Change”-to step in and make a direct change that will better belizean families well being by shutting down all casinos in Belize ! Casinos is the silent killer that is destroying the Belize People ! The Casinos should be held accountable for the losses Johnny Jr. and family has suffered and should repay the family.
I challenge the Belize Govermnent to step in and make a difference or do nothing and continue to enjoy donations from casinos while destroing BELIZEAN FAMILIES !
Casino in Belize another way to rip people off.Casino should not be allow in” BELIZE”.Because this is a third world country anb also belizean people already have life hard.Many belizean people had suffered great lost. this is a countrynot prepare for the complication that normally by these gambling operation. The man who had the fault for leting casino in belize is SIAD MUSA.When the bishop had strongly advise that not to permit casino in belize Mr.musa comment was that “CASINO IN BELIZE WILL ONLY BE FOR TOURIST ONLY”AND LOOK HOW MANY BELIZEAN HAD SUFFERE GREAT LOST.I strongly advise Mr. DEAN BARROW a man of change to be the belizean hero by BANNING ALL CASINO FROM THIS COUNTRY!!!!!