Gambling is Seen

People have gambled from ancient times, like China and Rome, to the current day. You see gambling everywhere you go. People seem to enjoy their chance at lotto, sweepstakes, horse racing, poker, to name a few. If you are not in, you can not win. In today’s age of the computer, gambling has taken an added direction of being online. The method of online gambling is very popular but it can have some risks.

Here are two reasons on the Popularity of Online Gambling.

1. You can gamble from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a computer, an active internet connection and a credit card. You do not need to go out to a casino or the horse races, which is great if it is freezing outside. For casino type gambling all you have to do is open an account and try your luck.

2. Online gambling provides the same thrill and excitement as you get with traditional gambling. And it can provide every type of gambling there is.

For example:

a. betting on the National Basketball Association (NBA ) or Major League Baseball (MLB) or National Football League (NFL ) finals if you like sports. In fact for sports betting you should find a lot of professional tips to help you make a decision on which team to bet on.

b. horse racing

c. online casino websites where you can get a buzz from playing blackjack, roulette, poker or slot machines, if you are keen on casino type gambling. If you like poker, there are some online casinos that let you play poker against other online players. The good thing about this is that you can practise with virtual or fake money to get a feel of the card game first. That is the “try before you buy” thought.

Here are two Risks of Online Gambling

1. Losing a great amount of money: Online gambling is gambling and if you are not sensible then you could potentially lose lots of money. A good idea would be to set a limit of money you are prepared to lose.

2. Becoming Addicted: When you win, it feels great and the urge to bet more money is tempting. Therefore you need to pace yourself so you do not go deep into debt.

So when you are home on that wet Friday night and have the urge to gamble, online be sensible. Give yourself a limit of money you are prepared to lose and enjoy the adrenaline of your heart pumping faster as you watch that horse race, sports team or have that flutter at the roulette wheel. Just imagine you win… or your loss.

Gambling establishments continue to negatively affect our community by taking needed resources for personal gain. Since legalizing gambling, our society is addicted in one form or another.

The following has situations have occurred since legalizing gambling:

1) Illegal gambling increases even though gambling has been legalized.

2) Gambling addiction is escalating with no end in site.

3) Gambling addiction rates are double for those living near a gambling establishment.

4) Personal bankruptcy rates are higher in countries that have gambling establishment.

5) Crime rates are on the rise due to desperate individuals who are trying to recover gambling loses.

6) Fraud and embezzlement become common among formerly hard-working and highly trusted people.

7) Suicide rates among addicted gamblers are greater then any other addiction.

Local businesses have lost revenues and or have gone bankrupt

9) Families lost all their resources due to a spouse having a gambling addiction.

With every day that passes more and more people realize someone around them lost their savings at the gambling establishment.
My town is twenty nine miles from the nearest gambling establishment. On my block alone more then fifty percent of the people know some one who lost their life savings. On the same block only twenty percent know someone close who has a drug addiction.

As you educate yourself you start to realize there is a problem and something needs to be done before it gets out of control.

Governments need to take the time to realize that gambling addiction is a silent addiction and the negative affects are never felt in the short run. It’s up to them to implement procedures to halt this addiction if it’s not too late.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

Problem or compulsive gambling as some call it, has always been an issue among the adult population. The availability of Internet gambling and online betting sites has served to exacerbate the problem. But even of more concern, is that teenage gambling, once a minor problem for parents, is today a growing phenomena. Unfortunately, it is not unusual today to hear about teens who have become addicted to gambling online.

In a review of 1,300 calls to the National Problem Gambling Helpline for immediate help, 106 clients (8%) reported that their primary problem was internet gambling. The predominant age of these individuals was aged 18-25. Furthermore, a recent study by the Annenberg Foundation found that almost 600,000 youth (aged 14-22) reported gambling on the Internet on a weekly basis.

These numbers are concerning, but not surprising.

Why is it dangerous?

Children and teens are more susceptible to addiction. So exposure to gambling at a young age is particularly risky.
A gambling addiction is not different from an addiction to drugs and alcohol. The potential destructive effects can be devastating to the individual and the family as well as lead to other compulsive behaviors.
The popularity of online poker and the glamorization around it have contributed to making gambling more acceptable and mainstream. Gambling today is normal behavior, even among teens.
20% of problem gamblers try to commit suicide at some point.
Signs of a problem
Experiencing a big win can lead to continued gambling. Keep an eye out.
They spend more and more time gambling in place of other entertainment or hobbies.
There is a change in their academic performance.
They need to borrow money frequently and/or start to exhibit pressure about finances.
You find that money is missing from the house or your wallet.
They start buying new, expensive items without reasonable explanations of the source of the money.
Irritable behavior and mood swings.
Solutions
Even if you think it is under control, if your child is gambling, talk to them about it. Open communication is the best way to know what is happening and to prevent problems.
If you suspect your teen is hiding an online gambling problem, you can look at their computer and see what sites they are visiting online.
If you decide that your teen should not be permitted to gamble online, you may want to enforce certain Internet rules by installing a Parental Control software.
If you suspect a serious problem, consult with a professional.
If your teen admits to a problem, you use a software solution, such as a web filter to block gambling sites and simply prevent access. In many cases, eliminating the access will be enough to eliminate the problem.