Gambling, Its Effects on Society

There was a time when the only gambling in town was either bingos, the occasional friendly bet on a sporting event, and yes, even illegal back room poker games.

Today, casino gambling has become very popular and has been given the thumbs up all over North America. Soon casinos will be as plentiful as the local convenience stores. Of course gambling has been around since the beginning of time, so I don't suppose there will ever be a way of putting a stop to it now. Even the Canadian government has decided not to fight it anymore, but to join right in, reaping the multi-billion dollar benefits.

Some people gamble for sheer entertainment purposes, whether it be going to the casino, the horse races, or even the bingo hall. To some, it's a night out and something to do every now and then, with the small hope of maybe winning some money. However, a good majority will be hooked by the allurement of a chance to walk away with double or ten times the amount of money they walked in with. Once you have won a time or two, the addiction can set in motion. It, like many other addictions, can give you an adrenalin rush, a temporary euphoric "high". Just being caught up in the excitement, one can see just how easily addictive it can all become.

I myself have been to a few casinos on occasion, and I can definitely see the allure. The rooms are brightly colored (and I'm sure this is a psychological entrapment). There are friendly "Courtesy" employees walking around to make you feel right at home (and I'm sure it is for many). In the case of slot machines, pulling that arm down, or pushing those buttons and listening to the instant money jingle down the chute onto the tray, you feel like you have just won the jackpot, even if it's only a few dollars. It feels too much like "easy money". This is what brings many patrons coming back again and again. Even if they haven't won anything in a while (and only contributed), they have that, albeit hypothetical, sixth sense that their day is soon coming when they will hit the big payoff.

It would never dawn on them that the casino itself would never pay out more than it brings in. What would be the point of being in business? Not everyone is going to win! Like the lottery, only a very few, out of millions of people, will ever really be lucky enough to win big. The rest of us are only donating to their cause.

For myself, I would never spend more than $20 or $25 at any given time if I were to find myself at a casino again. To me, it would be a night out, not much unlike going to a movie or restaurant, and a short night out at that. The cost would be about the same, and I most definitely wouldn't go that often. For me, $25 is too hard to earn to just be throwing it away so frivolously. I do know my limitations. However, unfortunately some cannot put a money or time limit on gambling.

It takes on average, ten or fifteen minutes to lose $20. So if one were to spend 1, 2 or 3 hours in the casino at any given time, although they may win a few dollars only to lose it all again, they could lose a substantial amount of money. Sometimes the machines are on your side, but only for a short time. However, the thought of possibly winning more is what lures the patrons, and those that operate the casinos are only too well aware of that fact. Soon the visits can become more often and for a longer stretch of time. The allure becomes too great. The addiction has taken them over.

Sadly, many have become so severely addicted that it costs them dearly, not only monetarily, but in their everyday personal lives. These are just some ways in which we've all heard about, either by experience, through family members, friends, or just from watching the news:

* People lose their families because of the time they spend on gambling. They are never home anymore. Gambling has become their number one priority and therefore the family unit breaks down.

* People have alienated family members or friends due to over borrowing in order to gamble. The bills don't get paid because they always think they'll pay past due debts with their winnings (which rarely come).

* People have lost their homes because they either can no longer afford to pay the mortgage, or they've borrowed so many times on it, that it's taken over by the banks.

* People have even stolen money from their employers because they have become so consumed by gambling, therefore losing their jobs and subsequently being charged with theft.

* On the extreme side, people have committed suicide because their lives have totally been turned upside down due to the addiction. They have completely lost all hope and see no other way of getting out of the hole they've dug themselves into. There is also the stigma of embarrassment, that they've failed in such a monumental way, to themselves and to their families.

* Not all people will see it as an addiction. Either they convince themselves they can quit anytime they want, not seeing how bad it really has become or they refuse to put it in the same category as alcohol or drug addiction. Therefore, they don't often seek help for it... and it becomes too late.

What I find terribly ironic, is that our government will even blatantly advertise their casinos, as if they don't already get enough business. They know full well that gambling has become such a huge problem for many, yet they still insist on trying to lure more people in. Then they will give a short by-line or foot note, informing people to gamble responsibly. As if that severs them from all negligence and responsibility for having lured problem gamblers to the casinos in the first place. I suppose the lure of pulling in millions of dollars is just as addictive to them as the hopes of winning is for the gambler. I find that downright shameful!

A short anecdote........... A person working in a (Saskatchewan) government office is discovered stealing money to help support their gambling addiction. They spent well over a million dollars of tax payer's money at the government run casino. They lost their job of course, was given a small fine to pay but was not expected to repay the government office the stolen money. Why not? They already got it back...... at the casino! This person just happened to move it from one government agency to another.

One could almost laugh at the absurdity of it, if it weren't for the fact that they had a problem, didn't seek help and used tax payers money to fund their habit. I suppose one might even think that 'yes', they did have some luck going their way, even if they didn't win big.... they came out of the experience with few consequences. Unfortunately, others aren't so lucky!