Gambling can be harmless fun, but, like with anything else that's compulsive, once you start it's a hard addiction to kick. It's important to practice self-discipline when gambling and only risk what you're willing to lose.
Unlike in the past the temptation exists at our fingertips so it takes extra vigilance and mental strength to resist it. It's no longer a trip to Vegas that scratches the itch. That was a simpler time. Losing there was acceptable and part of the attraction.
But when every municipality decided to become Sin City, building casinos instead of factories, and making gambling easier to do for everyone they turned things upside down. Vegas was so profane it became sacred. Now, it's just another city.
I avoided gambling all my life. I've never stepped foot in a casino. I've never bought a lottery ticket. The allure of easy money just never attracted me. But with the multitude of online gambling venues that's available now I've fallen into this temptation. And it's a slippery slope. Luckily I've won money, but I've heard horror stories of people losing their savings and getting into deep debt.
So bet wisely this holiday season. Don't overdo it. Know your limits. Establish rules and follow them religiously. Arm yourself with knowledge before making bets, if you do so at all.
An excerpt from, "How gambling affects the brain and who is most vulnerable to addiction" by Emily Sohn, APA, July 1, 2023:
It has never been easier to place a bet. Once confined mostly to casinos concentrated in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, gambling has expanded to include ready access to lotteries and online games and video games with gambling elements for adults and children.
Sports betting is now legal in 37 states plus Washington, DC, with six more considering legislation, according to American Gaming Association data from early 2023. People can gamble around the clock from anywhere and, increasingly, at many ages, including teenagers and even young children who are well below the legal age for gambling.
As access to gambling has expanded, psychologists and other experts have become concerned not just that more people will give it a try, but that more will develop gambling problems. And while it is still too soon to know what the long-term effects will be, evidence is growing to suggest that young people, especially boys and men, are among those particularly vulnerable to gambling addiction—the same demographic most often participating in the newest forms of gambling: sports betting and video game-based gambling.
