Like all things, fine in moderation. Nothing wrong with friendly wagers among friends or spending some money playing casino games. The gambling industry doesn’t exist off the back of these players though and that’s the problem with it

Just remember that it doesn’t matter if you have an addiction or not, the reason gambling establishments are as affordable or attractive as they are is because there are people feeding their entire life savings/retirement into them right now destroying their lives. They can afford for you to get that fun occasional win as long as the addicted keep them propped up.

My friends and I occasionally have poker nights, and its a lot of fun. Its funny how stakes of $5 or $20 - just a few dollars or cents at most for most hands - make a game much more exciting.

The problem is the casinos and sports betting apps…

if you’re not first… you’re last

There was a time that I actually had a bit of a gambling problem. Came into some money and decided to just not work for a couple years and live like Caligula. Casinos took care of a good bit of that money before I managed to stop.

And to me that’s the real issue. If you’ve got cash, don’t mind/care if you lose it playing some games, and can walk away without feeling any need to go back, hey, have at it. But if you’re like me and easily get hooked on shit and it makes you irresponsible, well, the casinos and the gambling apps will be just as happy to take your money anyhow, and pretend that showing you an 800 number to call about it is being responsible.

Gambling is (mostly) a poison. I don’t condone sports gambling, I don’t go to casinos. I do like to play some poker and fantasy football, but there’s a large element of skill to those. It’s not as bad as playing slots or betting on the ponies IMO.

It’s not my thing, I do have a small basket of stocks I call gambling (they break even) and husband spends $2 a week on a lottery ticket.

Other than those I abstain, it’s not really fun to me.

I worked in a casino in the late 90’s. I dealt with supplying the coins and payouts for all the slot machines. When a machine would have a jackpot I could have the payout and paperwork printed and waiting before the techs could get to the machine. Everything would show up on my computer screen, including when there was a machine fill done.

Now ask yourself what prevents the machines from being “tighter” or “looser” at the push of a button or click of a mouse.

Every single game is designed to make the house a profit. The only way to truly win at gambling is to own the casino or not play.

I don’t think it should be illegal either, but there should defiantly be limits and protections in place so people don’t piss away their life savings over a slot machine.

Often people in difficult finical situations are the most addicted to gambling or playing the lotto because they are manipulated with hopes of a life changing big payout.

One simple idea to help, have a seperate bank account. You get a special “gamble debit card” that you can deposit up to 5% of your earnings from the previous year. Any kind of gambling can only accept this card - including food/drink at the facility. Winnings can be cashed out or used to refill the card.

Even if this isn’t a regulated thing, people can do this on their own - leave all the main cards at home and make sure you can’t transfer money to your debit without physically going to a bank.

Gambling is paying the idiot tax. Every game is rigged in favor of the casino (or whatever). On the long run, you lose and they win.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I mainly have a gripe with people getting addicted to gambling. Can be in many different forms IMO; can be spending too much money at the Blackjack table (which is somewhat skill-dependent), whaling on lootboxes/gachas (where you’d literally never “win” money back), or even day trading (which is technically positive-sum)

In theory everything is fine in moderation, but then most gambling systems reward people to whale whether they intend it or not, so…

I’ve tried to like it but I just can’t. How is it entertaining to just give your money away, literally without anything of value?

I’ll do Super Bowl squares and March madness, because it’s a social activity. Once every year or so I’ll buy a lottery ticket for one night of amazing dreams.

But organized gambling, like casino, inline, track, sports bets always just feels like they are robbing me. I did bet at a horse track and a dog track a couple of times but it’s just so sad watching these old people piss away their social security checks. Now we have polymarket which seems like mostly a way for immoral politicians, celebrities, business people to enrich themselves with insider knowledge

Yeah, we need to ban for-profit gambling

It’s all a scam as the house and all the intermediaries win, the client over time always loses, and somehow we keep doing it in the name of “fun”

I play micro stakes poker. Without gambling its likely that I wouldn’t. Its something I enjoying doing, am able to afford, and entertains me for less than the cost of going to the cinema for, potentially, a longer amount of time. So I suppose I view it as entertainment.

I take part in regular live low stake tournaments, which are more of a social get together than anything really competitive.

I’ll occasionally put a little on horses.

I think issues appears when there no bankroll. I allocate a set amount a month, if I spend it then that’s it. If not then whatever is in the account rolls through. Been lucky enough that I dont have to top it up often.

I dont think it should be illegal, I do think there should be more done about awareness, approaches, and pitfalls. I also think there are personality types which are more prone to issues and that could be identified and addressed by looking at deposit and betting patterns, but the industry doesn’t due to wanting to make money.

I don’t have strong feelings about it either way. No real appeal for me