Hopeful Addiction

In the midst of the national debate over whether or not to legalize online slots and casinos, and then how to regulate them, the issue is raised over public health and safety. The problem of addiction is a very real and serious issue, and many people are having trouble justifying the increased revenue with such a huge risk at stake.

Studies have shown that the more upset a person gets when he loses, the less of a chance he has to become a “good” gambler, that is, a repeat, regular gambler. Those are the people who are not at risk, because they can just walk away regardless of what that next hand might be, or what that next slot reel might show. Especially in rough economic times, the ability to walk away from a potential win down the line is what divides those with at-risk personalities from those who are just playing for casual fun.

The other scenario is that a person sits down at a slot machine to play and cannot stop, even though he loses a few turns. That person, who is not upset or affected by losing his hard earned cash, especially now with the troubled financial climate, is the one who is most at risk. That personality type would be a prime example of the person who would have a propensity for addiction to slots and gambling, and would probably do best to stay away from casinos altogether, because that is one slippery slope. It would always be, “just one more hand”, because they know, or they have “a feeling” that the big win is just around the corner.

While a good attitude, and a hopeful, optimistic outlook is usually considered a positive, when it comes to gaming, it turns into a very dangerous and risky behavior.

Back to July 2008 Archive.