make gambling illegal

Hi wanttostop1,

i appreciate what you're saying with banning gambling but i think that the 'myth' people can gamble responsibly isn't in fact a myth. The majority of people on here are compulsive gamblers, and so no, are unable to gamble responsibly. However, we live in a completely different world to those who are not compulsive gamblers and for whatever reason, our brains do not function in the same way. Once we start we cannot stop. I am purely speaking from my experience of having friends who are able to bet -for example on a day at the races- once a year and that is all, being able to put a £10, £20, £50 loss behind them, as to them they have paid for the experience (especially at a race meet) and see that as part of the fun of the day out. I used to do some work for a gentleman in his 90's, a lovely man, served through the wars and was one of the last remaining rear gunners until he sadly passed away last year. He used to really enjoy placing a 50p bet on a horse, every now and then, and it just gave him some pleasure in a life that had become very difficult due to his health. Surely you cannot suggest he was gambling irresponsibly with an infrequent 50p bet that just gave him some enjoyment in his life.

This is merely my views and i think we all on here have a lot of resentment towards the gambling industry for the misery it has brought to our lives. But the bottom line is we were the ones who made the decision to enter into a bet in the 1st place. The marketing and offers that go with it are all around us in every part of life. i'm sure there are people who spend more on clothes than they should (getting into unaffordable debt) and might blame the shops for constantly having sales but thats just part of business. They have a choice whether to enter into a shop and make that purchase, and get further into debt, as do we with our gambling.

I am 56 days into recovery and learning more each day. Good luck with your recovery

Wanttostop1,

Gambling can be done responsibly, just like drinking can be but there are those who become addicted to it.

I know many people who gamble only a couple of times a month and this would come under the responsible description.

Someone who's addicted to one thing will not necessarily become addicted to other things. I can have a pint one week but then nothing for 2 months and this too is responsible, but I cannot gamble like that, with me it's all or nothing. That does not mean everyone is like that.

JamesP,

You mentioned this:

"I have seen people literally dancing behind the counter and high-fiving each other after I have lost all I have - that kind of mentality is completely wrong."

Just like I wrote to Kancer, you and him believe gambling should exist, I don't.

Until I believed it should exist I also believed some people can gamble responsibly.

However now I know it's a myth.

I've seen lots of people gamble, some of them do "stay in control" by losing "only a few thousand of pounds a year" ... that is wrong.

The entire concept of gambling is wrong, it's wrong and it should be banned, no questions asked.

Once you treat the gambling industry like that, then trust me, no one would ever be affected, literally no one.

Hi ron81,

Thanks for your post.

You have compared between "shopping addiction" and gambling addiction ... shopping is something that gives you something tangible for the money you pay for ... gambling isn't.

This guy you talked about who enjoyed placing 50p on horses just for fun, or those guys who went to the race tracks and placed some bets ... you never know the repercussions in the long term .... some of them might lose only a few hundreds, and some of them might be come addicts as well.

It's like you offering me a cigarette now, I might try it once or twice and then stop and give it up easily ... does it mean I can control smoking?

You are up to keep business that destroys peoples' lives and that is a fact, just because it's fun ... but as I said there is no fun in gambling and no one can control it ... no one.

Some people might do it in a small scale, others won't and lose more ... but in the end of the day if you are defending that industry then I'm sorry but that is just like being with your enemy ... what's the difference between that and allowing people to smoke freely?

Smoking should be banned.

Gambling should be banned.

Would it happen? Of course not.

Should you be part of it in that case? Of course not.

Do other people "enjoy" it? I doubt it ... deep inside they don't, but we need something to fulfill the times we're bored.

There are lots of other alternatives, gambling should not be one of those.

Lancer,

The analogy between gambling and drinking is wrong.

You should compare gambling with smoking, but not with drinking.

The fact is smoking kills you.

The fact is gambling also kills you, at least financially if not more than that.

There are people who can place a bet and leave. I can buy a lottery ticket and could care less if I lose or win, so lottery doesn't affect me, I'm not addicted to it ... however would I be sad if the government ban lottery because some others are addicted to it? Absolutely not.

Why?

Because in the end of the day any form of gambling is destructive ... some people haven't tasted it enough so they are not affected, yet, by it.

Addiction is not an extreme, it's a fact.

Losing money is not an extreme, it's a fact.

Those facts are enough to ban gambling, but as I said our discussion is pointless, no one would ever ban gambling, not in the near future anyway.

We will have to agree to disagree on that one then Wantstostop1. I don't by any means believe that what I say is fact but I know that I have friends who gamble very infrequently without problem. The more you do something the more the addiction creeps in but it's down to the "tastes" of the individual as to what poison you find addictive.

In response to JamesP, I too have seen the staff in bookmakers laughing and revelling in the loss made by customers. They don't have that same reaction when a big payout is due!

I agree Lancer, everyone is entitled to his own opinions.

Regarding the people who work inside the betting shops, out of curiosity, do you know why they laugh when someone loses and why are they upset when they need to payout?

I mean aren't they being paid a fixed salary per hour? So what is their interest to be involved in someone else's bets?

Wanttostop1, I only experienced it in a couple of bookies, the first time when I was playing a fobt which was nearest to the counter and I could hear sniggering from the staff every time I lost. I thought this coincidence until I noticed it on a seperate occasion when someone else was playing. I have also seen it in a shop which was not my local and I later found out that the staff can see what is happening on the terminals from behind the counter.

Reasons for this I'm not sure, it could be like JamesP said, wanting to meet shop targets, perhaps they get a bonus depending on takings? I couldn't say really but it was interesting to see that others have also noticed it happening. Pretty bad conduct no matter what the reason

By the way, I suggest those who ask themselves if gambling should be banned or not:

****

It has been asked before, and around 70% want it banned, only 30% say no ... my gut feeling it is much more than 70% .... As someone says there:

Casino gambling is a legal addiction

which should be illegal.

Anytime you have a situation that take people's money

and give nothing in return is wrong.

That's opposite of helping people.

That's called killing addicted society

I like the way the Americans describe it, in much more bold words, and in much less with UK / British approach .. I know most British people would disagree with me, for some reason you got it hard in your vain, but try to think like the other side and you would find yourself not gambling at all, not even once more.