What is wrong with gambling?

[magiluke]

In this (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1174369&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1) thread, this article (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=14294) was mentioned. I've read the article, and it brought up a question that I personally can't answer: Why do people frown upon gambling so much?

It's just something that I can't quite understand; some people are absolutely and vehemently against gambling. It's something that's fun, and for some, a source of income. Do people find that it is unfair that people who gamble make money without working? Is it taxes? Religious?
I just don't get why, perhaps someone else can explain it /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[jakethebake]

Well don't you know about all the lives that have been ruined by gambling. It's up to us as civiilized people to protect those poor people from themselves.
[ QUOTE ]
In this (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1174369&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1) thread, this article (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=14294) was mentioned. I've read the article, and it brought up a question that I personally can't answer: Why do people frown upon gambling so much?

It's just something that I can't quite understand; some people are absolutely and vehemently against gambling. It's something that's fun, and for some, a source of income. Do people find that it is unfair that people who gamble make money without working? Is it taxes? Religious?
I just don't get why, perhaps someone else can explain it /images/graemlins/confused.gif

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[magiluke]

Gambling doesn't ruin everybody's life, just some people. I feel bad for them, but it really is their fault, when it comes down to it.

And what about all of the other things out there that ruin people's lives? Pharmaceutical companies that take most of people's income (I talk to many senior citizens; some that have to spend 80% of their income on medicine). Credit card companies, with their high interest rates that send people into a downward spiral of debt that they can't get out of. Soldiers going out to war, only to get killed; it ruins their life and their family's. I'm sure there are more things than I can think of right now as well.

What's the difference between gambling ruining someone's life, and credit cards ruining someone's life? In both situations, the person has control over what they are getting into; the choice of whether to do it or not.

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Well don't you know about all the lives that have been ruined by gambling. It's up to us as civiilized people to protect those poor people from themselves.


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[jakethebake]

Exactly! (http://www.sarcasmdetector.com)

[ QUOTE ]
In this (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1174369&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1) thread, this article (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=14294) was mentioned. I've read the article, and it brought up a question that I personally can't answer: Why do people frown upon gambling so much?

It's just something that I can't quite understand; some people are absolutely and vehemently against gambling. It's something that's fun, and for some, a source of income. Do people find that it is unfair that people who gamble make money without working? Is it taxes? Religious?
I just don't get why, perhaps someone else can explain it /images/graemlins/confused.gif

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[magiluke]

Seriously, it took me about a minute to get what your were trying to say with that link. I read it, thought about it, tried to figure out if you were insulting me or not. Then I realized what you were conveying! Now I feel dumb /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[jakethebake]

LOL...The way I feel is that people that want to protect people from themselves are idiots (not to mention it's immoral to take away people's freedom whether for their own good or not).

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Seriously, it took me about a minute to get what your were trying to say with that link. I read it, thought about it, tried to figure out if you were insulting me or not. Then I realized what you were conveying! Now I feel dumb /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

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[goofball]

i would think a lot less of someone who paid 1k/year in credit card interest, than i would someone who lost 1k/year gambling in -EV games

[Nepa]

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i would think a lot less of someone who paid 1k/year in credit card interest, than i would someone who lost 1k/year gambling in -EV games

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Great point. I never hear anyone talking about how the credit card companies are ruining america.

[EarlCat]

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Great point. I never hear anyone talking about how the credit card companies are ruining america.

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How about this guy?
www.daveramsey.com (http://www.daveramsey.com)

Credit cards are worse than gambling... at gambling, there's at least a chance you'll win.

[Nepa]

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Credit cards are worse than gambling... at gambling, there's at least a chance you'll win.

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I hope you don't mind I'm going to use that quote again. esp. to a neo-right winger. I don't think they'll understand but I'll still say it.

[anatta]

What about someone who gambles by cash advances on their credit cards? I have had quite a few bankruptcy clients in my day. Most of them just have poor budgeting habits. Some get injured or sick and have no insurance, or get a divorce and get screwed somehow. I filed for a guy whose wife killed a baby in a baby-shaking case, criminal defense bill was 600 grand (she got life). I did a bk for a guy who was in Pulp Fiction (a bit part, but its fun to see him, not Zed).

Every so often, I get a gambler. Typically its an Asian male who has run up debt about 10 times higher than my average client. Not unusual to see $100 - $300,000 grand in credit cards.

I remember one guy who used to own a Chinese restaurant. He had good credit from the biz. He ran up the 300 grand. He now works as a cook in the same restaurant.

I still do some BK's, but mostly I gamble for a living myself! Gambling has ruined many, many people, but it saved me. I never really liked law, I only did it for the money since it was all I could do, but I love poker (sometimes it loves me back).

[magiluke]

Losing in gambling + credit cards = financial ruin

[anatta]

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Losing in gambling + credit cards = financial ruin

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Its not just the financial ruin, which is, of course, very bad for the gambler and his family. The gambling addict has a tendency to degenerate spiritually. They drink too much, get fat and unhealthy, just basically go to hell. That is why I think its very important for poker players, even winning ones, to work out, eat right, moderate the booze and women as much as possible. It seems pretty easy to let your discipline go in these matters with the stresses of gambling for a living every day.

[magiluke]

I'd have to agree with you on that one (except for the part about the booze (except for when I'm actually playing))

[goofball]

i drink much less now than befor ei started playing. Before i started playing I would get drunk and that would be that. The only real cost was the hangover the next day. Now if i get drunk it means i can't play that night at all. Even after i've stopped drinking as long as i'm feeling it i can't play (and i've never ever sobered up during a night of drinking before i went to sleep, my body just doesn't metabolize liquor that quickly). In essence, the oppurtunity cost of drinking has gone up substatially, so i don't do it as much.

[magiluke]

I see where you are going with that. I actually don't drink that much, so it doesn't affect me too much either. But if I do drink, I make sure not to gamble. It's a lesson I learned when I combined rum & craps. I lost $500...well, I actually made $60, but I was up $500 before I started drinking rum. Shame on me /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[magiluke]

This Thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1173833&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1) has a link to another article that shows people trying to stop gambling. I just don't get it.

[GWB]

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article that shows people trying to stop gambling. I just don't get it.



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I don't get it either, but then I don't get why some people want to stop us from defending ourselves against terrorists either.

[jokerswild]

You clearly aren't Bush, psycho.

[Nepa]

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I don't get it either, but then I don't get why some people want to stop us from defending ourselves against terrorists either.

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Gambling and terrorism aren't linked!

[jakethebake]

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Great point. I never hear anyone talking about how the credit card companies are ruining america.

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Actually there's a lot of idiots that believe cr*p like that. A few months back there were a lot of newspaper articles about it. Kinda like Rosie O'Donnel Blaming the spoon for her being fat. This kind of weak-minded thinking is what's ruining America...people that refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

[jakethebake]

The real problem is that the anti-gambling thing is one that the religious right and left-wingers seem to agree on. The religious right for obvious reasons, and the left of course want to protect us from ourselves.