Category Archives: Gambling

Over the last decades, gaming and online gambling have both been completely transformed as new technology have emerged, as graphic and connectivity which has drastically improved. As a result of the improved technology, hardware and games have become more complex than ever before, attracting millions of people around the world which can play together and sometimes even with difference devices. But what are the differences on gaming and playing slot games at online casinos? In this article, Editor-in chief Johan Lfgren and the team behind Casivo, which lists the top online casinos in Canada, have based their research on years of experience within both fields.

Despite being similar in character, gaming and gambling are quite different. The main difference between the terms is that the outcome of gaming is achieved by skill, where gambling is a chance of luck. Many of the video games today include gambling features such as loot boxes and in-game lotteries, as well as pure playable casinos with fictional money within the video games, like Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto being some of them. This raises the question: Is the correlation and similarities between gaming and gambling problematic?

The National Library of Medicine made a research based on a study of a cross-sectional sample of 4000 Canadian online panelists, who regularly played video games or gambled. The study shows that most gamblers (78% of the panelists) also played video games in the past year (70%). There were however weak frequencies of involvement in gambling in opposed to the frequency of video gaming. The evidence shows that even if the similarities in the involvement of each genre, problem gamblers or video gamers did not correlate enough with each other, suggesting that involvement in either of them isnt a strong predictor of involvement in the other.

Some of the most classic video games today can be seen turned into a slot game. Slot provider Microgaming is famous in Canada for their online casino presence and have made a classic slot of Lara Crofts Tomb Raider. Another one being created by PartyGaming, which features a Call of Duty Modern Warfare slot. Today there are plenty of slot creators turning all sort of genres into slots, like modern pop artists like Michael Jackson have their own slot, with classic video games and adventure games to name a few. The popularity is increasing every year and the team at Casivo believes that it will still be a popular genre, connecting the gaming world with the gambling world.

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Gaming Versus Gambling What's The Difference? - Gameindustry.com - GameIndustry.com

A number of sports teams in New South Wales have announced they will continue to opt out of gambling sponsorship deals in line with the Australian states Reclaim the Game initiative.

Australian A-League football clubs Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Macarthur FC, as well as Cricket NSW, will not enter into partnerships or commercial agreements with companies that have links to the gambling industry.

Launched last year, the scheme has attracted the backing of a number of leading sports teams and organisations in New South Wales.

The extended partnerships are a strong show of faith in Reclaim the Game as sporting franchises realise the importance of rejecting sports betting advertising and promoting gambling awareness among their supporters, chief executive of hospitality and racing for the NSW Office of Racing and Office of Responsible Gambling, Anthony Keon, said.

We now have 14 teams from five codes turning down sports betting sponsorships and making gambling awareness and education an important part of their work.

Research shows that almost 50% of 1217-year-olds saw gambling advertising on television during sports and racing events on a weekly basis and almost one in three young people considered betting on sports to be normal.

Reclaim the Game is about getting back to what sport is all about watching, enjoying and cheering on your team without intrusive sports betting ads getting in the way.

Western Sydney Wanderers, which was among the first to declare its support for the Reclaim the Game initiative, extended its backing by two seasons, and Macarthur FC by one season.

It is important for us to have an impact beyond the field and together with Reclaim the Game we have brought awareness of the impact that sports betting can have in professional sport, Western Sydney Wanderers chief executive Scott Hudson said

We are delighted that this partnership has now extended to our A-League Womens team, and we look forward to continuing to build our relationship with Reclaim the Game over the next two years.

Cricket NSW also extended its support of the scheme by a further two seasons. With this, sports betting advertising will be rejected at home games of the mens and womens Big Bash teams, the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, and also their state teams NSW Blues and NSW Breakers.

Since joining forces with the Office of Responsible Gambling, Cricket NSW has made a meaningful contribution towards changing the communitys attitudes towards betting on sport, Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said.

Were proud to be able to continue to play an active part in educating children that gambling is not a part of sport, and that gambling on sport is a bad bet.

Cricket NSW will continue to do all we can to counter the constant sports betting advertising and the adverse effect it has on young people young men, in particular and their families.

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NSW sports teams continue to opt out of gambling advertising - iGaming Business

Betting has occurred in some form or another across the documented history of humanity in every part of the planet. Gaming and gambling are a component of our shared cultural legacy as music, folklore, and visual arts. However, although betting has been for as long as humans, there have been tremendous alterations in how and why people bet and cultural views about these behaviours. In a shorter than a century, betting went from being generally prohibited to virtually generally allowed. Many individuals nowadays have no qualms regarding the issue of how to get no deposit free spins in 2022, although their parents may have considered betting unethical. How has wagering culture altered so drastically in such a short time?

For ages, legislators have debated how to regulate betting activity. On the one hand, religious authorities have long denounced wagering and gambling as nasty habits. On the other side, cash may be earned, and state-run raffles have long been employed to replenish the public purse. Taxation on wagering is recorded in ancient literature dating back to the 4th century BC. Around the mid-twentieth era, there were even more concentrated attempts to standardise wagering regulations in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In the US, Nevada was the first to exploit gaming as a tool of financial relief during the Great Depression, paving the way for Las Vegas to become the worlds most recognised betting location.

Unfortunately, within a few years, the city had become associated with criminal organisations, and the link between gaming and vice grew even more substantial. Sports betting, particularly horse and greyhound racing, has historically been the most common in the United Kingdom. A statute was approved in 1960 that legalised several types of betting and allowed licensed wagering establishments to operate for business. High street bookies have now become a fixture in the UK towns and cities throughout the nation. If you are interested in cryptocurrency, then it will be interesting for you to know that Roush Fenway racing first to offer crypto fan tokens in Nascar.

By the start of the 21st century, societal views against wagering remained split and often contradictory. Casinos have been portrayed as sleek, stylish, and sophisticated venues in films such as the James Bond series. A casino, at least for the wealthy, was associated with luxury. That picture contradicted the more common reality. While several European casinos exemplified old-world elegance, most gaming establishments were far from attractive. The glitterati did not frequent bingo halls, racetracks, or betting shops. Casinos in the United States were often dark rooms packed with gambling machines or flamboyant and brilliantly illuminated. The mafia held sway in Vegas until the mid-1980s, when a sustained effort by federal officials ultimately put an end to Mafia participation in casino gaming.

This may be seen as the beginning of a shift in gambling attitudes. As the Mafia connotations lessened and faded, what was previously edgy, potentially alluring, but undeniably licentious, gambling began to become more innocuous in the communal psyche.

Until the turn of the century, existing betting law across the globe, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, was more or less fit for purpose. The late 1990s witnessed online casinos birth and quick rise, ushering in the following significant change in wagering views. While all types of 1$ deposit casino wagering had gradually grown more socially tolerated over the previous decade, this invention would be a game changer. Whereas wagering was traditionally restricted by geography or social position, internet casinos made it available to everybody. Betting was democratised, and the impact only amplified as internet access expanded. Early regulators and regulating agencies were non-governmental, such as the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, or situated in questionable jurisdictions.

It wasnt long before the powerful nations understood they needed to take control of the issue. There have been many ways to regulate internet betting globally, but the general trend has been on the same path. Cultural attitudes about gaming have been significantly more permissive than at any other point in the previous century. The United Kingdom, in particular, has pushed into the development of betting culture, introducing the Gambling Act in 2005 and revising it in 2014. Betting and gaming generate around 3 billion British pounds in tax income annually. Gambling corporations dominate advertising during athletic events and post-watershed television, from sports betting to bingo.

For the time term, it seems that wagering is universally allowed as a kind of entertainment and a taxed source of money for authorities all around the globe. While some governments have elected to forego official regulation, for the time being, most rules have recognised that sports betting is here to stay. Despite specific reservations about aspects of online casinos and wagering in general financial fraud, gambling addiction, and unethical tactics the overall publics stance is one of acceptance. Already a multibillion-dollar industry, the pandemic years witnessed an increase in individuals turning to online betting as entertainment.

Accurate data are challenging, although some studies show that roughly a quarter of the worlds population gambles regularly. This is more than it was a few decades ago. Member nations and provinces in the United States and Canada continue democratising sports betting and online betting regulations. Each year, more European countries develop their gaming license and regulate authorities. Some will always see betting as a sin to be avoided, but due to societal shifts, it is now a minority viewpoint. A Gallup survey conducted in 2020 indicated that a record number of Americans 71 percent considered wagering a morally acceptable pastime. Such a figure would have been unthinkable not long ago. Also, there is a great mobile apps impact on the casino industry.

Gaming has a nasty image, and for a good reason. The drawbacks of betting are well-publicized and may be severe. They are also avoidable and manageable if you know how to wager sensibly.

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How Gambling Differed In The 20th Century From The One We Have Now - Times Square Chronicles

Sean Alexander's drug and alcohol addiction issues were linked to childhood bullying. Pictured here before and after rehab. (L: supplied and R: Andrew Lunn)

Sean Alexander, 36, from Wimbledon, found his addictions spiralling so out of control that he owed over 60,000 in drug and gambling debts. Facing threats from dealers, he lost everything and became suicidally depressed until rehab turned his life around. He now helps others battling similar issues.

Looking back, my addiction issues stem from childhood. I had a good upbringing and was raised by lovely parents, but I was bullied at school for being overweight. Id go through the biscuits, comfort eating, and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Then I started drinking at 14. Id go to the pub on weekends and drink until I couldnt take any more and, once I went to university, I felt encouraged to get blind drunk every night. Binge drinking and having blackouts became normalised.

I gained five stone from all the alcohol and late-night pizza, then the insecurities I had as a child came back and I used alcohol as a crutch for confidence.

Afterwards, I went into the corporate world, working for a bank, where I suddenly had triple the amount of money Id had as a student. Id be nervous in social situations that came with the new job so, on nights out,

Id turn to turbo shandies Smirnoff Ice mixed with pints of Kronenberg. I also did my first gram of coke. Before long, it was once a month, then twice a month, then once a weekend, twice a weekend, until gradually it became every day.

Gradually Sean Alexander's drug use escalated to be daily cocaine sessions, pictured here in his twenties, before rehab. (Supplied)

As the drug addiction took hold, I became reclusive because I didnt want to embarrass myself in front of people. I managed to work from home for months by making up loads of excuses why I needed to and I even got promoted during that time.

Id get five grams of coke dropped through the postbox every morning and on a typical evening drank six cans of cider and a bottle of wine more at the weekends. I carried on like this for a solid 10years.

I covered up my addictions at work and no one ever said anything. I became a qualified financial adviser, bought a house, and managed to hold down a relationship for two years.

Story continues

My girlfriend was never into drugs and Id snort coke in the toilet at home, making excuses that I was suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Eventually, I confided in her that I had a problem with addiction she was the first person I told and, shocked, she upped sticks and left me. At the time I was angry but looking back Id probably have dragged her through hell.

Former addict Sean Alexander was having five grams of cocaine delivered to his home daily, but has now beat his drug, alcohol and gambling addictions. (Andrew Lunn)

I tried to fix myself over the years, but it never worked. I went to the doctors and tried NHS counselling, but I didnt find it a helpful experience and life got worse.

The cocaine made me paranoid. I wouldn't sleep for days and Id drive in to work having been up all night. There were weeks where I didn't sleep for four days straight and Id be hallucinating from sleep deprivation.

Read More: Matt Willis reveals his exercise 'addiction' after struggling with drugs and alcohol

Staying up all night led me on to yet another addiction gambling. I started on the fruit machines in the pub, which transferred into poker and then online roulette, which is disastrous because you can spend 100 plus on one spin that takes five seconds. I won 6,000 on one spin and then, that was it, I was forever chasing.

It all went horribly wrong and I ended up with 50,000 of debt. To add to this, I owed 14,000 to a drug dealer. It's normal for dealers to break people's legs and shoot people when they don't pay debts - that's the life you risk when you buy drugs.

It got to the point where I was suicidally depressed. I never consciously tried to kill myself, but I had no regard for my own life. I didnt care if I lived or died. I drove from a wedding for over two hours and I can barely remember the journey. I was hitting every f*** it button going and I didn't care what happened to me.

Read more: Entrepreneur with bipolar says his mental health challenges will never hold him back

Obviously, I couldnt go to the police about the threats from the dealer, and I didnt have money to pay them so I ran away to Thailand. But then, of course, I ran out of cash and had to come home.

I was in a desperate situation and had no choice but to go to my mum and dad to ask for money to get the dealers off my back. Id been worrying every second of every day that they would physically harm me, but the mental harm it did with not knowing what they would do was almost worse.

It was a huge sense of relief to have it paid off. I should have asked for help a lot sooner, but I couldnt do it, I didnt want to let my family down.

It was a complete shock to them. Mum had a motherly intuition that things weren't right, but she had no idea of the extent of how bad it was. They helped me through their savings, and I was forced to sell my house to pay off the gambling debts. I went to Australia to get away, but I found similar people and did all the same things over there.

Read more: Robbie Williams says Take That impacted the mental health of himself and bandmates

All the money from the house sale disappeared I spent 100,000 in nine months and so I came home and got another job but carried on the same way.

I ended up in a position where I was working as an investment consultant yet I didn't have enough money to get to work. I was about to get kicked out of my flat for not paying the rent. I couldnt keep asking my parents for money and so I hit rock bottom, admitted the extent of my addictions to myself and finally got help.

Sean Alexander sold his house to pay off drug debts and then spent 100,000 on a trip to Australia. (Supplied)

Luckily I had private health insurance and spoke to a psychologist at a psychiatric unit who told me to go straight into the addiction unit where I was locked in for 28 days. Its not a point in life that I ever thought Id get to.

I talked to therapists and counsellors about my emotions for seven hours a day, and, when you've used alcohol and drugs to numb those feelings, it's difficult you don't really know what emotions you're feeling or how to convey them.

Read more: Binge drinking just once a week raises the risk of health problems almost fivefold

But they asked all the right questions that allowed me to explore why I did what I did. When you fully understand that addiction is the band aid for deep-rooted issues, I realised that early childhood bullying led me to overeat, which started the food addiction that then transferred into alcohol and drugs.

I knew I wanted to give up alcohol and once I had the will to stop drinking, my issues with drugs and gambling began to fall away too.

Rehab breaks you down and you're thrown out into the world, almost like a newborn baby, having to feel the emotions that come with the stresses of life that you would have alleviated with alcohol.

To give himself and his peers a healthy pastime, Sean Alexander set up The Sober Golf Society. (Supplied)

My whole friendship circle had been based around alcohol and, once I got sober, I didn't get invited out or, if I did, I felt triggered. So I made a clean start and set up The Sober Golf Society for people like me in recovery that love to play golf.

I moved in with my parents and, six weeks later, went back to work, which was a horrible experience because I felt like they didn't want me there and didn't want to take the time to understand what I'd gone through. My cash flow situation quickly got better though, as I was saving more than 500 a week from not drinking and doing drugs.

Sean Alexander has written a book to help others: Sober On A Drunk Planet: Giving Up Alcohol. The Unexpected Shortcut To Finding Happiness, Heath and Financial Freedom. (Andrew Lunn)

After 18 months, Id saved enough to quit and qualified as a personal trainer because exercise was such a transformative tool for my recovery. After listening to a lot of self-help books, I decided to do my own series of books to help people the first one questioning why you drink alcohol, and the benefits of not drinking, is selling over 1,000 copies a month.

The first year of recovery is about understanding yourself but two years ago, I met my partner on Hinge we've got very similar stories; she was in rehab the year after I was and Im now financially secure enough that weve bought a house together. Ive achieved more in the past four years than I did in the rest of my life put together."

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I was a drug, alcohol and gambling addict I lost everything, now I'm a bestselling author - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia

The thing with celebrities who are at the level of fame as Michael Jordan is and has been for decades now is that the line between reality and myth blurs often. This theory could be backed by a story about Jordans gambling and what his NASCAR team partner, Denny Hamlin, said.

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In 1992, the NBA legend found himself in a controversy in which he was heckled for a cheque worth $57,000 issued by him to a gambler.

In fact, it was also once claimed that Jordan owed Richard Esquinas a sum of around $1.2 million in gambling.

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However, in 2019, Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver and part-owner in partnership with MJ in 23XI Racing, revealed the truth about the former Chicago Bulls man and the facts of gambling surrounding him.

The #11 driver was asked by host Dan Patrick in a discussion on the same subject how much money goes around whenever Jordan is playing golf.

UmI mean, a few thousand would exchange hands, but nothing that will make those guys nervous, uncomfortable, Hamlin replied, to which the host asked, Gotta be cash too?

Oh yeah, its in the bag. Everyones got their in the bag, the NASCAR driver revealed.

WATCH THIS STORY:My Girlfriend & I Were Going Through a Breakup Bubba Wallace Explained His Depression Revelation, Made on Dale Jrs Podcast, in 2020

In an interview from 2020, the NBA legend revealed how he felt good about the idea of having a NASCAR team and having Bubba Wallace as his driver.

My biggest conversation to Denny (Hamlin) was, Look, I dont wanna get in there to just go around and watch races. Just go round and round and round and finish up 18th, 19th, 20th, 30th, I want to win, he had said.I want to be put in the position for the best chance for us to win.

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Thats my competitive nature.

Knowing that, and knowing the state of the 23XI Racing teams success, do you think Michael Jordan would continue his partnership with Denny Hamlin for the long term?

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Let us know in the comments below.

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Denny Hamlin Clarified the Real Truth Behind Michael Jordans Gambling Habits After NBA Suspension & $1.2 Million Loss Reportedly -...

Gambling addiction is currently the only form of behavioral addiction recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. As outlined in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), gambling addiction can be diagnosed using the 11 criteria for measuring substance addiction, but what is it?

Gambling is a diverse activity that is not designated solely to casinos and card games. Many forms of gambling occur in day-to-day life, including buying lottery tickets, poker games, online gambling, legalized gambling, or placing bets on sports games. For many, these activities are casual and infrequent and dont threaten their financial security. However, for others, gambling is a much more frequent and problematic behavior that causes them to lose control and experience devastating financial losses.

Like many forms of substance abuse, gambling activates the reward center in the brain and causes the release of dopamine. Pathological gamblers will feel a rush when placing a bet, and may even have a bigger rush when placing large or risky bets. People with a gambling disorder become fixated, building their routine around either chasing the high from winning with increasingly risky bets or desperately trying to recoup their losses. It can be a devastating cycle, one which leaves many in financial ruin and emotional turmoil every year. [1][2]

Get help during Covid-19

At Recovered, we recognize the impact COVID-19 has had and the continued challenges it poses to getting advice and treatment for substance use disorders. SAMHSA has a wealth of information and resources to assist providers, individuals, communities, and states during this difficult time and is ready to help in any way possible.

Genetics, psychological make-up, a persons environment, and past trauma can all make a person more vulnerable to addictions, including gambling disorder. Outside of the recognized causes of addiction, someone may also become a compulsive gambler if they are in difficult financial circumstances as a means of getting out of them. Others may develop an addiction after experiencing the rush of a lucky bet or winning streak. Others may simply enjoy the perceived lifestyle of gambling and may not be aware of how it is damaging their lives.

Compulsive disorders and addictive disorders are closely linked but are categorized differently in the DSM 5 (the reference guide used to diagnose all mental illnesses and addictive disorders). The main difference between these disorders is that compulsions are impulsive patterns of behavior that cause negative consequences and problems, but dont necessarily cause the person to become physically or psychologically addicted.[1][2]

Addictive disorders like gambling disorder are known to cause the formation of addiction pathways in the brain which make it hard (but not impossible) for a person to control, cut back, or stop the behavior. Compulsive behaviors may be driven by fear, distress, or other impulses, as is the case in people with OCD who compulsively wash their hands or check their locks. They arent addicted to these behaviors but instead do them compulsively to alleviate their anxiety.

Gambling disorder is characterized by a pattern of compulsive gambling that becomes problematic and leads to the experience of negative consequences in an individuals life. Symptoms of gambling disorder include the experience of at least four of the following: [2]

A need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the same level of excitement or rush

Repeated unsuccessful efforts to stop or cut back on gambling

Restlessness or irritability when trying to cut back or stop gambling

Persistent preoccupation, or having frequent thoughts about gambling

A pattern of gambling when emotional or under stress

Returning to gambling after losing to recover losses

Lying to others or minimizing the extent of the gambling behavior

Risking or experiencing the loss of a significant relationship, job, or opportunity because of gambling

Relying on others to provide money to relieve financial strain caused by gambling

Some additional signs that can indicate someone has a Gambling Disorder or is at risk for developing one include:[2]

Spending more time or money gambling than you originally intended

Feelings of regret, remorse, or guilt after gambling

Gambling money that you cannot afford to lose

Intending, planning, or attempting to stop gambling but not following through

Feeling unable to control yourself when you start gambling

If you notice these signs or symptoms, it may mean that you are struggling with a gambling disorder, or that you are at risk of developing one.

Some who fall into patterns of excessive gambling may begin to display mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. This coupled with heavy losses can drive some to suicidal thoughts and actions.

One of the biggest indicators that addiction has formed is the inability to stop. If the thought of quitting gambling makes you anxious or you take active steps to carry on gambling, regardless of whether you are hurting yourself or others, then you likely have an addiction.

Unpaid debts that threaten financial, job, or personal security

Financial difficulties including debt or bankruptcy

Neglecting work and other responsibilities

Secretive behavior attempting to hide or conceal the problem

Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression or mood swings

Abusing substances to cope with psychological pressure from gambling, leading to drug and alcohol addictions

If you feel that you may be starting to develop a problem with gambling or have lost control, consider taking one or more of the following actions: [4]

Admit the scope of the problem and face it directly by calculating your losses and debts, and considering the amount of time and money spent on gambling

Recognize the negative effects gambling has had on you, loved ones, your life, and financial security

Find someone to talk to about the problem. Sharing your concerns with a loved one, therapist, or support group can help explore your feelings around the issue

Avoid locations and situations where you may be tempted to gamble and put safeguards in place that make it harder to give in to urges to gamble (i.e. leaving cash or credit cards at home or deleting apps used to gamble)

Visit our 12 tips to stop gambling page for more advice on how to reduce gambling.

Behavioral problems such as gambling addictions cannot be directly treated with medication, but medication may be needed to treat underlying or related conditions or symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, or depression. As there is no medication treatment for gambling addiction, many try to self-medicate. This can not only exacerbate any co-occurring conditions but also increases the risk of developing a secondary addiction to drugs or alcohol.

As with all types of addiction, loving someone who has a problem can be very difficult. Gambling addiction can put a huge strain on any relationship, especially if you share finances or have lent money to the person with the addiction.

If you think your partner or loved one may have the signs of being a problem gambler but you are unsure, ask yourself:

Do they promise time and time again to stop gambling but carry on anyway?

Do they disappear for long periods of time without telling you where they were?

Do they spend large sums of money without being able to account for it?

Do you hide money to stop them from spending it?

Do they lie to cover up or deny their gambling?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, here are some recommended steps to take: [4]

Have an open conversation with your loved one sharing your concerns

Set hard limits and boundaries about not lending them money

Limit access to shared accounts to protect financial assets

Encourage your loved one to get professional treatment

Consider a support group or counseling if you need additional help

If you or someone you care about is suffering from a gambling addiction, contact a treatment center today.

Gambling disorder is a treatable addiction, and many addiction centers have the ability to help people overcome this issue. Also, all states have free support and help (including counseling and support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous) for people struggling with gambling disorder. With treatment, its possible to overcome a gambling problem and regain control of your life and finances.

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Gambling Addiction - Signs, symptoms, risks and treatment - recovered

One of my favorite ways to learn about a new subject is to look at the various subdivisions of that subject. For example, Im writing a blog about gambling, so that leads me to wonder what the different types of gambling games are. If I were writing a blog about literature, I might look at how literature experts categorize that subject.

Ill start by offering a definition of gambling, and Ill follow that with a definition of game:

My favorite online dictionary, Merriam Webster, says that the word gamble has 2 definitions:

I saw an interesting discussion in the Wikipedia article about poker that relates to this, in fact. A well-meaning editor had removed the phrase gambling game from the pages lede, claiming that poker was a game of skill, not chance, and therefore it wasnt a gambling game.

But according to the definition from Merriam Webster, poker qualifies for sure. After all, youre playing a game for money. And the outcome of an individual hand in poker is uncertain, even when the odds are in your favor.

The legal definition of gambling might be another matter. USLegal.com has a page about the legal definition of gambling, and its also illuminating:

The legal definition agrees that risking money on an uncertain outcome is gambling, but it seems to make an exception for something thats not under a persons control or influence. This leads me to believe that a bet on a sporting contest that youre involved in wouldnt constitute gamblingat least not in a legal sense. Playing a game of billiards, darts, or golf (just to name 3 examples) for $20 with your drinking buddy wouldnt count.

That site also specifies that buying securities or commodities doesnt constitute gambling, even though the future price of those securities or commodities might be uncertain. In fact, anything that would qualify as a bona fide business transaction would be considered not gambling.

That seems to be a reasonably complete coverage of the definition of the word gambling, at least for this posts purpose.

Now whats a game?

Merriam-Websters definition of game is lengthier than its definition of gambling. The main definition is simple enough, though:

A game is any activity youre participating in for purposes of fun or diversion. The concept of competition is mentioned in one of the other definitions, too.

In fact, poker and other gambling games is the 1st example of the word used in a sentence in that definition.

The Wikipedia defines a game as a structured form of play. The page goes on to list some key components of an activity that constitutes a game:

I think most of these components apply to almost any gambling activity you can think of.

Whats your goal playing a slot machine?

You try to get certain symbols lined up on a pay line.

Blackjack has specific rules about what values the playing cards have.

The challenge in any gambling game is to win more money than you lose.

And youre interacting with someone or something every time you place a bet.

Im a simple man. I use simple strategies to find the information I want. To find categories of gambling games, I started with a Google search.

And one of the first pages I found included a great set of broad categories for gambling games:

Gambling games consisting of pure chance include keno and roulette. No amount of skill gives you influence over the results of a keno draw or a spin of the roulette wheel.

Craps is a game thats mostly about chance. You need some skill at choosing the right bets, though. The odds change dramatically from the basics bets to the proposition bets. And some players believe in dice setting or dice control.

Blackjack and poker are games of mostly skill. How you play your cards has a big role in determining your outcome. Card counters get an edge against the house. Skilled poker players also operate with a mathematical advantage.

But thats not the only way to categorize gambling games.

The California Council of Problem Gambling has the following gambling games list:

I disagree with some of their categorizations, but here are some insights into each category:

Casino card games include games like blackjack and Texas holdem. I wouldnt include traditional poker as as casino-style game, though. Poker games played against other players are dramatically different from games played in the casino proper.

Heres why:

In a real poker game, youre competing with the other players for money. In a casino card game, youre competing with the house for money. If you lose a hand of blackjack, the casino wins your money. If you lose a hand of poker, the other player at the table wins your money.

The house does bank some poker games, though.Caribbean Stud, for example, is a game you play in a casino versus the dealer. The actions of the other players at the table have no effect on your outcome.

The California Council on Problem Gamblings page lists some of the following card games as examples of other card games:

Id agree with their categorization, but Id include all poker games played against other players in this category instead of the casino card games category.

Any gambling game using dice to determine outcomes qualifies. Craps is the obvious example. Sic Bo is another, less well-known example. You could even gamble on Yahtzee if you wanted to.

The site lists the following games as examples:

It seems as if the California problem gambling site considers any game played on the internet to be an electronic gambling game, and I get that. Id probably include slot machines and video poker games played in brick and mortar casinos, though. That would also include the less common games, video blackjack and video roulette.

This is where you bet on the outcome of a sporting event that youre not participating in. Place a bet on a baseball or football game, and youre a sports bettor.

Sports betting is one of the more legally suspect gambling activities on this list. The Wire Act is a federal law that prohibits the running of a sports betting operation over the phone. For purposes of the law, this includes placing bets over the internet.

But the law only applies to the party taking the action. Placing the bet isnt a crime. Taking the bet is.

Companies (or individuals) who take sports bets as a business are called sports books. Theyre also sometimes just called books or bookies.

You can bet on sports with multiple offshore companies, even if you live in the United States. The companies accepting those bets can get in a lot of trouble if they get caught. Youre pretty safe, legally, though.

Betting on sports can be one of the most profitable betting games for the skilled bettor.

They dont have to be quarters. In fact, the Wikipedia article calls it pitching pennies. The concept is the same, though:

You throw a coin at the wall. So do your competitors. The person whose coin lands closest to the wall wins the coins.

Its an ancient game. Ive never thought of it when I wrote about gambling games lists before, though.

I doubt theres a lot of action in the quarter pitching market segment anymore. I do remember seeingThe Purple Rose of Cairo, and Danny Aiellos character was pitching pennies in that movie.

Lotteries have become ubiquitous in the United States. I think only 2 or 3 states have no lottery at the time of this writing.

Even when lotteries werent commonplace, private individuals ran lottery style games. These are the gangsters you hear about in the movies who are running numbers.

A number running game might work like this:

You pick 3 numbers between 0 and 9. The next day, the last 3 digits of the Dow Jones Industrial Average determine the winner. The individual running the numbers keeps a cut, of course.

But probably not as big a cut as the states who are running the lotteries keep. The mathematical expectation for these games is 50 cents on the dollar.

If you started with $1 million, bought a million lottery tickets with the money, and kept reinvesting your winnings, youd go broke much faster than you think:

Youd go broke in 3 weeks.

My best advice about gambling?

Skip the lottery altogethereven the seemingly-harmless scratch-off tickets.

I dont usually think of a raffle as a gambling game. But I guess it qualifies.

A raffle is when an organization wants to raise some money for some purpose. They offer some kind of prize, and they sell tickets for a drawing to win that prize.

Raffles resemble lotteries, but theyre privately held. Depending where you live, a raffle might be illegal.

Bingo resembles keno, lottery, and raffle games. The difference is the shape and makeup of the card. In the United States, a bingo card is a 5X5 grid. The word BINGO is printed across the top. The numbers are in the 25 squares.

Depending on the game, you win money based on getting a straight line or some other shape.

Bingo is the most socially accepted type of gambling in the world. Churches often host bingo games on a regular basis. People play bingo in elementary schools and nursing homes, although the prizes might not be cash.

But bingo isnt legal in every jurisdiction, either.

I discussed this category earlier. These are personal games of skill, like darts or billiards. I played in a weekly shuffleboard tournament at my local bar for 10 years. You paid $10 to play. You drew your partner at random.

The winners got the prize pool, and 2nd place got to play in the next weeks tournament free.

And if you dont think shuffleboard is a game of skill, let me tell you this:

I didnt win a tournament, no matter how strong a partner I had, for the 1st 9 years I participated.

The California site mentions Native American stick games and Mahjong as examples. I know that in some Middle Eastern countries, its common to bet on kite fighting. Participants create kites with blades on them and try to take out their opponents kites.

This is an odd category. It seems like all gambling games are cultural games for someone.

Around 91% of Americans use the internet in one form or another. One could assume that almost all of the gambling games listed above would have an online counterpart. The few gambling games I could see as outliers would be maybe kite fighting.

More and more states are legalizing online gambling and with that comes more options for playing gambling games online. You can even consider raffles online as well.

My daughter is a big Instagram user. She enters giveaways all the time, which could be considered a raffle of sorts. Shes trading her contact info and social media exposure for a chance to win a companys product in return. Money might not be exchanging hands but free social media exposure for an up and coming clothing brand is worth its weight in gold on Instagram, or just about any other social platform.

Online gambling is having a shining moment with the pandemic that shook the world in Marhc 2020. Everyone was at home and on the internet, ALL THE TIME. The traditional casinos closed. This left a huge open market for online gambling to step in and fill that void.

You can play just about any gambling online these days. fans of slot machines table games have 1000s of apps and website choices.

Are you a sports fan?

More than a dozen states have legalized online sports betting and daily fantasy sports leagues like DraftKings.com. Online sports betting is big business for sports teams and the online gambling arena. Just make sure you check your local laws to make sure its legal in your location.

The choices are almost unlimited when you look at online gambling games. If you like a certain gambling game, I promise theres most likely an online version of it.

This may seem like a redundant topic to include on this gambling game list but I think its an important one that we shouldnt overlook. Just about any gambling game can be replicated online (legal or not) with the right app or technology.

These are just examples of the types of gambling games you might consider playing. I used 2 different websites opinions about how they should be categorized. But I had problems with both their categorization schemes.

I could create lists of games where your decisions matter versus games where your decisions dont matter. I could also list games that use spinning wheels, like roulette or Wheel of Fortune. (Dont confuse that 2nd one with the popular TV game show.)

Ive done some work on a previous post that hopes to eventually be the most complete list of casino games on the internet. Ill probably return to that post soon to update it. I doubt it will ever be finished, though. Gambling game creators are hard at work looking for new and exciting ways to separate you from your money all the time.

Read the rest here:

14 Types of Gambling Games (2022 List)

Finding the best online gambling sites is a major challenge, especially in places where there are no regulations and licensed online gambling real money site. In this article, you will discover more about the three best real money gambling sites.

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Best 3 Online Gambling for Real Money Sites

Well, last week was quite the ride for the Boston College football team as they were able to squeak by Louisville to secure their first ACC win of the season with a 34-33 win.

Like a responsible gambler, I stayed the hell away from this one and boy was that the right decision. The ending results of the match was a gamblers worst nightmare as the Eagles were able to cover the 15.5 spread, obviously, and absolutely destroy the Over of 51 which I originally guessed was set a tad bit too high.

Nonethless, not betting on the game allowed me to simply watch the game as a true fan and Alum and enjoy the spoils of victory.

A few quick observations going forward: The run game looked significantly improved, the O-line looked surprisingly improved (?) despite there being an additional lineman added to the injury report prior to kick-off, and Big Play Zay is practically unstoppable.

Now, moving forward, the Eagles will have their biggest test to date as they welcome in the #5 Clemson Tigers Saturday night for the annual Red Bandana game. As to be expected, the Eagles are coming into their own home game as a +20.5 underdog and O/U at 48.5.

Now, at first glance, I thought that Vegas was being a tad bit generous in giving BC a three touchdown cushion. Against most teams in the ACC I would say take the points, but this is Clemson that we are talking about.

Dabo Sweeny continues to mold and shape is team into national championship contenders despite whomever is under center. So far, he is done an excellent job with Trevor Lawrences replacement, DJ Uiagalelei, who now in second year as the starter is starting to put up numbers akin to what we are used to seeing Clemson QBs do. He has thrown for 1,242 yards with an 11/1 TD to INT ratio putting him at a 152.6 Passer Rating. Of course, he is no T-Law, but this will certainly be the most high-powered offense BCs defense will have to date. That is a scary statemenet especially what happened down in Tallahassee a few weeks prior...

Clemson is currently averaging 41 points per contest and has had their share of tough ACC opponents to which we can get a solid sample size of the competition they have had to endure. A nail-biting finish last week against NC State along with a double overtime win on the road against Wake Forest were certainly the two games that jump off the page the most. In years past, those would have been somewhat concerning contests, but this years ACC is stacked with talent and NC State and Wake Forest have proven that they can compete with the best and are worthy of Top 25 rankings making Clemsons victories in those environments all the more noteworthy.

Getting in to the numbers, the Tigers go into their match against the Eagles averaging 437 yards of total offense split between 261 through the air and 175.8 on the ground. Will Shippley continues to be a menace on the ground as he ranks 39th in the FBS in yards at 413 on the season to go along with 7 touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers are one of the most resilient rushing defenses in FBS. To date, they have only given up 69.6 yards on average on the ground. That is a mind boggling stat. Through the air, they are a bit mor susceptible allowing 263 yards per game.

So, what does this all mean for the Eagles who are looking to snap an 11 game losing streak to the Tigers? Well, not a whole lot. BC has tried to establish some type of run game all season to no avail aside from last week against Louisville. With this Clemson defensive front, I forsee a lot of no-gain carries and quite a few pressured pockets that Jurkovec will try to throw out of.

With all this said, it is really going to come down on how our defense can perform throughout this contest and allow our offense to break off some trickey and big plays that we have seen in years past. BC has proven to have a sturdy defense this season allowing just 218 passing yards per game and 154 on the ground.

My prediction will be that, despite all this, I would take Clemson -20.5 this week along with the Over. Like I have seen time and again, it really is only a matter of time before the levee breaks with this defense. As a loose gamescript, I think that BCs defense has a few solid stops in the first two quarters of play, our offense cannot get anything going and eventually it becomes too much weight for our defense to carry. The game ultimately collapses come the second half. Expect the final score to end up somewhere around 45-17.

Prediction: Clemson -20.5 | Over 48.5 | Clemson (-1600)

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Boston College Football vs. Clemson: Gambling Odds and Prediction - BC Interruption

A father who spent more than 100,000 on bets before losing everything is now helping other gambling addicts to quit through TikTok.

James Nixon, 30, who works in business development and lives in Andover, Hampshire, spent three years couch surfing after losing his home, relationship and children due to a gambling addiction which saw him lose thousands of pounds each month.

Having quit in 2018, he relapsed when the Covid pandemic saw his addiction meetings halted and it was not until July 2022 that he managed to get it under control again.

Now James, who has two children aged seven and 10 whom he does not wish to name, uses social media to help others end their gambling habits posting about his own experiences to encourage addicts to quit.

James said: My pay used to go into my bank account at around three in the morning and, by five or six, Id be asking people for money because Id spent everything.

I dont know exactly how much Ive lost throughout my addiction but it is definitely over 100,000.

Hearing that Ive been a factor in someone else stopping is amazing.

James Nixon

He recalls how he first became hooked on gambling as a teenager growing up in a seaside town surrounded by arcades before the addiction escalated into adulthood, when he used money, needed for food and bills for his family, to place football bets.

James said: I started going to the arcades when I was about 16. My friends used to hang around there and play on the games.

For them, it was a bit of fun to pass the time but for me, I got really into it and played them loads.

He added: Then, I went to the bookies with my ex-girlfriends dad and we placed a couple of bets. I had quite a big win and from there, I was hooked.

James began regularly placing bets on online sports, particularly tennis and football.

He said: At first, I was making excuses as to why I had no money and why I needed to borrow from people but over time, people started getting suspicious.

He added: I couldnt hide it any longer, when I started getting spotted at the bookies or gambling related things would pop up on my phone.

At the time, James was living with his then-partner.

He said: She knew I was gambling a lot because I would talk about how winning the latest bet would solve our money worries.

At first, I was making excuses as to why I had no money and why I needed to borrow from people but over time, people started getting suspicious.

James Nixon

He added: I would ask her for money to place bets when I ran out and gambling became the start of a lot of arguments.

I would always be selfish and use the money we needed to place bets and would inevitably lose it, then wed have to make do with what little food we had and we would be behind on bills.

Id usually be in a bad mood too because Id lost.

By this point, James had realised he had a gambling addiction but could not kick the habit.

He said: It was always a case of, the next one will be a win that kept me hooked.

I lost everything, my relationship, my kids, my home.

James relationship broke down in 2015 and he spent the next two years couch surfing.

He said: Id stay with different friends and family over the years and I dont think that helped because, if I moved around a lot, I wasnt staying with the same people for too long and it was easier to cover up just how bad the problem was.

It took another three years for me to stop gambling completely. I had to completely lose everything in my life to finally stop.

I would always be selfish and use the money we needed to place bets and would inevitably lose it.

James Nixon

In 2018, after losing some friends due to borrowing money he could not pay back, James finally stopped gambling and started to attend addiction meetings.

He said: The meetings really helped me but when the first Covid lockdown hit in March 2020, the meetings stopped.

I was finding it harder and harder to stay on course and, after a while, I relapsed.

I hope I can help other people through TikTok.

James Nixon

With his credit score on the mend after three years of being financially responsible, James was able to take out loans to gamble.

He said: It was a slippery slope and getting out of control. I was losing thousands of pounds and my debt was escalating.

It wasnt until July this year that I finally stopped. I dont think there was a particular reason, it was just that I knew it was out of control.

He added: I was heading down the same route as before and it scared me.

After quitting again, James started to upload videos about his journey to TikTok.

He said: I had already been using the app and had seen other people make similar videos.

I was trapped when I was gambling, it wasnt a choice I wanted to make.

James Nixon

He added: I hoped that by sharing my experience it would make me more accountable and less likely to fall back into old habits.

One of the videos talking about my past went viral and people started reaching out to me, asking how they can stop too, which spurred me to make more videos.

But James admits his videos have also gained negative feedback.

It took another three years for me to stop gambling completely. I had to completely lose everything in my life to finally stop.

James Nixon

He said: I do get hateful comments too. People say I was selfish for what I did and I hold my hands up and agree with them.

I think theres a judgement attached with gambling addictions because its not a physical addiction so people see it as a choice.

I was trapped when I was gambling it wasnt a choice I wanted to make but I hope I can help other people through TikTok.

James has also been told that his content has helped other gambling addicts to quit.

He said: Those kind of messages keep me going. Hearing that Ive been a factor in someone else stopping is amazing.

Ive had friends who hadnt known about my gambling addiction reach out to me and say well done on spreading awareness.

I think theres a judgement attached with gambling addictions because its not a physical addiction so people see it as a choice.

James Nixon

He added: I think the more people who speak about it, the easier it will be for people to seek help.

Im very open about my gambling addiction, even at work, because Im determined to change and not only learn from what happened but also make sure it never happens again.

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Father who blew 100K on bets reveals how TikTok saved him from gambling - The Independent