Gambling

Everyone daily gambles in many ways. We take a risk when we make a choice, it may not be quite what we want, but we will chance it anyway. Even crossing the road can be a gamble sometimes. The only time when we do not gamble is when we stay at home, in bed. Even people who would not normally consider themselves to be gamblers will almost daily make wagers 'I bet this' or 'I bet you that'. Gambling is all about risk taking, and it is part of all our lives; especially men, who in many cases, seem to enjoy taking risks more than women, who are often looking for security; i.e. the opposite to gambling.

Gambling is often rooted in the desire to accumulate more, especially money, and some people see it as away out of their poverty. In so many countries around the world, it is the invariably the poorest who spend the most on gambling in relation to their income.

The most popular gambling habits in the UK today in order of popularity are:

1. National lottery and scratch cards - see below
2. Football pools
3. Other lotteries and raffles
4. Fruit machines in pubs
5. Bingo
6. Horse racing
7. Casino gambling

What is very interesting however is the following, which lists the chances of the individual making a million on the different forms of gambling:

1. Roulette
2. Horse racing
3. Black Jack casino game
4. Football pools
5. Scratch cards
6. National lottery - see below
7. Fruit machines

In the UK for so many people, the 14th November 1995 was a landmark date. The National Lottery is today seen as the answer to their problems, for just a few pounds a week. The pull of the lottery is that once you start, if you miss a week there is always a chance that your numbers may come up on the week that you miss. This is the 'addictive trance' of a weekly national competition and has revolutionised the countries gambling habits. Today it also involves more women, of all ages, in gambling than ever before. What is not so obvious is what has been alluded to above, that the lottery has the lowest stake but the longest odds - 14.5 million against winning the jackpot! Legally their are no age restrictions on A.W.P. (amusement with prize) machines - fruit machines, except in arcades where under 16s are banned from inland arcades at all times and from seaside arcades during school hours. Like so many of the other addictions the gambler is often looking for a release from boredom, something to look forward to, or for a thrill or the excitement. The roots are often, like so many addictions, in low self-esteem.

Gambling Addiction Links