Imagine: you go to a casino with
your friends for a night out on the town. You all are drinking, laughing,
having a good time. Then, you decide to try your luck at a game of blackjack
with a stranger. Before you know it, you are down 500 bucks and you can’t pay
this months’ rent. What you just did was gamble. You kept telling yourself, “I
was so close,” “Just one more time,” “I’m just hitting a dry patch; my luck
will come back.” The problem is, gambling is so addictive, it can be hard to
know you are addicted until it is too late. So many different forms of legal
gambling exist that, anyone at any age can gamble, and become addicted.
Gambling has been around for a very
long time, with betting being in our blood and trying our luck being in human
nature. However, the earliest actual evidence of gambling dates back as far as
2300BC in ancient China (History of Gambling). Coins and tiles were unearthed
that looked to be used for a game of chance, similar to that of a lottery
(History of Gambling). An even older piece was also found which can be linked
to gambling, a pair of die, dating back to 3000BC from an ancient tomb in Egypt
(History of Gambling).
From there on forward, people only invented new ways
to wager with each other. People developed cards games, first in China during
the 9th century (History of Gambling). These card games were not clear on rules
to historians today but were thought to be similar to trading cards in their
rules. Eventually, gambling houses and casinos came to fruition, first in
Europe and then eventually spreading to the United States. This happened in
1638 in Italy to be precise, with the opening of the Reditto, a mandated
gambling house in Venice (History of Gambling). From here, things began ramping
up in terms of technology in gambling due to the industrial revolution and
general technological advancements. The invention of the modern slot machines
as we know them today came from something called a One-Armed Bandit Machine,
coming from New York at the turn of the 20th century (History of Gambling).
There is not much evidence about the
inception of gambling. Matter of fact, nothing physical made people start
gambling. Humans were granted the intelligence to be able to communicate, which
lets us barter, trade, argue, and gamble. People tend to gamble for the
enjoyment it gives them, with the ability to make money as their incentive.
Most of the time, they lose money and walk away with lighter pockets (or bank
accounts), but there is the lucky few that earn back a big profit which in turn
draws everyone else in. Even if someone lose once, the rush of adrenaline they’d
get from maybe winning something is what keeps them coming back.
If we look at gambling as a term, it
can be defined as staking/betting anything of value on the outcome of something
involving chance, or more particularly, a desired outcome (Gambling). This can
be taken into a large scope of activities, which can be considered gambling if
related to this definition. Little may one know, but they are gambling to a
certain degree every day; commuting to work or school, buying groceries/a meal,
or even just talking to someone. Although not staking something of monetary
value by driving to work, you do wager your life as you step into a two-ton
moving object moving roughly 70mph, next to many other two-ton objects moving
roughly 70mph. Buying groceries or food puts your money at stake in trust of
keeping your health and physical being running with the proper nutrients, free
of diseases and bacteria. Talking to another person puts something else
non-monetary, yet still valuable at stake: you and the other persons mental
well-being. If your relationship goes well, then you will be happy; otherwise, it
could be a drain and damage your health drastically.
Contrary to popular belief, gambling
is not just for adults. There are many completely accepted forms of gambling, which
may not be technically seen as gambling, directed directly to children. One of
these are the toy vending machines. Everyone can remember when they were
younger, begging their mom for a few quarters so they can try and get a cool
stretchy green alien figure from a capsule machine, only to get a plastic
golden ring. Then you ask for more quarters to try again, only to get a sticky
slap hand. The same could be said about a gumball machine, you put a quarter in
hoping to get a red one, but you get a white one instead. While these are
smaller examples, and rather non-addicting forms, other examples exist of
gambling for children that are very addicting.
One main example would be the
trading card industry, as was touched upon earlier. Trading cards, such as
baseball cards and Pokémon cards, are generally for a younger audience, but
older people still partake in the buying, selling and trading of these cards.
Due to a rarity system implemented within a series of trading cards, along with
a given theme allowing the buyer another incentive to collect to find their
favorite type of card, makes for a nasty combination. Not only does the buyer
have the appeal of wanting to get their favorite player as a collectable item,
but also the rarity of a certain card, the age/vintage appeal as well is a
factor, and the general consumers desire for that card can also increase the
price drastically, both monetarily and personally. According to Michael Smith,
the co-founder and CEO of Chapter House Sober Living and Counseling Center in
Dallas, recalls his past in dealing with trading cards. He states in an interview
with Addiction Professional, he referred to searching for highly valuable
cards, or “prospecting” in his words, as “an unspoken process addiction” (Enos)
He also then states something shocking; While he used to deal heroin in Maine,
he’d convince his customers to go to the local card shop and buy booster packs
instead of the cash. “I’d give them heroin for cards.” (Enos) This just shows
the severity of the addiction of trading cards and gambling in general; To
some, it is as addicting as heroin.
Gambling in general, including the
prospecting of valuable trading cards, is a self-destructive behavior that
offers very short-term solutions and enjoyment, but causes many problems.
Gambling has led to many people to go bankrupt, causing them to have to possibly
even end up homeless as they can’t even afford to live in their own home
anymore. Not only is it self-harming, but it can just as easily harm others
around that person as well. If that person had any dependents, such as kids or
even pets, then they would no longer be able to provide for them. They would
become a dependent themselves, as they wouldn’t even be able to provide for
themselves.
Although gambling has overall
negative effects on a person and their loved ones, it can have rather the
opposite effect on the economy. The American Gaming Association released an
economic impact report on the effect of the gambling industry. The statement
showed that it has an impact of 1.7 million total jobs, a revenue of $81
billion, and a $38 billion in paid taxes. (Wells) Sara Rayme, senior vice
president of public affairs for the AGA left a note: “It’s actually larger than
the airline industry,” in terms of total jobs anyways. (Wells)
Gambling is very unhealthy, and can
not only have effects on one’s mental health, but lead to other activities that
are detrimental to your health as well. Gambling has been proven to be linked
to mood and behavioral disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and even ADHD
and bipolar disorders (Segal, gamblinghelponline.org). Furthermore, gambling
can also come from and lead to substance abuse, such as drinking and smoking
(Segal, “Impact on Health”). However, the future for gambling sufferers is not
as bleak as it may sound. There are ways that one can help themselves quit
gambling, and even better themselves as a person from it.
The first step, of course, in the
case of any addiction or problem one may have, is realizing and recognizing
that the problem is there. This may be the hardest part for anyone, as it takes
strength to say this to yourself with confidence. “I have a problem, and I am
going to make a change, starting today.” The only way one can overcome an
absurdity in their life, is by first taking control of the situation, and by
knowing what gambling does to oneself that makes it so addicting.
The main thing that happens, of
course, is in the brain, in what is known as the reward system. Our reward
system gives off chemicals in our brain which “reward” it for doing something.
This could be any number of rewarding actions, such as receiving a compliment,
accomplishing a task, winning a game, or, of course, gambling (Burton). It does
this primarily with a chemical called dopamine, that we as humans are naturally
addicted to. Once enough dopamine is released into our brains, we experience a
level of euphoria, pleasure, and motivation, particularly to do the same action
again that brought said dopamine to the brain (Burton). However, gambling has
been shown to release ten times more dopamine to the brain than natural activities,
which is the exact same as taking drugs (Burton). This can be enjoyed, of
course, in extreme moderation, but can have serious adverse effects on one’s
health, just like drugs.
As high amounts of dopamine are
released into the brain, it is overstimulated, and the brain boosts its
defenses to the chemical, making it less efficient (Burton). As this happens,
the brain will need more of a response from an action to get the same level of
dopamine, to feel the same level of stimulation. This, of course, has a sort of
snowball effect; as a gambler will eventually try to get “that feel good
feeling” from gambling, and not be able to, as his or her dopamine receptors
are now too blunted to receive any capable amount. At this point, the gambler
has become depressed, as they can no longer receive a decent amount of
dopamine. This puts them in a loop, as they try to put themselves out of their
depression by gambling, but can’t get any copious amounts of dopamine, so they
can’t shake their depression (Burton).
Once a person admits that they have
a problem, they can work on fixing it. The next step would be to find an
alternative to gambling. This could be almost anything: exercising, hanging out
with friends, watching movies or tv shows, anything to take the mind off the
urge to gamble. Another option would be to join a support group, similar
Alcoholics Anonymous. Something that is very important for someone going
through any absurdity in their life to know is that they are not alone. Someone
somewhere is going through the same thing that they are going through, and it’s
always better to have someone there for you to know what you are going through.
Gambling is an absurdity in our
world. An absurdity, in a literal sense, is “obviously senseless, illogical, or
untrue” (Dictionary.com). Gambling is absurd in the fact that although it is
fun in moderation, it is a waste of money and extremely addictive, and no one
gains from gambling in any sense. In a philosophical sense, absurdity means
that everything is pointless, and nothing has meaning ultimately because
everything means nothing. Camus was the one to coin this philosophical term,
“absurdism,” with his views on how, ultimately, nothing has meaning as we all
just end up dying in the end.
Camus would probably think negatively
about gambling. He would see it as meaningless, as he would not see a point to
wasting one’s money for nothing but a quick thrill. As someone who believed in
individual freedom, he may have thought the idea of gambling itself was a good
one; people coming together to have a good time, regardless of any other
responsibilities they may have. He would also probably disagree with the
outcome of what gambling brings you; debt, a damaged psyche, and the pushing
away of friends and family.
Gambling is a serious absurdity in
our society that many people overlook simply because they do not know the
severity of the topic. Games of chance have been around for as long as recorded
history, maybe even longer. They exist in many forms today, from traditional casino
gambling, to more unconventional forms, such as trading card collecting, video
game/virtual items, and internet gambling. Gambling can be enjoyed in
moderation, but is extremely addictive, so caution must be taken into account
when doing so.
Works Cited
“Absurd.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, 2019,
www.dictionary.com/browse/absurd.
Burton, Liz. “Why Gambling Is Addictive |
Understanding the Science.” The Hub | High Speed Training, High Speed Training,
21 Nov. 2018, www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/why-is-gambling-addictive/.
Cormack, Ross. “A Brief History of Gambling.” Medium,
Edgefund, 20 Feb. 2018,
medium.com/edgefund/a-brief-history-of-gambling-a7f46dbf4403.
“Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling.”
HelpGuide.org, 20 Mar. 2019,
www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/gambling-addiction-and-problem-gambling.htm/.
“Impact on Health.” Gambling Help Online,
www.gamblinghelponline.org.au/understanding-gambling/impact-on-health.
“The History of Gambling.” Edited by Isaac Taylor,
Gambling.net, www.gambling.net/history/.
“Trading Cards: a Risky Gamble?” Edited by Gary A.
Enos, Trading Cards: a Risky Gamble? | Addiction Professional, 20 June 2016,
www.addictionpro.com/article/trading-cards-risky-gamble.
Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. “Personal
Stories.” Gambler's Help, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, 5 Mar.
2019, gamblershelp.com.au/learn-about-gambling/personal-stories/.
Wells, Jane. “Jackpot! Gambling's Impact on the US
Economy.” CNBC, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2014,
www.cnbc.com/2014/09/30/casinos-and-gambling-business-jackpot-gamings-impact-on-the-us-economy.html.
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