Ok! I was actually trying to get reasons why people get addicted to gambling which we all know is more self inflicted. However, I came up with this theory for someone who may actually want to gamble and then would not want to get addicted based on trying to fix their mentality about it and I would like to seek your opinion on what you think about it, if it can actually end up working for any gambler or not.
The theory is;
If you want to gamble, see it more like you are paying the casino or gambling platform to have some fun (just like you do to go watch some movies in cinema), which if you are paying for anything, you are not meant to expect it back. The good thing however is that, you can actually end up being paid more for having that fun if you get lucky, but the chances of seeing that happen is pretty slim. In that light, if you cannot actually live with doing what I said above, then you should not be gambling at all.
Does this sound like a mentality that can help anyone understand what they are in for if they indeed want to gamble or something even those who are tending towards addiction can set their mind to so as not to get into that deep gambling hole that is hard to come out from?
The way you painted it makes it so simple as straight to the point but that is not the way gambling is and I don't see anyone who engage in gambling without the primary objective of winning when that is no longer achievable, we can then start to give ourselves some succor by coming with other objectives. Your analogy is right but replacing that as the primary objective is what I see as impossible.
Gambling is serious business to people. The money you are wagering was not given to you for free some people work hard to earn that money so if they want to have fun without any return in terms of income, there are several places to do that which is not limited to cinema, clubs, vacation, traveling, swimming, play games etc.
The way out for me is finding another means of earning sufficient income which is equally time consuming ( for someone struggling with gambling at the moment) but for a mild gambler, I don't think there is need to worry about whether he sees it as fun or as a means to earn something decent.