Topic: Factors that contribute to form addictive gambling. - page 6. (Read 871 times)

Getting free drinks in the casino has been their business model for a long time. Already in the 1970-80s casinos would give their customers free drinks and even full cigarette packs to have a good time. Back in the day everybody was smoking in doors and the air must have been really bad. Hard to imagine today how the environment was back then, also people where drinking much more than they are today. Getting drunk and gambling is a common combination in Las Vegas, I still remember my first time visiting the big casino and the atmosphere of all the drunk people gambling. If this only happens once a year during a vacation I think it's fine and people should be enjoying themselves, just make sure you have fixed limits to gamble with and better to rely on cash for the time you are there and leave the bank cards at home. The problem is of course if the occasional visit becomes to regular behaviour. Personally I rarely drink when gambling, one or two beers is fine but nothing stronger. Another factor that could lead to addictive gambling behaviour is to always think about gambling, even when we are not even playing or on our way to visit a casino. Spending too much time thinking about new strategies and possible winnings we could make, is not a good idea. Our brain will become used to these thoughts and this will lead to much higher gambling activity than is good for us. In my opinion we should always have fixed rules and boundaries when it comes to gambling so we don't spend too much time on it.  

But one thing I observe about that free drinks in casinos? that when the server or at least the management find you not betting or have already a loser and just enjoying those drinks? the waiter have been passing you for the drinks meaning there are limitation depending on your activities inside the house lol.

so this might not count to be a factor for addiction because we can even drink in our house without spending or losing too much in gambling places.

the more you drink is the more chances that you will bet more.

You cannot generalize it, you are talking about physical casinos it's different from online casinos, its always on the behavior of the players, if he is looking for something that is both entertaining and profitable and the guy happens to have a weak character then all these are elements will contribute for a guy to become addicted, not just free drinks and easiness to fund his account, gamblers when they want to gamble will always find a way to fund their account and even if there are no drinks they will still gambler.

This happens more in a physical casino as the ambient there,the lights,the carpets,the sounds of the slot machines,the waitresses who serve you those drink can really have an impact on how you perceive the world surrounding you at those moment and probably this man was sucked in and he thought I am the king here in this world and got and withdrew everything he had saved for the bill he needed to pay.

However this form of addictive gambling is rare in online casinos,from my personal experience I never drink while I am playing slot machines as drinking can make me lose concentration by not making me judging correctly when to quit.
Alcohol is a big problem itself but when coupled with gambling it has devastating effects such as families broken up,up to suicides.

Addicted gamblers are always looking for excuse so that they won't be blame for the addiction, why will you always stay in a casino house because of free drink, then you are also having intention to gamble that's why you keep on staying their, you are served a alcoholic drink then you should blame yourself for losing, why will you be drunk and still be gambling, that's very wrong, you are gambling when you are not in your right senses, you will definitely lose money and you might not notice you are losing. I don't blame the casino house for that, they just want to make their money, it's the customer's that are suppose to caution themselves.

You might be able to control yourself, but I assure you that some could not. That is why we should be careful about our environment so that we would not find ourselves in a situation of sorry later. It's not news that influencers like alcohol could impact our behaviour, it's we that should know where we take it as an adult.

I would not advise anyone to take alcohol at a gambling site, such is only inviting trouble to themselves. You might think you are stronger than the temptations, but you might lose guard when you least expect under the influence irrespective of offline and online gambling.

They are, but there are many factors, and the casino operators online and offline are doing these things to make it easier to people to fall into gambling, they even give their users credit lines, giveaways, bonuses just anything that you can think of to make you think you are special and it's profitable to play in their casinos.

Casinos would like you to think, it's fun exciting, and profitable to be on their platform and if you have a weak character with a weak support system, gambling will take hold of you, until you become fully addicted.

The biggest factor that make gambler become an addict is can't control himself, while the rest factors are just a different word of "no self control".

If there's free alcohol and your fridge has full of alcohol, why you're consume it during gamble?
If there's a close ATM and POS machine with your house/casino, why you're want to go there and gamble it all?
If there's many things that can make you ease to gamble, why you're don't have self control? just press the self exclusion factor or ask to the security if you're a gambling addict.

I don't quite agree with this, these things can encourage longer sessions than planned, but addictive gambling, which is a long-term concept, cannot be explained by this alone. The cash machines thing is bullshit and I don't see a problem with it, the drinks thing is more dangerous and in some places there are explicit regulations prohibiting it.


What I believe it contributes is external to gambling. For me, addiction to gambling, like addiction to sex or certain drugs, is a symptom of previous problems in your life. If you have a shitty life it's easy to end up looking for a way out by trying to get rich from gambling or getting the pleasures you don't have in your daily life through sex or drugs.

As far as I know main thing with Cyprus casinos was to encourage people keep gambling by free food especially sugary ones. They probably send signals to brain associating food with slot machines so it definitely influences them to keep playing. Free alcohol can be very convincing as well, even I may consider to gamble lot more because I love quality whiskey and rum. People should be cautious to gamble having fun.

Even if I drink beer at home gambling online it didn't get me to a point to bet more than what I can afford. It's worst when I was in a casino back in the days and yes what you said could happen because the casino is like sucking you in more while you are losing your bets. Unlike at home, you can stand up, take out some of that bad luck, maybe jump or just watch a film and forget about it. It doesn't add more flavor on you to keep on betting because the surroundings are different. That's my opinion or should I say comparison.

Should, indeed, but not something done as easy as it may sound. That's addiction in its broadest sense; being unconsciouly too dependent. Also, I oppose that drinks are major factor to gambling addiction but rather gambler's mindset. If the gambler in the first place aims to be rich out of gambling then that is where problem would arise afterwards. I've experienced being drunk but I just ended up sleeping and not wasting money. I'd relate this to womanizing which is also addictive to some people and their main alibi is because they're drunk, not even true. You could be drunk but it is your intentions which would make you move. Self moderation is the key; you did not go to a casino just to get drunk right? Go find a bar.

I think there's nothing more serious than beginner's luck I have a few friends that experienced this and they actually believe that they can really make money from gambling and they have luck in gambling, they keep this belief and mindset for so long until they realized that they are already losing a lot of money and time and they are hanging on the false hope that they are lucky and they can make money from gambling, beginner's luck could become a scourge on people who started to gamble.

While those you have mentioned were a true contributing factors for gambling addiction, but it is with our own discretion and maintain our sanity towards gambling.
Casinos are a business designed for their target market to enjoy and make money at the same time. So, It is not only the casino who's solely responsible for such uncontrollable gambling habits, but also the person involved.
Free drinks and ATMs are kinda normal to any gambling establishments, but I know it provokes gamblers to gamble more.

Having money in the bank account can contribute. 

Blaming the bank for his gambling addiction would be funny though but true. If he has no money he may not be able to gamble anymore. It's just going to be worse if he commits a crime in order to get some money like robbing the bank and then gamble the money. That would really be the worse kind of addiction.

Having no job I think can be considered a factor contributing to gambling addiction. If one person is just idle all the time and has no trade skills, he will have some vices.

for some it is the free alcohol/coffee/juices and also those pretty girls that works inside casino houses ,  but for me? it is the place in which ambiance is what we called better to play.

but since we are mostly playing in Online casino now so the way to attract playing is the bonuses and rake backs.

This is just one of the factors, there are many other factors that contribute to gambling addiction, by nature, we are risk takers and we know the word and meaning of gambling long before we see or hold a dice,  even if we are not playing in a casino.

It's inherent in us, it is just enhanced when we experience actual playing or betting or we are challenged so it's not only drinking, we are inclined to play excessive gambling when we experience the thrill, rewards, and dopamine effects gambling is bringing.

The case of attractive scantily clad women is a curious one. You see them in many gambling advertisements, and it is because, according to what I saw in a documentary, the part of the brain that controls risk is linked to or is the same part of the brain that controls sex, so that subconsciously seeing attractive women encourages you to risk more by gambling.

Well, these are indeed a good strategies to keep the gamblers playing for long. However if you are playing in moderation, these strategies won't work because you know your limit. So despite of the technique of the casino for the convenience of their gamblers, you won't fall on these tricks since it doesn't change your mindset to gamble with discipline.

Lack of control, using the money that can't afford to lose and the thought of winning huge if you gamble are just a few reasons why many gamblers are becoming addicted.

Sounds and lights from the machines. They're designed to keep you interested, and give you the illusion that you're doing well, as long as you put money in there. If you stop putting money, the whole show stops.

Casinos also don't have any windows or clocks. This is by design, so that you don't know how long you've been there. They want you to stay as long as possible, so that you give them as much money as you want.

Glamour. They tend to sell the idea that casinos are glamorous places, just like alcohol ads are just people having fun. In reality most casinos are just filled with depressed people throwing all their life savings away while not enjoying it.

Also, very easy to get money in, but hard to withdraw the money.

Basically everything in a casino is designed for you to feel special and to forget about the real world.