In the casino, I saw an elderly man crying in regret. I was concerned to know what the cause of his tears was, so I woke up to him to ask, and then the man narrated what happened. The man told me that he works in a construction site from morning just to get something to feed his family, because they haven’t seen food since yesterday morning, so after work from morning to night, the contractor tells them that they will all be paid tomorrow, so he begs the contractor to give him some money for transportation. When the contactor gave him some money, he then had to take a walk to see the nearest casino so that he could use the money and stake a bet to buy something for his family to feed on. After he staked the money, he ended up losing the game. That is why he is crying in regret.
So I ask him, does he actually gamble? He said not at all; he just came to try his luck and find something to feed his family. Then I asked him, Can he still remember the mistake that he made when he staked his first money? Then he said he saw no mistake. All that is involved in gambling is luck. I said okay, I will give him money to try betting, because I also don’t have the money that will be enough to feed his family, so he staked another bet. To my surprise, he won the game and got the money he needed.
What I want to know is: Did I do a good job by using gambling to save him? Or do I just make him have an interest in gambling as a source of income?
Okay let's say ,you did good trying to help an old man in a difficult situation by providing immediate relief through gambling, which did turn out quite good in the short run as he made enough to support his family, but disasters have been forced in this way too. Gambling itself is an not that great of a solution to overcome economic challenges, since its very outcome is uncertain and the financial losses can be huge. Even if the behaviors were well-meaning and brought short-term relief, promoting or facilitating gambling may trigger the belief that gambling is a valid solution for financial difficulties. With good intentions, such interventions as community support or social services would ideally be reliable, durable, and safe, but the encouragement of gambling as a solution might bring more long-term unintended consequences. Plus, be aware that gambling can cause mental health stress, anxiety, and depression, while physically increasing risk factors such as high blood pressure and poor sleep quality. All these risks can be reduced by the presence of a strong and reliable support system, which can offer more permanent alleviation.