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Bars cut off drinkers when they're getting drunk, but casinos allow gambling until you're bankrupt/suicidal?

This discussion pertains primarily to slot machines, the elderly, and the notion of winning big on them influenced by addiction and manipulation/coercion. Bare with me here. Casinos are expanding and targeting people especially the elderly. Most people don't think of gambling as an intoxicating drug even though it displays all the warning symptoms. Now they're advertising on television LUCK in the form of inanimate objects, as incentive (wear this red dress to win, etc). Most of us can laugh at the idea of an item, day of the week, etc, showing any more probability to win than not, however to people with gambling addictions this logic is not uncommon to say the least especially if they are elderly and/or have problems with good decision making. As a business owner of a bar or anywhere alcohol is sold you are obligated to cease serving alcohol to anyone who is above the limit and to individuals who are deemed problem drinkers. Why? To keep the person and the people around them safe whether it be on the road or wherever it is. Gambling can be done sober although you still get a "high" from it. There is a strong chemical reaction to winning and the anticipation of winning. They are convinced they will hit it big just the same as a drunk would be convinced that one more drink will not make a difference. Blinded by addiction and while bars cannot legally take advantage of this casinos not only do it but entice you by approaching you, or to come back with "FREE" accommodations and "FREE" chances to win it all back. It's well known alcohol is dangerous in excess. In casinos if you're a problem gambler, upper management will even approach and sway you citing that "Theres been more winners today than since we opened!" "I've seen this machine hit more than the others for some reason!" and similar ploys. It's not hard to sway elderly gambling addicts and they know it. Are bar owners allowed to persuade you to drink more? I suppose it's easier to wait until you have borrowed from everyone, lost your home, savings, everything you and your family worked hard for, and damaged your social relationships into shame. You can't even lease a used car without statements of income, it sure wouldn't be hard for the casinos to do the same and limit your spending to a portion of your income. Truth is, they rely on problem gamblers. More and more people are getting hooked as more casinos develop and advertise. Here's the shocking part. The technology they incorporate would easily allow them to identify, manage, and assist problem gamblers with an addiction that THEY directly enabled. As soon as they walk in facial recognition automatically has them identified but only to keep cheaters out and to target the gamblers with addiction into losing even more. If you ever encounter a family that has been destroyed by gambling or met someone with such severe depression from losing it all frivolously and deceiving everyone around them while doing it that they have given up on life, only then will you understand the nature of this growing problem. Gambling addiction is more easily comparable to hard drug addiction. So why is it that gambling is exciting stimulating and socially acceptable but using these drugs are not? They are different in ways but if you get addicted to either one of them, you're going to be in the same position once they're done with you. Chris PS I don't want to see people saying that you can get addicted to anything unless your anything is a intricately devised system that is designed to take your money and not return it.

Public Comments

1. Sounds like you want to have a discussion, this isn't the place. This is a question and answer board. You probably want a message board of some kind. What is your question? Why us gambling acceptable and hard drugs aren't? Because hard drugs are illegal. They are harmful to everyone that uses them. Gambling is harmless to 95% of people that do it. (You may or may not have a response to this... but as I said, this isn't a message board, unlikely I'll be back to see any reply)
2. As someone who came close to suicide through gambling (roulette) addiction, but is very happy now and likes to play poker for recreation, I feel I am qualified to comment. The casinos have no information on a customer's financial standing, so other than the clothes you are wearing, the expression on your face and previous betting patterns they don't have much to go on. I suppose they could invite players to volunteer a loss limit, though. But I do find it worrying that casinos are portrayed as "glamorous" when really they are just like the cigarette and drug dealers, trying to get people hooked and then reel them in. Maybe parents and teachers need to include gambling in their talks to youngsters.
3. As Leg said, this is a Q&A forum, and you definitely sound like you want a discussion here. But to comment on one portion of your post: Casinos are definitely able to restrict players gambling amounts if they are asked/forced to. My home state of Missouri enforced a $500 loss limit every 2 hours for 15 years until the casino lobby successfully got that law written off the books. While the loss limit was the law of the state, you had to have a players' card, and had to have it inserted in the machine to deposit money. If you lost $500 in less than 2 hours, your only other option to gamble in Missouri was to drive to another casino. I think it was a great idea, and Missouri was stupid to get rid of it.
4. I am an 8 year professional gambler in Las Vegas. I am the 1% that is successful. But the irony of my success has nothing to do with my gambling ability. It came about when I started to figure out the casino busness. I could go on in detail, but the type of information I have doesnt come free. I take money from the casinos each and everyday of my life without ever losing. And they know it. Casinos are filthy pieces of feces who purposely prey upon the weak. I have seen people spend their house payments, car payments, medicine money, food money and on and on. And these filthy casinos could care less. Honestly I wish everyone knew what I knew so they would go out of business. But , until they go out of business I will continue to make a very nice living off of them.