blow on ill-conceived
bets. There are drinkers who can’t stop until
they are unconscious. Drivers who speed for the
thrill of it - on highways where they endanger everyone
around them! There are eaters who just gorge themselves
until they can barely walk they are so fat.
Still, there are magazines
and newsletters for people who love wine and spirits
and for those who love cars and food. Magazines
and newspapers such as the ones I write for are
not geared to “problem gamblers” because
problem gamblers aren’t interested in the advice
given in these pages - to play within your means,
never over-bet, learn the best strategies for the
games you enjoy, and treat the games as a hobby.
The other advice that I give in these pages goes
even further - only play games where you can get
the edge, reduce the edge or the speed to a reasonable
level and play these games expertly and wisely.
I recognize that a
small percentage of people who engage in any activity
will take it to an extreme. Even something as simple
as eating has become a source of anguish for sections
of our population - anorexia and bulimia are rampant
among some high school and college students. We
are fast becoming the fattest humans to walk the
planet! Yet, we would never consider banning cooking
magazines, or restaurants. People who eat to excess,
and who threaten their health by so doing, are not
a good enough reason to ban all-you-can-eat buffets.
As far as I’m
concerned, gambling has been a great recreational
pastime for me. I practice what I preach by playing
the best strategies at the games I love, such as
blackjack and craps. At the present time my children
are not interested in gambling but if they were
- and if they followed my advice - I would not be
the least concerned about them.
However, I are not
making light of those individuals who cannot control
their urges but I am totally opposed to banning
an enjoyable activity such as casino gambling because
a small percentage of people can’t handle it.
Think of how many things we would have to ban if
such were the case! (Marriage for one, since 50
percent of married people are in “problem”
marriages -- a monstrous percentage compared to
problem gamblers.)
In fact, no one reads
magazines and newspapers looking for an “encouragement”
to gamble. They already enjoy going to the casinos
and they want to explore the best possible methods
and approaches to the games. If I encourage anything,
it is to play smart and know the nature of the games
before risking your hard-earned money.
There is always a tendency
to want to blame a “problem” gambler’s
problem not on himself (where it belongs) but on
casinos or magazines that write about casinos. Food
and restaurants and gourmet magazines are not the
reason an anorexic is an anorexic; liquor stores
and wine connoisseur magazines are not the causes
of alcoholism; and casinos and magazines about gambling
are not the reason some people become “problems.”
Individuals who know they have a problem should
exercise their free will and turn off the road that
says: “This way to the casinos.” The rest
of us can continue merrily on our way!
Good
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