Gambling addiction is a major problem but it has a long long way to go before it has destroyed the amount of lives alcohol has

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12291 - 08/10/2013 17:28:55    1497981

I have some sympathy for those with these problems but to be honest not a lot.Of course people should get help if they have addiction problems of any kind but it all comes to the individual. It's a choice to do these things and it's a choice to stop; it's all's to do with self control and dealing with underlying problems that makes someone drink too much, gamble too much or take drugs. In my opinion there is a great deal of selfishness involved and it's all about 'me, me, woe is me' when in effect it's the wider family who takes the brunt. Sometimes people need to just get a grip of themselves, accept responsibility for their own actions and stop looking for other reasons outside their own greed and actions. I can understand and accept depression, alcoholism and drug addiction as illnesses but gambling is something I feel hard to have much sympathy for; it's a selfish indulgence.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 08/10/2013 17:28:57    1497982

There are a good few people who make money off them realdub. I would be ahead but nowhere near enough to give up the day job! Sports betting - GAA, NFL, soccer, rugby are far safer than the horses and dogs although margins are smaller. One bookie won't take NFL bets off me anymore! Petty on their part as I was hardly denting their profits. They just don't like idea that s punter might know s more than the layer!

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 08/10/2013 17:31:22    1497984

Man, I'm useless at it hurlingdub, I think abstinence is my best bet (excuse the pun)

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8729 - 08/10/2013 17:42:51    1497996

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 11114

1497869 There's a reason why there are so many bookies in working class areas...

Fleecing the uneducated and under privileged

It has always been a problem alright man, in terms of the working class areas. Still from my experiences it still pales in comparison to drink and drugs (not in terms of impact but in numbers). Although all three of these problems in working class areas can most of the time can be traced to the same root - inequality.

Although I'm seeing more and more middle class people needed help with gambling problems of late though. A lot to do with the ease in which one can place a bet nowadays I think.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13792 - 08/10/2013 18:31:58    1498030

08/10/2013 17:28:57
Ulsterman
I have some sympathy for those with these problems but to be honest not a lot.Of course people should get help if they have addiction problems of any kind but it all comes to the individual. It's a choice to do these things and it's a choice to stop; it's all's to do with self control and dealing with underlying problems that makes someone drink too much, gamble too much or take drugs. In my opinion there is a great deal of selfishness involved and it's all about 'me, me, woe is me' when in effect it's the wider family who takes the brunt. Sometimes people need to just get a grip of themselves, accept responsibility for their own actions and stop looking for other reasons outside their own greed and actions. I can understand and accept depression, alcoholism and drug addiction as illnesses but gambling is something I feel hard to have much sympathy for; it's a selfish indulgence.
Yes it does come down to the individual but often in terms of addiction the persons mental status is totally affectd by their addiction and they cant thunk straight in relation.
There is not a lot of selfishness at all. Saying things like "just get a grip" etc can make things worse in many situations.
I would put anxiety(most especially) and gambling in with depression, alcoholism and drug addiction.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 08/10/2013 18:49:52    1498041

Hurlingdub. Spending money on family / friends... always makes me happy, more rewarding to boot. So what if I don't get anything in return. Gambling is a fecking mugs game... Always was always will be.

Never bet a cent on a GAA game and never will...

Setting up dingy bookies by crap hole pubs... I feel sorry for people who can't enoy sport without making some half arsed attempt to feel like they've managed to accomplish something. Any money won goes back into the crap hole pub and whatevers left goes back to the dingy bookie. The cycle continues...

Each to their own I guess... but in all honesty I hate it and I think gambling threads should be banned.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 08/10/2013 21:17:03    1498143

Dr Quirkeys... enough said. The family that own that place and others like it are beyond rich... milking working class people

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 08/10/2013 21:30:37    1498159

The Irish North and South have always been the best, or worst, at taking advantage of and fleecing their fellow Irishmen in all walks of life. Official and unofficial bookies were always situated beside, or in, pubs and it goes on to this day. Many fellas who worked in the building game were often told to turn up to so and so's pub on a Friday to get their wages off certain so and so. However the guy paying the wages often had an agreement with the pub owner where the foreman would be delayed 3 or 4 hours and the barman would give the guys drink on tick which they had to settle when the wages eventually came. Many fellas ended up paying a lot of their wages out on drink. Look at most inner city areas and towns; the pub is beside the off licence which is beside the bookies which is beside the take aways and chippy's/chippers etc and in many cases it's the same business people who are involved with the whole lot. Yes the Irish know how to make the Irish drunk and full of crap grub and then miserable and poor while fleecing them at the same time. Cead Mile Failte!

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 08/10/2013 21:43:44    1498170

Good post UM... Very true.

Gambling just ruins sport in my view. Cheating / match fixing... Just look at Snooker... I have mates that bet against their own team... It just erodes what sport is meant to be about

A filthy thing and controlled by sorts who don't give a damn about people...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 08/10/2013 22:02:04    1498200

I bet quite a bit and make decent money from it. Only bet on sports or games that you know about. Always look at form, stats, team news, weather etc. E.g. Connacht play Saracens this Friday eve in sports grounds. Weather is dry with light winds. Weather will suit saracens attacking game. Connaught are down a couple of props and saracens are in great form. Put as much as you can afford on saracens -13. They will win by at least 20 points. Corofin to beat Salthill in galway football final is money for nothing also. Only bet what you can afford though.

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 09/10/2013 10:12:08    1498256

jimbodub - while I understand where your point of view comes from, it is unfair to think of gambling as a whole in that way. What about stockbrokers, do you view them the same? Estate agents? Decision makers at companies? Everything in life is a gamble to some extent. I have a few friends who play poker for a living and work very hard at their game. Its no easy thing to remain calm and keeping making the right decisions when the luck doesnt go your way even though the odds are in your favour. The same goes for sports betting - some people put a lot of effort in to it and get financially rewarded. Obviously, managing your stakes to keep risk down is vitally important and everything must be budgeted which takes a lot of discipline; its certainly not for everyone and the vast majority of people won't have what it takes.

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 09/10/2013 15:06:01    1498511

Id love to say Im shocked at some of the self righteous bull published as opinions on here , however Im not , as the man says opions are like ****holes everyones got one ,
To have an opionion on a disease , without personal experience is unbelieveable , gambling is a disease akin to a mental illness , where choice is taken out of it , the I dont do it so therefore anybody who does is weaker than me,
Be gratefull if you are one of the many that can have a bet and walk away , be gratefull that you can drink and walk away , Ive personal experience of what Im talking about and will say no more than that , but Ive seen familes ruined , jobs lost , houses lost , marriages broken due to gambling , and the individuals are as varied and come from all walks of life .
Bringing it back to GAA , it may be conected may not be , but the mental health of our youth is in as perilous place as I can ever remember , so much tragedy is because of ill people remaining quite , fairplay to any player that stands up and says he has a problem , fairplay to the GPA for helping sort out the demons that have driven intercounty players to the brink , it can not be easy with so many petfect people in our society with there perfect views on life and how each should live it .
Not expecting this reply to get through .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/10/2013 15:24:16    1499045

Damo,

Did our parents and grandparents have it any easier? No they didn't, they mostly got up and got on with it mostly without complaining, whingeing and looking to blame others for all their ills. I am not saying there wasn't drinking and gambling problems then but I do believe we are now breeding a softer generation who when confronted with tough times take the easy way out and give up or look for convenient escapes. I don't accept a 24/25 year has a gambling 'disease'; in my opinion they are weak, selfish, self centred and won't man up to the consequences going on around around them and they need to be told it up front. People say don't be hard on them but sometimes tough love is the best way in the long run. If people need guidence and support to confront it no problem everyone deserves a chance but I really don't buy into this soft soaping and mollycuddling.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 10/10/2013 16:55:27    1499128

The problem with gambling is that it's a secret disease. So we don't, and will never know the extent of the problem. All addictions can be fatal. The problem with addiction is that it's the only disease that will try and tell you that you don't have it. It ruined my life for over a decade and brought me to a junction in Monaghan waiting to pull into the path of a lorry. That was December 2009. I had an 18 month old son and that was the only reason I didn't do it. I was in Cuan Mhuire with Cathal in early 2010. He's a lovely bloke. He's funny and interesting and loyal. What he did in the last few weeks/months is the actions of an insane person, the same as me sitting at that crossroads.

Some people might find it hard to figure how Cathal could have played so well with this going on but I'd say (I was going to say I bet!) that football was a welcome relief from the mayhem of his life.

Cathal, hope ya get better lad.

The Face (Monaghan) - Posts: 890 - 10/10/2013 18:40:15    1499199

10/10/2013 16:55:27
Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 6509

1499128
Damo,

Did our parents and grandparents have it any easier? No they didn't, they mostly got up and got on with it mostly without complaining, whingeing and looking to blame others for all their ills. I am not saying there wasn't drinking and gambling problems then but I do believe we are now breeding a softer generation who when confronted with tough times take the easy way out and give up or look for convenient escapes. I don't accept a 24/25 year has a gambling 'disease'; in my opinion they are weak, selfish, self centred and won't man up to the consequences going on around around them and they need to be told it up front. People say don't be hard on them but sometimes tough love is the best way in the long run. If people need guidence and support to confront it no problem everyone deserves a chance but I really don't buy into this soft soaping and mollycuddling.

They may have had it harder , but the amount of domestic violence that took place was also hidden due to the amount of women who walked into doors , the past was no picnic and many a mental illness or frailty was covered in doors with a hear no evil see no evil policy , addiction by definition is an illness , and although someone may be weak it doesn't make it any less of an illness , as Ive said Ive first hand experience of this and as its work related shall divulge no more , but suffice to say the experience in this field is with adults not the Celtic Cubs , and some old enough to be my father

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/10/2013 19:35:54    1499234

The face ,

Respect

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/10/2013 19:36:53    1499237