This is a question, that I think that every gambler should ask from themselves. At the same, if you answer to that question yes, it might give an uncomfortable next question: “Am I an addict?”
I still believe this question is important to ask from myself, because it gives an idea where I am standing with my gambling. Am I just going to do it forever or do I set goals for myself and which I will achieve, I am going to quit? Then again, that´s also a dangerous path, since what happens, if you do not achieve those goals? Are you just going to keep losing while chasing the goals?
The answer for myself is simple: I don´t know. I do not want to make gambling as something that has a hold of me and I do not want to set goals in the world of randomness. I think both paths only lead in to misery. I choose to play as long as I feel like playing and as long as me and my close ones can see that it has not taken a hold of me.
Just a hobby
Gambling for me is like any other hobby. I do it to entertain myself. Like I also do when I go to hike on the mountains. I would not go anymore, if I felt like it is nothing more than suffering.
Then again, I am aware of the risk of gambling. It´s not like other hobbies. It is true, that we would all like to win big. After all, whose hobby is to just voluntarily throw money away without hoping to get anything back? I guess that´s what they at the charity.
It sounds kind of weird. I set myself a certain amount of money, which I am actually willing to lose during a month. That this amount I can just throw out of the “window”. This is what many of us say. I prefer to think of it as an investment.
I invest in my own luck, which again I believe just to be coincidence. So, I invest in hope of getting a coincidence in my favor when most likely the coincidence are against me. When I think of it that way, I think: “Am I stupid, isn´t there any easier places to invest?” The answer is, that probably there is. But it is much easier and faster to take that risk at the casino than invest £1000 in a company and hopefully expect something in 10 years. No, I want my return in a month. I like fast paced investments. And like any other investment, I know the risk. Is it company or a casino, in the end it´s all about a coincidence.
Do I still enjoy gambling?
As a matter in fact, yes I do. In some ways more than before. To be exact, I enjoy the world of online casinos. There are better brands, better rules and a massive amount of games. Obviously the odds are still the same. I just feel like this world is my world.
If you think gambling has taken a hold of you, go to begambleaware.org for help.
