This is a question, that probably many gamblers ask from themselves. Well, not in this form. You have probably been wondering if you should tell anyone about your secret little hobby which you have on your device.
Let me be the first one to answer. Yes, I always tell everyone who is close to me. I love to see their “What?” faces and they feel a bit uncomfortable to start to lecture me.. So I usually start it first by telling that I know exactly the possible risks and the reputation that the industry has. I think I am very good at reasoning, so in the end I find myself talking about gambling with friends like we were talking of any other subject.
That´s what all of us should do, because that is the only way to bring this industry out of the shadows to the daylight. Because still to this date, the only news or people related to gambling we ever hear of are the ones with problem. Of course, I will not think less of these people and they do need help.
Thing is, imagine the only way we talked about alcohol in public was through alcoholics? It would be very much the same, because every “bad hobby” has its abusers, who just cannot handle it. Yet, most of the people are fine with what they are doing and it won´t affect their daily lives. These are the people who should have a voice too and you can be the one to start by talking about it with your family&friends.
There is nothing to be embarrassed of. Even if you do it for the sake of winning and as long as you do not try to win with the cost of your life, then you are just another average guy/girl, who knows their limits.
I know, with this blog I am annoying the bull, but what other way there is to try to change the public opinion on anything?
Let´s just face it, gambling has always been there and probably always will be. If we had a normal way to approach it, people would not gamble in secret and those who are facing problems, would also get the help faster instead of trying to hide their hobby-gone-wrong in the first place.
I still want to highlight, that because I think that gambling should not be embarrassing, I do not mean that there are no problems. Those problems are very real for many families and they deserve all the possible help there is.
My only goal is that one day we can all speak freely and actually even admit that we gamble or has any of you ever heard of a person talking in public about their gambling hobby?