According to wikipedia, the definition of gambling is: “is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period.” I personally couldn’t have worded it any better.

When you hear the word gamble, you automatically think of Casinos and Slot Machines, well there are a lot of different ways to gamble other than going to the casino. Every time you purchase a scratch off ticket, a lottery ticket, play bingo, bet on sports, bet on horse racing or even betting on games of skill such as golf or pool, you are gambling.

What is it about gambling that causes people to spend their hard earned money and take chances?

Maybe it arises from:

A family history of addiction
Depression
Anxiety
Personal loss
Stress at home or work
Debt
Anticipation of winning more money
To socialize
For excitement

It’s easy to get caught up in the game, having self-control is a must when gambling. Without self-control, you can easily walk away with nothing in your pockets. There is absolutely nothing wrong with gambling, but you have to know when to stop. It’s a lot easier said than done, because once you’re actually there gambling, you keep telling your self one more time, one more time, with hopes that the next hand is your winning hand, or the next pull on the slot machine is going to be the jackpot, then before you know it, all your money and hopes are gone which may even leave you to feeling depressed or causing your anxiety attacks to return.

My advice is if you feel the need to gamble, you must grasp the mentality of having no expectations, know that what ever amount of money you walk in there with, you may not leave with it. Having no expectations can sometimes work in your favor, this way you may be able to enjoy yourself without the stress of expecting or thinking that you have to win, you may focus more on gambling just for fun and socializing. Doing this may cause you to grasp the concept of the game and you may even play better because the stress and anticipation may not be there.

Be able to accept that you may not win every time and it’s okay to walk away empty handed. Now, if you are in a situation where you can’t afford to walk away with nothing, then you probably shouldn’t be gambling away what little you do have, fight the temptation, have strong will power and find another activity to preoccupy your mind and time.

By: Sharlene Le