Online Gambling May Be More Dangerous Than Playing in Nevada’s Casinos

Revealing Facts About Addictive Gamblers

I worked in the Northern Nevada Casinos for about 20 years between 1987, and 2006. Most of those years were spent as a “craps” dealer or a games supervisor. One of the least known but proven facts is that the worst thing to happen to a gambler is to have a big win. I learned that those individuals will most often lose every dollar they won over time, and frequently twice as much attempting to win again.

Recreation vs Addiction

I used to gamble and loved it before I worked in the business. It was recreation and the Las Vegas casinos treated my girlfriend and me well. We did not spend a lot of money, but we were “regulars” at the Flamingo, and therefore received discounts on our rooms and occasionally a free meal. The cocktail waitresses knew us and because we tipped them well, we never had an empty glass.

However, after 20 years on the “inside,” I have not been inside any of the Reno/Sparks casinos with the intention of gambling for many years.

Casinos are not all Bad, but Online Gambling Relies on Addiction

This is not a criticism of casinos and the industry overall. This article is being written as a criticism of the new trend of online gambling.

Every Sunday during the NFL season ads for online gambling fills the airways. In one form or another, all do the same thing: offer you “something for nothing.” To the novice, it appears fairly easy to pick winning teams, or even play online poker and occasionally win. Big mistake. Like any other drug, gambling is an addiction for many men and women. It may sound strange, but the feeling of loss can result in extreme euphoria with a single win, although losses continue to outnumber wins.

Those who gamble on sports believe they can “beat the system.” A small win creates an illusion that “the big win” will happen when the next games are played.

I was Lucky to Lose

There was a time when I bet on professional football, the NFL, and the NBA. My fascination with the NBA ended, but I paid for a parlay card every week during the NFL season. However, I was lucky. On a single weekend, I selected two parlay cards. Both of them would pay $2,000 if they won. Late on that Sunday both cards had won every game, with one game to play. The team I chose to win was in the lead when an unbelievable play occurred. The bottom line, I lost both cards by one-half point. I never bet on sports again.

I was lucky, but millions of men and women across America believe the advertising from these online sports and casino-style sites. They pay big money to celebrities like Kevin Hart and the Manning brothers to promote their games of chance.

Casinos: All Addictions are Destructive

The truth is that every year families are destroyed by an addiction to gambling. Drug use, alcoholism, and mental illness are not uncommon. The ease of pushing a few keys on a laptop makes it far too easy to become another addict.

Who is to blame for this? Your government. Although multiple civic leaders were against congressional approval for online gambling, once again profits became more important than the welfare and safety of our nation’s people. Our elected officials ignored the fact that gambling is just as serious as opioid addiction for many Americans.

Washington is Entirely Corrupt and Totally Dysfunctional

I am obliged to say it again: our government is the most corrupt in the world. It is “bought and paid for” by the super-rich. The average American has zero representation in Washington.

Our president, legislators, and Supreme Court justices are directly or indirectly elected to serve the needs and wishes of the majority. This is not what happens in our nation’s capital in the 21st century.

When you vote, vote wisely. Only the people can save the American dream for all 331 million people. Only individuals whose only ambition to serve the people must be elected, beginning in 2024. They will agree to term limits for all three branches, and repeal the Electoral College, allowing the people, not states, to choose the woman or man who resides in the White House for the next four years.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Find my novels on Amazon’s Kindle

Sources:

Helpguide: Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling
University of Nevada, Las Vegas: New Study Shows Online Gambling More Addictive than Casino Gambling

Top and Featured Image by TaxRebate.org.uk Courtesy of Images Money‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License