In the last several years online gambling has become a more accepted sport. Reported last year alone 7 out of 10 adults placed some type of wager last year. With 70% of Americans gambling it’s hard to say that gambling is no longer seen as the ‘demon’ sport it once was. With more people widely excepting online gambling, and gambling in general, the risks of becoming a chronic gambler are high.
People have always gambled and will always gamble. That’s the way it is, especially now with celebrities condoning it. People in general want to be just like celebrities, but the different between a celebrity and the rest of us average Americans, is the income. And celebrities have a lot of it. By glamorizing Las Vegas and celebrity poker is only fueling the fire of what could lead into a disastrous gambling debt. With celebrities helping to create a fantasy about gambling and casinos, it puts the average American at risk of trying to keep up without the financial resources. Now that celebrities are more and more endorsing gambling and lavish trips to Las Vegas, most Americans just can’t keep up. There are even television spots that elicit tourism to Las Vegas, with tag lines such as “Great shopping can be your alibi” or “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.
Now that society has glamorized gambling, we typically want to be a part of it. Online gambling is seen as the most cost efficient way to gamble. Because you don’t have travel or incur hotel expenses, you can simply roll out of bed on a Saturday morning and start betting for Sunday’s big games. Online sports betting has been estimated that it’s five times larger than Las Vegas sports betting. Since gambling has become so convenient, so has debt.
Last year it was reported that the online gambling industry generated $12 billion. That amount of money came from the general public. With that shocking number it’s no wonder we have gambling debt. Having gambling debt is never a pleasant experience, but yet it’s completely avoidable. Being conscious of your financial situation is imperative, you have to think of the amount of money you gamble with is the amount that you could afford to lose and still be able to take care of all you financial responsibilities. If you still find yourself in debt, don’t try to gamble you way out of debt. That method doesn’t usually work out.
The first step to recovering from a chronic gambling addiction is admitting you have a problem, as well with all other addictions. Getting help and wanting help will make a world of difference. There are several non-profit organizations that can help you get on the right track. You can decide to use a debt consolidation company, which are mostly non-profit, offer counseling and financial investment advisements. Also, look into counseling to see the root causes of your gambling habits. Getting yourself out of debt isn’t the only priority, but realizing why you are in debt, and understanding what irresponsible gambling can do to you.
