I’m not referring to the people who gamble once in a blue moon. I’m talking about those who gamble habitually.
How come they’re all such garbage people, with legitimately no exceptions? Take a look at any high-stakes poker table and everyone except maybe the dealer is a de-facto scumbag.
It’s not just that, but also what these people choose to spend their money on.
Their vain and selfish, but for some reason people look up to them and give them respect.
Well I hardly think people look up to gambling addicts. Considering the lucky few that actually get rich from it are very lucky and very few, there are tons of people who spend money that they can’t afford to spend in the hopes that it turns into a lot of money.
It’s all built in cognitive dissonance, which our minds try to bend by telling ourselves stuff like ‘I have the same chance as anyone else’ and ‘just one more and then I’ll quit’.
It is in its core no different from smoking, drugs or alcohol. There is profit to be made off people who are easily persuaded they need something to make their lives better and if the product is addictive, just a couple of tries can give you a lifetime customer who spends an obscene amount of money.
And yes, usually the people prone to addiction are those who already made a lot of questionable decisions in life and who generally can’t afford such an addiction.
Is it inherently their fault? Well, yes and no. Anyone can overcome these issues if they really want to. But it starts with proper education and the way parents and society as a whole sets an example. And then, should we say that we should ban these addictive things? Drugs are generally banned, yet they are still very prevalent and the illegality causes a lot of violence.
These issues are rooted deeply in our society and addicts are just victims of capitalism who are just too myopic to break free.