Problem Gambling in the wake of covid-19

[fiulpro]

So recently I came across a post where the person asked for help since he was addicted to gambling . I decided to research on this topic. Not just Gambling as a whole but also Gambling related to COVID-19.

I did understand for a fact that due to Coronavirus people will gamble less!! Since there is literally no jobs and money for a common man right now.

BUT!!

According to a survey and research conducted :

"Due to the stress of COVID-19 people tend to gamble more."

Even though the offline casinos are closed the online gambling is as lively as ever. Gambling when done in moderation is a healthy sport but when it's done excessively especially at a pandemic; it might cause a lot of concerns ; not just related to money , but having an addiction might permanently change your life .

A questionnaire for everyone here:

Are you a problem gambler?
Try this questionnaire:

Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
Have you tried to win back money you have lost (chasing losses)?
Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
Have you wondered whether you have a problem with gambling?
Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including feelings of stress or anxiety?
Have other people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem (regardless of whether or not you thought it was true)?
Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
Score 0 for each time you answer "never"
Score 1 for each time you answer "sometimes"
Score 2 for each time you answer "most of the time"
Score 3 for each time you answer "almost always"

If your total score is 8 or higher, you may be a problem gambler.

source

For the people who are suffering from these problems , I decided to list a very reputable website which could help them:

www.gamcare.org.uk

_*_*_*_

Am really sorry for the losses of everyone but I do understand for a fact that addiction is something that we can beat using two things :

1. Support
2. Willpower

Be strong ..

-_-_-

Please take this questionnaire and list your score ; Do share your thoughts on the same.

*_*

Stay safe everyone .

[Ryker1]

Well, the questionnaire list is good for those gamblers that new on this forum. It has been a very common question on the list on our side but perhaps on the beginners, --they don't know this. If you will apply all these questions to your self, you are a responsible gambler at all times because you know those ^{[dos and donts]} that perhaps potentially becomes an addiction. However, the pandemic is still ongoing and for sure there are too many gamblers has been wipe out there money because they are unoriented on this way, we are lucky enough we are here because we are open-minded at all cost and it is up to us when we fall to massive losses if we will not apply what is on the questionnaire.

[mersal]

Loneliness is one of the major cause for any addiction and in the pandemic season most of the people are working from home so they are kind of stressed due to seeing their faces all the days for weeks and months which could trigger people to get addicted to something and into gambling a huge part might slipped into it for this reason along.And also no jobs could bring people to get addicted but not in a huge scale in my opinion.

[Oilacris]

Are you a problem gambler?
Try this questionnaire:

Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
Have you tried to win back money you have lost (chasing losses)?
Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
Have you wondered whether you have a problem with gambling?
Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including feelings of stress or anxiety?
Have other people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem (regardless of whether or not you thought it was true)?
Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
Score 0 for each time you answer "never"
Score 1 for each time you answer "sometimes"
Score 2 for each time you answer "most of the time"
Score 3 for each time you answer "almost always"

No, i do only spend up which are only allocated for gambling.
No, small amounts will do but we cant avoid for sometime when you do become impulsive in regards to your betting habits.
Yes, i believe everybody does have experience but sadly people do lose even more
No, never ever consider on loaning to someone just for me to gamble.
No, since i do know that im still in full control.
No, everything is balanced or in moderation
No, People doesnt care on what are the things ive been doing
No, i spend on the amounts which are extra.
No, feeling of guilt or similar hasnt gone through me

I havent answered 0-1-2-3 but those are still considerable answers.

[nelson4lov]

I took the questionnaire. Had a score of 3. Majority of the questions had a "never" answer from me. Although I'm a big fan of gambling, I do in conservatively ~ not aggressive. This means, I only gamble when I want and most of those times are just for fun or whenever I have some spare funds that I can play around with. I've gone a year or two without gambling and had no problems at all (mentally, or otherwise).  I have no issues with people gambling but it becomes a problem when it turns to an addiction. As the saying goes:

Too much of anything is bad

According to a survey and research conducted :

"Due to the stress of COVID-19 people tend to gamble more."

Ya. I'm not really surprised about these findings. Covid-19 brought severe financial issues to a lot of people so it's logical that most people would want to opt for gambling as a means to make some money.

[johhnyUA]

Am really sorry for the losses of everyone but I do understand for a fact that addiction is something that we can beat using two things :

1. Support
2. Willpower

Yeah man, good words i think. Despite i don't have problem with gambling addiction, this is really the big problem for many people. Better to spend more time with your family and kinds. If you're young, play Fortnite, not poker or even worse - dice\slots.

Willpower this is perk which you have or don't. It's really impossible to train it, so the best way - is support of relatives.

[jossiel]

The same as other activities that we do. If not taken seriously and done moderately, it could harm us. Not just through our pockets but it will also hit us mentally which is the harder struggle for other gamblers.

They can't take the hit of it mentally because they haven't experienced it yet or they have weaker take and will power on it. It's true that it can be overcome by someone who's struggling to face it. Getting support from your family and peers, not only financially but mentally will do the thing, and also you need to have the willingness to do it.

[Vaculin]

These people are already gamblers even before the pandemic, and it makes them happy when they are doing it so you are right, this is like a stress reliever on them while they can be safe gambling at home only, however, for those who are already addicted in online gambling, I doubt that online site to help the addicted gamblers would work, if they are in control of their computer, they might  not access that site as some addicted gamblers does not even know or admit they are already addicted, that's the real problem actually.

[Finestream]

Honestly, I doubt people would use that questionnaire.

When I was a bit addicted with gambling, I never think of finding a way to cure my addiction, what really made me learn is the experience I have, I lose a lot of money and one day I realize that I should be careful as it's not an easy money as I think. Based on experience and what I noticed on some, addicted gamblers are close minded, they can't realize they are already in that stage so it's best if they have some people to help them realize like people around them, so that online questionnaire is quite useless to people like me.

[GreatArkansas]

(....)
I did understand for a fact that due to Coronavirus people will gamble less!! Since there is literally no jobs and money for a common man right now.

This is also what I thought at first when Covid-19 started to spread all over the world, most of physical casinos are closing in some few weeks/months. Then for sure, lot of gamblers who use to play in physical casino will start their hands become itchy to gamble.
Then, there will be always a solution, here comes the online gambling.
And what I also thought is people will use their savings to gamble, since some of them started to lose their job then some of them will think that gamble will generate profits. But, it's still luck.

[kayvie]

(....)
I did understand for a fact that due to Coronavirus people will gamble less!! Since there is literally no jobs and money for a common man right now.

This is also what I thought at first when Covid-19 started to spread all over the world, most of physical casinos are closing in some few weeks/months. Then for sure, lot of gamblers who use to play in physical casino will start their hands become itchy to gamble.
Then, there will be always a solution, here comes the online gambling.
And what I also thought is people will use their savings to gamble, since some of them started to lose their job then some of them will think that gamble will generate profits. But, it's still luck.

Yes, most of them are now using online gambling to at least satisfy their gambling addiction, since even today, most casinos are still close, so, they don't have any other choice but to gamble online.

And about those people who lost their job? For a man with enough savings, yes they will gamble but for someone who only have enough salary that suddenly lost their job, I doubt that they will think of using gambling to gain profit.

[GreatArkansas]

(....)
I did understand for a fact that due to Coronavirus people will gamble less!! Since there is literally no jobs and money for a common man right now.

(....)
And what I also thought is people will use their savings to gamble, since some of them started to lose their job then some of them will think that gamble will generate profits. But, it's still luck.

(....)
And about those people who lost their job? For a man with enough savings, yes they will gamble but for someone who only have enough salary that suddenly lost their job, I doubt that they will think of using gambling to gain profit.

That is the question, a man without a job or any work that generate money to feed their family is difficult, then when you got some money and use it to gamble, it's really a bad idea for me to gamble the money that should be for the family, it's kinda bad since you have obligation, unless you have some lot of extra money.
Some peope really think that it's only their last choice, but if you will think 10 times, it's not that good.

[carriebee]

This is really the problem because some people are more focus on gambling during this pandemic. The site is very helpful this gamcare if people who are addicted in gambling will consider trying out on seeking guidance online. Dedication, will power and support could help us get through this addiction because some doesn't have the eagerness to control on playing in gambling.

[goinmerry]

Not just the usual online gambling sites but during Covid-19 there are lots of created online betting for a specific game that become hype. For example, horse racing, cockfighting, billiards wherein the game is not officially authorized. For new gamblers, it's a hassle to create an account on the usual betting site but in these newly created online bets, all they need is to simply register with their mobile no. then top-up their account via the popular payment method.

The owners of this mini online gambling think of a way that people who aren't a usual gambler of online casinos, can still play gambling despited suspending the physical gambling activities. So even with less source of income, they still play.

And the thinking of people will not gamble more since no source of income during the pandemic is supposedly the other way around. What I mean here is, no income, no revenue, no available jobs, so people want to make shortcuts to gained profits so gambling is the only key they know.

[btc_angela]

To be fair, there are a lot of gambling addicts that needed help even prior to the Covid-19 health crisis. So probably they already needed help already. But we all know that gambling addicts will not admit to themselves that they are addict so the problem will continue unless some family members intervention. I guess it's really up to us, on how to cope in this pandemic, but there could be others who stop because they don't like online gambling, so it evens out, I guess.

[FlightyPouch]

My total score is 6, I can say that I don't have any problems with my gambling at all though there are instances that I can slight of it. I guess in the past I would score 10 or higher since I am chasing this dream of making gambling my main source of income but right now, I am sober, I know that it is impossible. Support is really important, but it all starts with your will power, I can attest to that.

[sheenshane]

All questions are useful enough and if we apply all of these to our selves as a gambler we definitely avoid being addicted to gambling which is very difficult to move on once we are on that stage.

But I don't think if people keep gamble even though they are jobless due to this covid19 pandemic. How they will generate profit and how they will sustain gambling activities if they don't have enough source of income. In this situation, gambling isn't our priority, we should prioritize our family needs like the basic needs for the daily expenses.

Though gambling online businesses rapidly increase like a mushroom that quickly increased the number and adopt cryptocurrencies. Probably they see the potential of gaining profit in the online gambling business amid the covid19 pandemic.

[arwin100]

Honestly, I doubt people would use that questionnaire.

Based on experience and what I noticed on some, addicted gamblers are close minded, they can't realize they are already in that stage so it's best if they have some people to help them realize like people around them,

Correct addicted gamblers won't listen to any advice since the one they care at the moment is to play and have fun, I sure majority experience this and mostly the addiction stage came when the time we place our first bet, this situation made us bet more since its really exciting and the feeling is different.

And I also doubt people will doubt since there are different types of scenarios on why addicted gamblers stops or managed to control their addiction.

[stomachgrowls]

We can presume out but reality can really go opposite even we do think that pandemic situation can stop people to play gambling but we have seen that it do even made people to engage more.

Its not really the pandemic do wake such addiction yet even on a normal situation people do still end up on the same behavior. Addiction is still there because this issue always goes to the player itself

no matter what kind of situation we are in, if they do able to see the opportunity to play then they wouldnt care neither if they do still have money to play or not.
When you are already addicted then you wouldnt care about your finances if you are really saving up for emergency or not and thats been always the case.

[maydna]

All of the answers to those questions for me is NO. I don't feel that I have a problem with gambling. I can now control myself in gambling because I realize that gambling will not give me the way to make money. I consider playing gambling is just to have fun and enjoy my time, not more. I don't think that I need to use more money to play gambling, nor I don't try to chase my loss of money because I don't have any luck to get it back.

I agree that if we want to solve gambling, especially addicted to gambling, we need to have willpower and supports. This support could come from our family, friends who close to us, remind us, and stay beside us to help us solve the problem.

We can't blame people if they tend to gamble in this pandemic because they will have many reasons for gamble. But if they use gambling to make money, that will not be good for them, and they need to realize as soon as possible before it's too late.