Indirect victims of gambling addiction

[ARTOIS]

Hi community,

As with any addiction, the effects of addiction to games of chance and betting do not fall on the gambler alone. It affects the family, friends, relatives, and everyone around him, and may lead to the deterioration of their conditions.

It negatively affects social relationships and at the marital level. Pathological gambling can be described as a side relationship. The gambler invests his attention in gambling at the expense of the spouse, whom he sometimes repays to cover his infidelity. The marital relationship is destabilized against a background of lack of trust, helplessness, and anxiety about what will happen in the future.


Gambling and accumulated debts  lead the gambler to a moral collapse that may even amount to an existential threat to family members. Gamblers do not hesitate to sell property to finance their debts, take loans from relatives without any ability to repay the debts, and in extreme cases they may even physically harm family members.

Partners in dependency - Relatives often try to "understand" the addict and help him, by paying off his debts, while accepting his promise to stop gambling, a promise he is unable to keep. More than once, family members come to the aid process, becoming partners so that they become “addicted” to the therapeutic process. But help works in exactly the opposite direction instead of helping the gambler wean off, they perpetuate his condition. These partners, such as parents or spouses, may find themselves in great distress that requires treatment.

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

[1714668822]

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[1714668822]

1714668822

[Oshosondy]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

It is as simple as saying those that financially dependent on the gambler. The only people that may not depend on the addicted gambler but not happy about their son or daughter addiction are parents.

I prefer ways to avoid the addiction than those that are indirectly affected.

[Frankolala]

It is quite unfair that gamblers get addicted, and use their addiction to disturb the peace and welfare of their families and relatives, even with their friends, by taking loans and debt without being able to pay them and leave the responsibility for their loved ones to carter. Most times the family members will have no option than to help them pay these debts, but the worst of it is when the gambler is bring shame to the family and dragging the family name on the mud.

Some spouse might not be able to tolerate such attitude from the partner, and they will seek for divorce due to the frustration that the addicted gambler is putting them through. While some will take it as their responsibility to handle whatever ugly situation that the gambler attracts to himself. It is good that as a gambler, we try to caution ourselves on how will go about our gambling activities, and how much that we are using to gamble, so that we don't end up becoming an addict, and become a problem to our friends and families. Gamble responsible.

[Wapfika]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

Typically only family and friends are the typical affected party of gambling addict since that’s the peer they usually interact. You already covered the most typical indirect victims of gambling addiction.

I have one time a schoolmate that is addicted on computer games gambling(betting on his game). He typically borrows money from me for his bet that he usually forget to pay voluntarily. Our friendship ended when he didn’t pay me when I ask the money and he has the audacity to het angry with me. His gambling addiction destroyed our friendship in school. I believe this is common now since there’s already online gambling but back then this kind of addiction is very rare.

[coin-investor]

As with any addiction, the effects of addiction to games of chance and betting do not fall on the gambler alone. It affects the family, friends, relatives, and everyone around him, and may lead to the deterioration of their conditions.

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

Society, in general, will also be affected by gambling addiction. It's a big failure of society and the government if they have a huge number of gambling addicts. There will be a significant rise in criminality perpetrated by those addicted to gambling who, because of gambling addiction, commit robbery and crimes just to sustain their addiction.
Peace and order are very important in a society but if they cannot sustain and maintain peace and order, there will be chaos which is why the government prohibits, restricts, and regulates gambling because it can lead to addiction that will eventually lead to a rise of criminality and everybody will suffer.

[Accardo]

Addiction affects everyone in the society where the person belongs, whatever problem we face in life affects our environment. Because, the information would circulate around the society, and toddlers will get to hear about the misfortune an addicted ward has caused to his family. Even the funds thrown into gambling affects the flow of income in the society. That's what existentialism is about. The only difference is that the closer you are emotionally with the addict the harder it gets for you to forget his struggle. The addict's mother stays with the emotional breakdown for a long time, as she'll have to deal with the too many questions and explanations from other acquittances in the society. Some parents like the dad, may claim to be strong enough to wave out the thoughts, but at some point, he'll deal with it and think it through, thereby hurting himself. Distant relatives, also get affected, but easily forget about it, because they're quite far from the person. It depends on the addict's loved ones, who are present to experience, firsthand, the trouble their brother is undergoing.

If the addict is married, his kids, and wife will suffer many pains, because of their economy not staying stable anymore, and they may be abused, due to mood swing caused by too many losses. The healing process for the gambler is quite easier if his family are closer to him and wants him out of the fight. In most conditions the family tend to delay the therapy process, as they feel their ward didn't listen to them when they advised him not to gambler anymore. The healing approach is different per family. But, in all, the addict, deals with the most pain, when he is cured from addiction. He'd get to reminisce over the pains he's caused his loved ones, and may try to make it up to them, if he's a good person and values appreciation. Some people whom I've experienced, never thanked their friends or family for saving them, instead they took the glory for going through the pains and made it out free. People are different and causes more pains to their loved ones. Nothing beats real atonement, when we wrong those who matter so much to us in life.

[Z-tight]

Gambling addiction is just like every other negative addiction, it affects the addict and the people who are closest to them, gambling addicts are going to lose relationships with those who care about them, their friends and loved ones would want to stay far away from them, because their addiction can bring others down with them, so sometimes it is better to stay away. If you want to help your loved one who is an addict, then it is recommended that you guys seek professional help, they might get better after that and recover relationships they have lost.

[YOSHIE]

As with any addiction, the effects of addiction to games of chance and betting do not fall on the gambler alone. It affects the family, friends, relatives, and everyone around him, and may lead to the deterioration of their conditions.

Gambling indeed has many impacts on its users, but apart from negative impacts, positive impacts have also been felt by the users themselves, including family, friends and also the surrounding environment.

Now we understand, gambling will indirectly lead to bad things for themselves and their families, but not all bad things are felt about the effects of gambling, many of those who gamble use money from their own side income, outside of basic income, for example: salary, etc., thus one conclusion can be drawn here, gambling can bring luck and loss, this can happen depending on their understanding and how they gamble.

[yahoo62278]

A gambler isn't going to stop unless they want to. You can support them and try to show them love, but until they get it in their brain that gambling is not life, they will keep gambling. How do you stop the cycle? IMO educating your kids goes a long way in breaking the cycle. Teach them what can happen if you let gambling consume your life. Show them the loss, heartbreak, death.

[aioc]

As with any addiction, the effects of addiction to games of chance and betting do not fall on the gambler alone. It affects the family, friends, relatives, and everyone around him, and may lead to the deterioration of their conditions.

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

One of the indirect victims is work or the company, it is hard to be productive if your mind wanders on gambling, and the company will suffer because of low productivity brought by people who cannot handle their gambling activity, just imagine if there are 5 gambling addicts within a company, the company will breakdown and they will have to fire these people and train new people to replace these people especially if the affected workers are those from upper rank.
These are indirect parties that will suffer from people who are addicted to gambling.

[bittraffic]

Gambling addicts are no different from any of us, they would feel guilty too upon knowing that they have ruined the future of their kids as they spend all their money that is supposedly meant for a college education of their kids. Somehow these people are chasing their jackpot dream to win big but it's still unsure if they stop gambling if ever they win the jackpot.

It's like they are caught between chasing that jackpot dream and getting back to where they once were. A high school friend was like this but after his father died he was left with no one taking care of the family business. He turned out to be responsible after the death. Rumor was that he left his old father alone and then got a heart attack.
I hope they will not wait for something big will happen before they become responsible.

[masulum]

Money can still be earned, by working hard every day. Finances may be will be on negative impact when gambling without control. However, the most miserable for gamblers is the damage to their relationship or with their family. I think, a similar topic seems to have been created before. And I commented about the broken potential of family relationships as a result of gambling habits. I understand that there are some who accept their husband/wife, or parents show their son/daughter addicted in gambling. However, most of them experience cases of divorce or parents abandoning their children, because they are addicted to gambling and cannot be stopped, and bringing bad/negative effect for their family not just about loan but also criminal.

[$crypto$]

I always think that gambling must be prepared to lose and should not be excessive. I know that it is difficult to realize when you are addicted but there we must understand that from addiction, everything will be affected, including spouses and families, so be wise as a gambler if you have more money, please play but if the money is mediocre then don't force it to play.

Have heard many stories like this and almost commonplace in some articles where they are damaged in terms of family due to gambling.
I will not blame the casino or anyone else but we must realize that gambling must be responsible so that you can control it.

[BlackBaron]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

What suffers the most loss here is the gambler himself, as a result of failing to control his emotions to gamble responsibly. Of course, all the people closest to you for the first time will be willing to provide financial assistance, motivation and support to stop. But if you fail to maintain the trust of those closest to you, they will no longer care, and will of course keep their distance so as not to be affected by the gambler's careless actions. If you lose the attention of the people closest to you, a gambler will easily get depressed. In fact, there are many impacts that can arise from gambling, but if you can manage your gambling activities well then everything will be fine, this means you need to set limits when you want to gamble.

[EluguHcman]

That is the reality truth about the effects of an addicted gambler. It brings about shameful personalities that is most concerned within the addicted gamblers relatives and not the gambler himself because at such a time, the gambler is being careless and unconscious about reputations.

I know about an addicted gambler who borrows money to fund his gambling but does not care paying back instead he goes after others to borrow more.
The family was called on the attention about the guy being indebted in several places which lead the gamblers relatives to get him arrested, he signed and undertaking that he would not gamble again before he was released from the detention.

Just after 2 day he started gambling again after in about a week he has been indebted with over $500.
At this time the relatives had to make it a public announcement that no one should borrow money from to the guy again and if anyone is heard of borrowing him money that person will be arrested. Then the relatives also cleared the debts.

When he could not reach out to funds for further gambling he started selling the he families belongings and when he was caught on the act, they got him at home arrest being locked up in the room without the chances of steeping out from the house.
This guy really brought about bad images to his family and relatives and he has so caused them lost of funds in paying his debts and the emotional challenges that their own has becomes useless to life.
Shame.

[0t3p0t]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

I think workmates are also part of this as these gambling addicts may also have been employed and even gave headaches to their colleagues by asking or borrowing money from coworkers. This scenario might not happened to you but it actually does with me. I remember way back 2011-2012 I was working in an electronic company and since I am a friendly guy I met a lot of new workmates in the production area where this gambling addict was working as well. Fast forward, months had passed I noticed that this guy's behavior changed and based on my observation he is troubled by something, not until our team leader shared that the guy used the money for his gambling activities. That money was actually raised from their group who initiated a "savings and lending" system that is very common here in my country. That guy's job was affected as he is not that productive anymore, he is in trouble sometimes with coworkers and that made him quit the job but he promised to repay what he owes to my coworkers in three months though it really was paid but they waited for like five months until it was fully paid. Months later I've seen him being hired in another electronic company wearing white shirt that indicates he is newly hired.

That really affected the entire production area during that time because the members of that savings and lending system wanted their money back immediately because they have an intended use for that money.

[blckhawk]

It's really sad that this kind of thing happens, I wouldn't really mind someone doing something that's really bad in my perspective but then when things get heated and problematic, other people get caught with their failures to control themselves and preventing themselves from getting a violent outburst.

This isn't always the case but other people that's playing with the gambling addict or within the vicinity of the gambling addict could also be considered an indirect victims and what I mean when I say that's not the case most of the time is because there's not a lot of times that a gambling addict goes to a psychotic episode or outbursts because they've got some kind of problems at that time and so when these outbursts happen, they tend to cause some form harm or annoyance towards those people, even the casino staff, this is a unique case though as these indirect victims can only be seen in physical casinos.

[Mr. Magkaisa]

It is quite unfair that gamblers get addicted, and use their addiction to disturb the peace and welfare of their families and relatives, even with their friends, by taking loans and debt without being able to pay them and leave the responsibility for their loved ones to carter. Most times the family members will have no option than to help them pay these debts, but the worst of it is when the gambler is bring shame to the family and dragging the family name on the mud.

Some spouse might not be able to tolerate such attitude from the partner, and they will seek for divorce due to the frustration that the addicted gambler is putting them through. While some will take it as their responsibility to handle whatever ugly situation that the gambler attracts to himself. It is good that as a gambler, we try to caution ourselves on how will go about our gambling activities, and how much that we are using to gamble, so that we don't end up becoming an addict, and become a problem to our friends and families. Gamble responsible.

      -     It's a big problem when the gambling you use comes from debt, and when it reaches your relatives or family, it's a big headache for them. It would be okay if we were the only ones affected the most; we still have loved ones.

This is really not a good idea, as long as we can be responsible gamblers, and being good gamblers guarantees that they will not let their family or loved ones be affected.

One of the indirect victims is work or the company, it is hard to be productive if your mind wanders on gambling, and the company will suffer because of low productivity brought by people who cannot handle their gambling activity, just imagine if there are 5 gambling addicts within a company, the company will breakdown and they will have to fire these people and train new people to replace these people especially if the affected workers are those from upper rank.
These are indirect parties that will suffer from people who are addicted to gambling.

They will be fired from their jobs when their superiors catch them, it is not right to play gambling via online at the same time because it will affect their work in the company, and the company will be angry with them.

[Zlantann]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

Gambling addiction affects not just the gambler but his friends, family, and job.  There was a report where a young student committed suicide because he used his school fees as well as accommodation money to gamble. He had to kill himself when he lost all the money. A news outlet confirmed that this was not the first time he had used his school fees for gambling. But his parents kept replacing the money and always encouraged him to quit gambling. I was just considering the loss the parents have to suffer. They have wasted their money raising him and paying his bills because of his gambling addiction. His death is a big loss to his friends and family members.

So many gamblers have subjected their families to untold hardship because they have used money to provide basic needs for gambling. Apart from financial effects, it could lead to friction in family relationships. There was also a report of a man who left his two-year-old twins at home alone because he wanted to visit a casino. The wife might not be pleased with such behavior and file for a divorce.

Some gamblers are so entangled with gambling that they gamble during work hours. This has led to the loss of manhours and a decrease in productivity. Gambling can even cause a lack of concentration on the job which can lead to costly errors. Some have even gone to the extent of using company funds that were budgeted for specific projects to gamble. Any gambling addict who controls the finances of his organization might misuse the firm's funds.

[Davidvictorson]

Of course, there are many indirect victims of gambling addiction. Can you add more?

I do not know the statistics of gambling addicts worldwide, however, we know that the incidence of gambling addiction is rising worldwide and in the next 50 years it may have tripled. Countries that have a good healthcare systems ready to cater for gambling addicts in terms of therapy, rehabilitation etc will not feel indirect effect. But those countries especially developing countries where that have a weak health care system coupled with the high cost of seeing a therapist or even an insurance that can subsidize it would not have it easy.

In my estimation, in addition to the spouse, family, friends, relatives, and everyone around being indirectly affected by gambling addiction, another party that will be indirectly affected  is the health care system of the country where the addict resides in, especially those living in developing countries where that weak system cannot accommodate and effectively rehabilitate gambling addict.