The Silent Cost of Gambling: Time, focus, and Opportunities

[Obulis]

All that is pointed out is true about gambling but that's when it has to do with an irresponsible lifestyle. A gambler that see gambling as a source of income instead of just fun.
To think of it, a man or woman who spends as much 5 hours gambling daily is even spending much time to talk of a whole day and on a daily basis. As much as possible gambling has to even be at leisure time.
And then spending more than you can afford to going as far as selling of property and borrowing money just for gambling is already explaining it all. Irresponsible lifestyle (helpless addicted gambler). Gambling should be done with the amount you would not even realize that you lost to talk of selling lands and other properties, borrowing money that you can't pay.

[DaNNy001]

The trap of one more bet is a silent killer because this has made a lot of gamblers lose their money and valuable time...the more you keep on telling yourself you are going to take one more bet either to chase more profits or losses just know that you are getting trapped in an endless cycle that might be hard to break, this is capable of causing gambling addiction and and an excessive waste of your time

[freedomgo]

It’s written on every casino when we sign up, responsible gambling.
If we stick to that, we usually won’t run into problems. Once we go the other way, that’s when we experience the things OP listed.

I have not seen people should gamble responsibly on any gambling site before when I visit the gambling site or when I am about to sign up, but you are not still wrong because anyone that reads the gambling sites terms of service, it is truly there on all the gambling sites that I have went through their terms of service before. Just like Stake.com, it is included on Stake.com terms of service which I use most of the time to gamble.

Those are just words and basically a requirement, that’s why they’re there. But at the end of the day, it’s still up to us whether we actually follow what’s written and keep it in mind every time we gamble. If we don’t, then we already know what the consequences are.

We’re not stupid, we’re aware of the consequences. And yet, there’s always that question in my mind, why do we still have to make mistakes first before we actually learn?

Another thing is that after they are losing, some people will not blame it on tlhemselves but be blaming it on the gambling sites.

Makes them more stupid. 

[Slow death]

I'm wondering how long people spend playing a slot game, because from my limited experience, the maximum time I've ever played slots is 4 hours, and that was the longest I've ever played. After that, I never managed to play for 4 hours and I stopped. Also, when I analyze games for my sports bets, I only take a maximum of 30 minutes, and then I go days without doing any analysis or placing any bets. That's why I don't understand why anyone would complain about the time spent gambling, since people don't spend very much time gambling.

[FirmWars]

Irresponsible gamblers are so guilty of all these things, of all the gamblers that I'm close with, I know the ones that can let an opportunity to slide but would not let a game slide without betting on the game, no matter what it may cost to bet on that game, I assure you that they will do it and make sure they stake on the game, then some won't indulge in such way to satisfy their pleasure first. People are different, it's not every gambler that bears these cost, some are compulsive and some are very responsible.

[alegotardo]

Very good!! Time is a cost that some people neglect and I am sure that many people waste too much time in games and think that it is all right because they have good a bankroll control and can manage to lose a little money.

But I would like to make a small observation on this issue of time, because sometimes if it is well spent (in a controlled way) then it would not necessarily be a bad thing, you know why? Because if this  person has free time and chooses to play as a form of entertainment, that would not be very different to watch a movie series or then playing video games, do not you agree with me?

I think the "silent cost" start only when this person spends too much time and it "invades" other things like your sleep, study, work or even their time with family or friends. But if they play in a controlled way only in their free time, then I do not think it is really a "wasted time".

[Kasabus]

As much as we lose our money from gambling, we also lose our golden time and energy that we could have saved for other endeavors rather than just spending them all in gambling. But to be honest, we all know that already, however we still chose to prioritize gambling for the aim of hitting the jackpot and make instant huge amount.

Gambling is a choice, and its not that we are forced to do it. That is why responsible gambling is highly encouraged, so that if ever we incur losses, at least we are losing only a small and manageable amount, something that we won't regret in the future.

[Yamifoud]

Gambling is certainly risky, and that's one thing that every gambler is already aware. Now its up to you how you will manage the risk, by not gambling all your hard-earned money, but only your extra money that you're willing to lose.

Also, gambling is more on losses than realistic gains. I bet everyone knows this too. So once you decide to gamble, prepare to lose as well, not just money, but time and focus as well, and maybe some missed opportunities if you are gambling not on your free time.

In the end, gambling is costly, that not everyone can afford, so why gamble? But I still prefer to gamble but on a responsible manner.

[Makus]

once gambling takes your time and attention then it won't be hard to get addicted to it. a lot of people spend hoirs hours gambling and they don’t realise how dangerous it is because they stake low. gambling for hours with amounts that you can afford to lose might seem like it's okay but it's not really a responsible way to gamble, a lot of people might disagree with this but it is actually true. what you spend a lot of time doing is what you get used to overtime. Gambling can be done moderately without it affecting you negatively

[Vaculin]

What you are trying to tell us is that gambling is not good in the long run. I bet to disagree this. Gambling can only be bad if you are doing it the wrong way, like gambling almost 24/7, and gambling like there's no limits thinking that it could maximize your winning potentials.

However, you won't face problems with gambling if you just gamble for entertainment, not gambling and expect to earn a living. Obviously, you will surely messed up with your time and finances if that is your mindset.

But if you instill in yourself to stay gambling responsibly, you won't lose too much of your money and time, or missed those life-changing opportunities, since you only gamble just to find relaxation through playing with your favorite games.

[coin-investor]

What do you think is the most overlooked expense of gambling?

There are really no expenses because when you sign up for this, you need to understand that gambling is not a cash cow; it's an entertainment platform you spend on to have fun, just like when you go to a concert.

If you spend for fun, you get something out of it, and you never regret it. If you are going to end up regretting spending on gambling, then better not spend on gambling and spend on something that you will have fun with and not regret doing so.

[LastKiss]

There are always losses when gambling  and when people talk about losses, they almost always talk about money. They talk about how much was lost, how much they could have been won, or how close they were to hitting a big one. To me, money is only the visible part of the cost,  what about all the time, focus, and opportunities you have missed from chasing these bets?

THat’s why I only gamble in my free time and try not to become addicted. When gambling turns into an addiction, it starts taking your mind to think about gamble even during work hours or when you’re spending quality time with friends and family. It’s true that when we gamble, we use our free time and focus on it but isn’t that the same with any hobby? Everyone concentrates on what they enjoy doing. As for opportunities, we should always stay aware of them, but that doesn’t mean we have to look for them 24 hours a day. Sometimes we get stressed and simply need some entertainment to relax.

[coinlary]

I'm wondering how long people spend playing a slot game, because from my limited experience, the maximum time I've ever played slots is 4 hours, and that was the longest I've ever played. After that, I never managed to play for 4 hours and I stopped. Also, when I analyze games for my sports bets, I only take a maximum of 30 minutes, and then I go days without doing any analysis or placing any bets. That's why I don't understand why anyone would complain about the time spent gambling, since people don't spend very much time gambling.

4 hours? Well, it's not bad with the conditions attached.
Mine is around 10 to 15 minutes,I remember I hit two jackpots on one particular day and that made me bet for another 7 minutes. On average, I don't play for more than 5 minutes because I expend my budget pretty fast.

 Not sure why gamblers spend so much time playing slots unless they have a continuous mix of wins and losses. I can only imagine people spending six hours or more on arcade games like Plinko &co

[libert19]

1. Time is First Thing Gambling Takes

Money can sometimes be recovered. Time can’t,  One gambling session might not be that harmful, but the hours you have spent gambling over weeks and months are hours that you could have put towards learning a new skill, building a side hustle, or even taking care of yourself.

Gambling tricks people into feeling productive.  That's the biggest issue,  it tricks people into feeling like they are doing something productive.

Eh, I ain't fan of doing something productive always, one must have time for entertainment as well. If some people gamble for fun, what's wrong? As long as one is balancing areas of life, gambling shouldn't be a problem.

2. Gambling Takes Attention From You and You Don’t Realize It

Even when you are not actively placing bets,  gambling is always on the back of people's minds. You think about how you could have won, you will lose and still think about how you could have played the game differently, you are always calculating your next move, this cycle of thinking creates a constant buzz in your head and takes your focus away. You will not be focus at work and doing schoolwork becomes a lot tougher, Over time, this mental exhaustion can be more damaging than the financial loss itself.

This has never happened to me. Although, if I have a sports bet active, it kind of makes me feel restless, and doesn't allow me to focus on task at hand.

5. Why this Cost Is Hard to Measure

Casinos display account balances, big wins, and huge losses, but never display:

.Time spent

.Hours of mental frustrations

.Missing out on life

These are the things that the casino will not show or measure, and that’s why they are easily overlooked and ignored. But they are the things that are needed to differentiate someone who has an occasional gambling habit to someone who has a gambling problem that they can’t control.

I mean, out of things you mentioned, casino can only measure time user spent on casino, how do you gauge the other two?

Lastly:

This post is not about telling people to stop gambling,  people are free to do whatever they want. The post only explains that gambling takes more than money.  Sometimes we lose things that we do not realize are more valuable than money.

When many gamblers look back  they actually do not recall the money as much as they recall the time and mental  effort lost that could have been used to achieve something worthwhile.

Very well said.


BTW, this post reminds me of Slapper's on attention span, did you take inspiration from it?

[r_victory]

Depending on the gambler's context, the biggest silent cost to be paid is their own health, both mental and physical. Unfortunately, many people become ill because their expectations are not met, as many believe they will get rich, that winning is easy, that gambling can be a source of income, and in the end, they face reality. I gamble, but I am aware of why I do it, I don't have any unrealistic expectations, I've won, I've lost, and I move on with my life.

[Awaklara]

Depending on the gambler's context, the biggest silent cost to be paid is their own health, both mental and physical. Unfortunately, many people become ill because their expectations are not met, as many believe they will get rich, that winning is easy, that gambling can be a source of income, and in the end, they face reality. I gamble, but I am aware of why I do it, I don't have any unrealistic expectations, I've won, I've lost, and I move on with my life.

In the past, I did lose time and money in gambling, time with family, and some friends, which ultimately had to be paid for with great losses. I tried to fix my life, and I could gamble again with the support of the people around me. Even though I no longer gamble as crazily as before, I realize that if I lose money gambling, at least I don’t lose the warmth of the people around me.

[maydna]

People can lose money anytime especially if they don't have self control. Gambling tempts them to keeps playing and forgets their daily activities and ignored the important things they should do. It is rigth that gambling can distract your attention to do other things so you must aware and knowing when you must stop.

Time and money is something the most overlooked expense of gambling. They can say stops gambling after one last bet. But the truth is they don't stops gambling immediately after one bet but they keeps gambling.

If they can treating gambling with the right, they will not wasting time and money. They will calculating how long they can gamble and how much money they will use. They will not overbudgeting in gambling and stops gambling to do other things.

[Outhue]

I am curious about the time that's been spent on gambling as a gambler, are people spending hours on gambling? Because it will get boring if you spent too much time on gambling. Or maybe it is just me?

I don't spend more than half an hour on gambling and I am done, I will wait for another day before I gamble again, also gambling is supposed to take place on your free times or breaks from your job, I don't gamble at work unless I have free times to do that, most of the time I only gambles when I get home resting on my bed. Gambling is not a time stealing event, you are the one who is gambling irresponsibly.

[iBaba]

The trap of one more bet is a silent killer because this has made a lot of gamblers lose their money and valuable time...the more you keep on telling yourself you are going to take one more bet either to chase more profits or losses just know that you are getting trapped in an endless cycle that might be hard to break, this is capable of causing gambling addiction and and an excessive waste of your time

You are right when you mentioned the entrapment that comes with the one more bet ideology, it makes you to chase losses and wins that might never materialize. Instead of you leaving what's not meant to be, you always have this idea of let me try again and again and again until you end up spending all your resources in trying to chase one game or the other. That's not a strategic way of gambling and many people have fall on this sad side of situation without solution.

[iv4n]

The Silent Cost of Gambling: Time, focus, and Opportunities

The silent cost of "everything". We can't do anything in life without investing time, energy, and in many cases some money... or a lot of money, and even more time & energy. Everything has a price, and a "silent/hidden" cost is not so "silent/hidden", just some people (mostly young) don't bother to think about it, or they simply choose to ignore it...