It's serious if you only have gambling as an entertainment option

[Charcol]

We discuss here that we see gambling as entertainment, but this entertainment of gambling gradually turns into addiction unless we play it under our own control. In the first stage, most people get involved in gambling for entertainment, but eventually they lose money repeatedly because they cannot control it. Then, in the end, they become addicted to it under the pretext of recovering losses. However, it is good to keep one thing in mind that there is no financial risk in sports, watching movies, spending time with friends or playing basketball. But in casinos or gambling, money is directly involved, so the excitement may seem more attractive than other entertainment. It is true that family intervention is working well in your friend's case. But most of the time, the person addicted to gambling does not want to accept any intervention.

[Slow death]

I've always told people to have many ways to have fun. Even if someone doesn't engage in gambling, but only has basketball as their sole source of entertainment, that person can become addicted to basketball and will skip work, school, and socialize with their family because they'll only want to play basketball. So the point isn't just gambling that makes people addicted, but anything done abusively, in an exaggerated way. We always have to diversify our forms of entertainment and always set limits for everything we do.

I've seen many people addicted to many things: alcohol, drugs, sex, stealing, shopping, working, even eating. They all had something in common: to hide from the world's problems, they chose to do one thing and leave the rest of the world behind. That's why I always say you shouldn't solve problems using alcohol, gambling, or drugs. Because it only makes the situation worse.

[Dunamisx]

Only gambling cannot be the source of our entertainment, it is very important for us to also find pleasure in doing other things that could get us more entertained outside gambling, if we choose to gamble and see it as the only means to entertainment, it is very possible or more likely that we get addicted in so doing, because what we only give us comfort is gambling during our free time for this same purpose of being entertained.

[AmaGold70]

Addiction is actually something to watch , and be careful about as a gambler. If you fall into trap of addiction, it can be very frustrating, and that is the more reason you should be able to watch yourself, and be able to know when you are deviating from normal gambling to addiction.
There are some persons who play, and watch games, but by the time you begin to play games with money, you have to really be very mindful of that.
When gambling becomes your only entertainment option, I don't really find it to be very encouraging because by the time you are fully involved, and more of your time is being spent gambling, withdrawing yourself might be difficult for you. There are other forms of entertainment too, and when you find out that gambling on casino is draining you in any way, you definitely need to divert your attention to other forms of entertainment that doesn't involve gambling.

[Botnake]

If you are talking from an inexperienced gambler's point of view, I would say having gambling as an only entertainment option is highly risky and dangerous since it can significantly increase the risk of developing severe addiction and financial distress. Because every time you lose, the so-called entertainment turns into a desperation, hence pushing yourself to gamble more while expecting to win back all what you've lost.

But if you are talking from a professional gambler's point of view, I guess having gambling as an only option is common since your goal here is to maximize your gambling winning potentials. But of course, you don't gamble by beating the house, but you gamble with high discipline and bankroll management, and that makes you a good and profitable gambler at the end of the day.

[Ayers]

This is true, and it happened to a friend who used to be addicted to online casinos, you see my friend used to play basketball and watch movies on weekends just to ease up from his work as a supervisor.

One of our friends introduced him to online casinos as an additional form of entertainment, knowing that he is a disciplined guy and will not turn to addiction.

Do you agree with this?

In fact at first these games were just for fun. And very quickly it became the main source of dopamine supply in brain. Because the excitement of this casino cannot be compared with the fun of ordinary sport or watching movie. You know in casino the reward cycle turn around in the blink of an eye in the circle of winning and losing. I have also seen many such cases with my own eyes. I have seen many who used to regularly go to the gym or play football in field. But suddenly they are no longer coming regularly. Later I found out that those who are addicted to getting more excitement in a short time on the gambling board have gradually given up everything else in life

[Findingnemo]

~
It's a bad idea to only have gambling as an entertainment option. You should never leave things that entertain you to play in a casino; it's just too risky.

Do you agree with this?

I am not denying that life must be balanced with all kinds of things, if we just focus on one thing then we will drown and with gambling, it can cause financial loss that is even worse than just mental stress.

Know your limits and don't force yourself on doing anything but this is just another proof that everyone can have a side that no one knows, someone who is seens as well disciplined guy might have some kind of thing and wanted to escape from it.

[AmoreJaz]

If you are talking from an inexperienced gambler's point of view, I would say having gambling as an only entertainment option is highly risky and dangerous since it can significantly increase the risk of developing severe addiction and financial distress. Because every time you lose, the so-called entertainment turns into a desperation, hence pushing yourself to gamble more while expecting to win back all what you've lost.

But if you are talking from a professional gambler's point of view, I guess having gambling as an only option is common since your goal here is to maximize your gambling winning potentials. But of course, you don't gamble by beating the house, but you gamble with high discipline and bankroll management, and that makes you a good and profitable gambler at the end of the day.

A person should find other worthwhile activities other than gambling as an entertainment option. We all know that gambling can easily ruin our financials. And so I don't think you can still enjoy if you know your bankroll is depleting owed to gambling. But if you are a professional poker player or a sportsbettor, you can really earn good money from gambling if you know what you're doing.

[Accardo]

That's a good point, but to keep their perspective intact, is to make sure they are aware of the risks involved if they do otherwise, this will make them to do the right thing and make the right decision that will be suitable for them and not what will lead them astray and after they have suffered, that's when they will realized and know what to do, the more they get to understand that its important to discipline themselves in gambling, they more power they got to quit when the game seems to be no longer funny.

He's only a toddler in the game, the worse of it is that he had no formal orientation, he learnt the hard way, and may never go this route anymore his entire life. The right move came from his family who went in real quick to save him from the disgrace that would have followed from his newly found habit.

[GiftedMAN]

Only gambling cannot be the source of our entertainment, it is very important for us to also find pleasure in doing other things that could get us more entertained outside gambling, if we choose to gamble and see it as the only means to entertainment, it is very possible or more likely that we get addicted in so doing, because what we only give us comfort is gambling during our free time for this same purpose of being entertained.

I understand the angle you're coming from, but I don't think it's applicable to everyone. Let's assume that I'm always busy with work that takes most of my time and engages in gambling during my free but very limited time as my easing myself from the mental stress that comes with work, will I get addicted at the end? The answer is no since I dedicate most of my time in work but finds gambling as my only entertainment activity at my leisure.
When someone considers gambling as their sole entertainment option, it usually doesn't mean they engage in it at all times and would eventually get addicted to it. At the end of the day, gambling responsibly regulates a gambler and reduces chances of addiction.

[o48o]

-cut-
It's a bad idea to only have gambling as an entertainment option. You should never leave things that entertain you to play in a casino; it's just too risky.

Do you agree with this?

Yes. And that goes for everything in your life actually. If you have one thing that makes you happy, one thing you are focusing on it, you don't want to stick on something like gambling.

Usually when someone is interested / entertained just about one thing, it's a special interest that fades in time, but you might want to be careful that they don't turn out to be destructive special interests, as all you need is a month to mess up your life with it.

When you have multiple people, multiple interests, hobbies and plans, they not only make your life more fulfilling, they can enchant it in a way you wouldn't possibly know by having only one entertainment option.

[joeperry]

It's a bad idea to only have gambling as an entertainment option. You should never leave things that entertain you to play in a casino; it's just too risky.

Do you agree with this?

I agree with you 100% having that as the only option would only lead you to temptation no matter what. I realized in my gambling experience that in order for me to avoid playing too much is by looking for alternative for instance going to the gym or walking but in my personal preference it's through playing online competitive games/matches in that way I still managed to keep the intensity and excitement and at the same time when winning I feel the same thing when also winning in gambling site. Honestly, if you managed to control your desire to play, you won't be likely to get addicted to gambling.

[sompitonov]

Yes. And that goes for everything in your life actually. If you have one thing that makes you happy, one thing you are focusing on it, you don't want to stick on something like gambling.

Usually when someone is interested / entertained just about one thing, it's a special interest that fades in time, but you might want to be careful that they don't turn out to be destructive special interests, as all you need is a month to mess up your life with it.

When you have multiple people, multiple interests, hobbies and plans, they not only make your life more fulfilling, they can enchant it in a way you wouldn't possibly know by having only one entertainment option.

It's absolutely essential to strive to diversify our lives with various hobbies, and it's best if these are hobbies that strengthen or develop us physically or spiritually. This allows us to feel harmonious and well-rounded. But if we focus solely on gaming, we may not notice how our lives have been spent solely on trying our luck. It can even feel like we're just pressing a button and expecting results, willing to pay for them with our own money. Perhaps it's time for many to consider that the world is full of other hobbies and interests. I don't want to convince players of this, but rather to encourage them to consider that there's more to this wonderful world.

[Alex077]

It's a bad idea to only have gambling as an entertainment option. You should never leave things that entertain you to play in a casino; it's just too risky.

In the case of investment we do not keep all the capital in one basket. In the same way this diversification thing is very important in the case of entertainment. People who choose gambling as only refreshment in their life mostly become addicted. In fact there is no way to avoid being addicted to such a disease. Because when there is a stressful or boring time in your life you have no backup job or hobby other than gambling to get out of it. I think that those who have various hobbies have a healthy and protected mental health.

so bottom line no one is immune to this illness called gambling addiction.

However I could not accept that not everyone is free from this addiction. I have seen many gamblers who do not compromise with anything on self discipline or self control. They hold the rule and regulation of gambling and real life very tightly. They consider gambling as a kind of entertainment. But even if such people exists around us it is still a minority.

[Floxynice]

Even if you have other forms of entertainment but spend so much time gambling, you will eventually get addicted if you do not set boundaries. Addiction starts when you give something so much attention to the extent that it becomes part of your daily routine. What has been said in the OP is the truth; it doesn't matter if you are gambling for fun or gambling to make money, addiction is caused by a lack of limits.

[Bluedrem]

In fact, your friend did not enjoy being involved in the casino, but rather he was greedy for winning money. When he saw that there was a possibility of winning money by gambling, the game became ingrained in his mind day by day. I don't think he would have gambled if there was no possibility of winning money in gambling. However, if your friend really became addicted to gambling, I would blame the third person who introduced your friend to gambling. And the most serious thing is that your friend is already spending all his free time gambling, apart from playing basketball and watching movies, which indicates that he is addicted to gambling.

[hedgeh0g]

Even if you have other forms of entertainment but spend so much time gambling, you will eventually get addicted if you do not set boundaries. Addiction starts when you give something so much attention to the extent that it becomes part of your daily routine. What has been said in the OP is the truth; it doesn't matter if you are gambling for fun or gambling to make money, addiction is caused by a lack of limits.

But the point is that the player gets used to gambling being a place where they come to relax and where there are no boundaries, so they want to bet more and more. It might not be today, but it might happen in a month or a year. The player will simply want to bet all their money because they're sad about yesterday's big loss or failure at work, and they'll try to simply dissolve these emotions in the game. I think almost every player experiences this, but it's important how we resist it and how prepared we are.

[Porfirii]

The problem, I think, is that usually people don't choose to have gambling as the only option for entertainment since the beginning, but like with other addictions some people end end up abandoning other healthier entertainments and end up trapped in an obsessive-compulsive loop that can lead to financial, family, psychological problems and in the most severe cases of health in general. Having not only other options for entertainment, but also a network of people with whom to share these hobbies, is to a certain extent a good guarantee to avoid falling into an unhealthy monomania.

[icebar]

He played basketball to reduce his work pressure and watched movies, which were certainly good options for his entertainment. But when he was told about the casino to feel more excitement, he accepted it and enjoyed it very much for a while. But the problem is that although he was able to control himself in the beginning, he failed later. He may be a disciplined person but there is no guarantee that he will always be able to use it with discipline in the casino. When he started spending too much time in the casino, he became an addicted gambler. It is natural for anyone to face negative effects when he loses control. You have to keep your control over yourself.

[Royal Cap]

Actually the problem starts when gambling becomes a main source of excitement from a side entertainment. That is what we call cheap dopamine. In your friend's case it is seen that gradually he started spending more time only on the casino, excluding his old healthy activities. Many times the person himself does not realize this change at first, because if you notice, you will see that in the beginning he played just for fun. But gradually that excitement starts taking the place of his normal life. In my opinion if a person's life loses balance, social activity or mental relaxation, then he can become over attached to anything, not just gambling or any addiction.