We All Start 'Just for Entertainment',,, But When Does It Become a Problem?

[Marvelockg]

But question is, "It's just a hobby",,, until when?

When is it no longer a hobby?

Yourself will easily know when you're crossing the line from being a responsible gambling to one that's just chasing after gains. Addiction doesn't just happen like that, it takes a series of transitioning to a point that you can't be in control of the act of gambling.

If you're gambling for fun, you wouldn't chase after losses and certainly will gamble within your budget. Anything above that is irresponsible gambling.

[Africolo]

Many people call gambling just a hobby. We say, "I just play for fun", "Nothing more than entertainment." Tbh, most people probably start like this.

But question is, "It's just a hobby",,, until when?

When is it no longer a hobby?

• When you go beyond your budget?
• When you no longer feel excitement when you don't bet on a match or game?
• When you start hiding your losses from family or friend?
• Or when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

I don't believe in the school of thoughts that people say they just gamble for fun because I know someone can't just wake up and be wasting his or her money without an aim of making profits in return so when someone who is gambling say they are doing it for fun and entertainment I do ask if they win won't they cash out the money because they were just gambling for fun?, although I still know there are people who do it just to unwind and have fun but majority are seeking for profit so we shouldn't always believe they are just gambling for entertainment.

Not be able to control and have self discipline to stay within your estimated budget and bankroll Management for gambling it's no longer a hobby,and probably when you begin to cause looses which makes one open to more looses because someone can't recover what they have lost so long gambling is concerned so we should be specific on what we gamble for either for fun or profit making.

[Josefjix]

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

When you started touching savings but you are regretting doing that, you aren't feeling excited when touching the savings, you know within yourself that there is a problem that needs to be addressed but it's getting worse day by day. You know you've crossed the limit at which you played, thought about gambling, it's becoming the normal thought immediately you wake up in the morning.

When these signs began to show, then the next trap is addiction.

[HelliumZ]

Many people call gambling just a hobby. We say, "I just play for fun", "Nothing more than entertainment." Tbh, most people probably start like this.

But question is, "It's just a hobby",,, until when?

When is it no longer a hobby?

When it hurts you instead of giving you joy and makes you financially and mentally depressed, then gambling is no longer a form of entertainment for you.

If initially gambling gives you joy, that is, if you do not feel anything even if you are lost in gambling and always keep yourself happy, then you should understand that it is entertainment for you.

But in the evolution of time, when you cannot hold yourself back after losing and feel bad, then you will think that gambling is no longer a form of entertainment for you. Then you will try to stop yourself from gambling, but in that case you will fail. In this situation, it will be assumed that you are completely addicted to gambling.

[Z_MBFM]

One of the major reasons for losing control over yourself and becoming addicted to gambling is going beyond your budget. When you continue to gamble by breaking the limitations of your specific budget and indulging your emotions, then gambling will change from entertainment to an addiction for you. And then you will keep earning money regularly from some other source and wasting that money by gambling will become your regular routine. Despite losing repeatedly, you will not be able to control your emotions and quit gambling because you will have a target to recover your previous losses.

• When you go beyond your budget?

Yes, this is a big reason why gambling has turned from entertainment to addiction.

• When you no longer feel excitement when you don't bet on a match or game?

There will never be any excitement if you don't bet. You will find many types of games that are really great but you will not get as much joy from playing them as you get from playing gambling games because they are mainly about placing bets.

• When you start hiding your losses from family or friend?

Normally, gambling is not discussed with family but with friends. However, even then, the losses are hidden from these friends when friends advise us not to gamble but we still enjoy gambling.

• when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

After losing, our emotions push us to gamble because before losing, we won several times and missed some big wins. In fact, the gambling algorithm is arranged like this. And that's why it's very difficult for us to give up easily. We always try to recover the losses. And when we recover the losses, then we want to make a profit.

[DPHOR]

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

This happens immediately you start to see gambling as an additional source of income. Of course, there are some people who can't stood on their ground as gambling for entertainment but, after several loses they will now see gambling as something that is being exhaustive to them hence looking for an alternative to keep degenerating money from gambling site, that is when you see those who mostly talks about gambling for entertainment turning into something else where they wouldn't know when they have suddenly turns it into a way of making money instead of for fun as they initially started.

[Rockstarguy]

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

It is a hobby when you have a time frame for entertainment, and at this point, it doesn't affect other activities, and you have control over it. When gambling is no longer a choice but seems to be a compulsion, at this point, one is just being addicted.

When one has started developing anxiety concerning losses in gambling but finds it difficult to have self-control and to set limits. The problem addicts normally have is seeing the next game as a big win. This is why addicted gamblers continuously play the game because of the hope of winning in the next game.

[mindrust]

As long as you are betting below a reasonable limit you set, you are not an addict. You don't drink alcohol every day unless you are addicted. You drink it on special days... Like once a month or something. Or say twice a month because you are a social drinker...

Same goes for gambling. If you make a few bets every month, you are playing for fun. If you make a bet every day, now you are clearly addicted. This is not about fun anymore.

Think it like this; If you are capable of doing other things without thinking about gambling; I'd say your urge is under control. If not, you are in trouble.

[Hardyrobust]

 It is not all those that said they gamble for entertainment do gamble because they see gambling as an entertainment but rather they are using entertainment as a cover up. Just like some of the things you made mention, it is only someone that is gambling to make money that will gamble with more than what they can afford to lose . So it just a few that see gambling as a hubby the rest majority gambles in other to make money.
I don't think if there are people that do realise that they have crossed the line , even if there is such people they are just few. Someone that is addicted to gambling can never tell that they have been addicted expect in some cases were they are now in a serious mess.

[Cryptomultiplier]

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

It is a hobby when you have a time frame for entertainment, and at this point, it doesn't affect other activities, and you have control over it. When gambling is no longer a choice but seems to be a compulsion, at this point, one is just being addicted.

When one has started developing anxiety concerning losses in gambling but finds it difficult to have self-control and to set limits. The problem addicts normally have is seeing the next game as a big win. This is why addicted gamblers continuously play the game because of the hope of winning in the next game.

The point of no return in gambling is obviously when it has become more of a compulsory task to complete, rather than a fun activity or once in a while thing to do.
At this point, it's the only thing one thinks about no matter where they are, in what settings they find themselves or in the situation that may abound at that hour.

I try to avoid this point of no return and that's why I love to take breaks from gambling activities when I no longer feel motivated or see it as a fun thing to do anymore.
Sometimes I even stake games that is yet to be played till the following month and refuse to fund my wallet or log in until I think the date has come. It's not like I don't want to win big so badly, it's just that I try to control it so I don't see it as a way to earn and give it undeserved focus that will lead to ruin and addiction.

[Fortify]

Many people call gambling just a hobby. We say, "I just play for fun", "Nothing more than entertainment." Tbh, most people probably start like this.

But question is, "It's just a hobby",,, until when?

When is it no longer a hobby?

• When you go beyond your budget?
• When you no longer feel excitement when you don't bet on a match or game?
• When you start hiding your losses from family or friend?
• Or when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

The reality is that the majority will never know the route to addiction that some people fall down, so we can only make observations on what to avoid or when to pull back. However I believe the slope between normal play to addiction is very short, steep and slippery. A habit is something that people can pick up after just a few days or weeks of doing the same activity, in between sessions trying to justify any losses to themselves as possible to recover on the next attempt. There reaches a point where the little dopamine hits of happiness and carrying out a routine - humans are creatures of habit - is the only thing that is left for people. It takes a hard look at yourself to snap out of such a position and many are just not willing or even capable of doing that.

[Floxynice]

How possible is it for a person to have gambling as a hobby without becoming addicted to gambling? A hobby is an activity you enjoy doing. In my opinion, if anyone enjoys gambling, they will be most likely to spend any of their free time gambling. It is fine if they dedicate only their free time to gambling, as it is supposed to be.

It will become a problem if they can no longer regulate when they gamble. If they gamble both during their free time and during their work or study time, and every other time they are not supposed to gamble, then they should watch themselves so it doesn't get out of hand.

Even when they gamble only during their free time, gambling outside of their budget can also be a problem. So many things may indicate that there is a problem, and this will be different from person to person.

[Ndabagi01]

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

Going beyond your budget may just be a bit of it and not like going into being an hobby to an addiction. When it keeps happening and there’s no return of capital from it, and you can’t also stop yourself from keep going beyond your budget, at that point one will consider to start calling it addiction already.

Chasing your loss after facing series of losses in the game is very risky and not worth engaging into. For a game that is not worth playing should be avoided, don’t get overconfidence after one win, and try to play to get another win, it doesn’t work like that. When addiction comes, many more signs will be seen that are unusual that a gambler doesn’t engage in before they got addicted.

[swogerino]

Many people call gambling just a hobby. We say, "I just play for fun", "Nothing more than entertainment." Tbh, most people probably start like this.

But question is, "It's just a hobby",,, until when?

When is it no longer a hobby?

• When you go beyond your budget?
• When you no longer feel excitement when you don't bet on a match or game?
• When you start hiding your losses from family or friend?
• Or when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

To me is when you find an excuse to play again, not necessarily to recover the money you lost but when you deceive yourself by saying that this time is the time when you will hit the max win or a jackpot. This is very dangerous and puts you straight into addiction because as you will find out (speaking from personal and many other users experience) rarely it happens to get that win you dream of by deceiving yourself. This can have also good consequences as I got really mad when I get so many straight consecutive losing sessions in a row that I ended up because of this rage to ban myself from almost all casinos and this has led me to conduct a somewhat better and quiet life, something many addicted people cannot find a way to somehow.

[Joeboy]

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

Cossing the line between hobby and addiction is not even done at one specific time or point, it more of a gradual phenomenon that majority of gamblers don't even notice until they have they have gone really far into it.. Majority of gamblers up till now are still of the opinion that they gamble for fun just as they have done in the past, but if we really look at this folks one will see that they have gotten to the stage that they cannot walk away from a loss without down or deprived.. And when such is the case, that individual is already moving away from hobby and already entering into addiction...So constantly even on a daily basis it is right that folks try to question themselves if they can survive for long time without gambling or if they are survive financially in constant loss.. An honest answer to zuch question will determine how far such gambler have crossed the line..

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

When is it no longer a hobby?

• When you go beyond your budget?
• When you start hiding your losses from family or friend?
• Or when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

My question is not ''Am I addicted?''

My question is, do we understand at what point we cross the line between hobby and addiction?

Gambling beyond one's limit, hiding your losses from family and looking for reasons to bet again or chase losses; These are characters that starts to arise when someone stops taking gambling as an entertainment but rather starts to get addicted gradually or starts gambling for the primary aim of making money. Gambling is still a hobby even if you exhibit those characters but it can be a problematic kind of hobby at that point.

To answer your last question, first you know what hobby is, right? An activity that you enjoy doing at your spare time, so if you can no longer wait to gamble only at your spare time, that means your hobby is turning to addiction.

[Rruchi man]

When is it no longer a hobby?

• When you no longer feel excitement when you don't bet on a match or game?

This was a discussion we were having on Betfury's ann thread a few days ago, I will want to quote it because I think many people do not even realise that they are already addicted to gambling if they can no longer enjoy a game without any form of betting on it.

Because watching this big league became more exciting once there's some spare cash at stake or been placed on our favorite team.

Being addicted is one thing; not realizing that you are already addicted is another, that is living in denial.

[taufik123]

• Or when you keep looking for an excuse to make ''another bet'' to recover money you lost?

This last point is what always happens to myself, because when I started playing with a good start to the win, I still felt that the win was still lacking.
Until in the end some losses continue and there will be many reasons to make other bets in order to achieve the next victory.

But there are no other wins when you start betting continuously, until eventually the win turns into a loss and there is only a small balance left to bet again.
It will be a revenge bet to return losses, make bigger deposits and yes, this is the point where the game that was originally an entertainment turns into a problem
and becomes an addiction to be able to win and return losses, but never achieves.

[Fiatless]

As long as you are betting below a reasonable limit you set, you are not an addict. You don't drink alcohol every day unless you are addicted. You drink it on special days... Like once a month or something. Or say twice a month because you are a social drinker...

Same goes for gambling. If you make a few bets every month, you are playing for fun. If you make a bet every day, now you are clearly addicted. This is not about fun anymore.

Think it like this; If you are capable of doing other things without thinking about gambling; I'd say your urge is under control. If not, you are in trouble.

Gambling periodically might not be an ideal quality of a responsible gambler. Those who place escalating bets could be classified as gamble addict. Some people always want to gamble with larger amounts of money for them to get a level of excitement. Such people might not gamble every day, but it could be classified as irresponsible gambling because they might gamble with amounts they cannot afford to lose.

Whereas some gamble constantly within their budget. Such bettors might have control over the time and money they spend on gambling. My argument is that consistent gambling might not necessarily mean addiction.

[|MINER|]

I think that those who have a problem with gambling, they do not actually gamble for pleasure, but if they act like it in the beginning, I would say that they are just impersonating fun or entertainment. Behind that greed, the keys to their addiction are there.

And this is why those persons cannot remain responsible in gambling for a long time. Gradually they become addicted and gamble beyond their ability to lose.
And in this case, basically all the points you mentioned are revealed in them and gradually they fall into complete problems, meaning they go over all the financial problems they have.