Gambling - Money Wasted
OK. The time has come to rant about the thing that annoys me the most – gambling. Casinos, bingo, slot machines, card tables – how they love to take your money. I do NOT support gambling but I live in the midst of a bunch of gambling addicts. The eternal dream; the hope of getting a big windfall is an elusive lure that keeps the owners very rich.
Things I have seen with gambling that have really annoyed (and saddened) me include:
1) People pleading for financial help to purchase prescribed medications and then being seen playing the slot machines at the casino.
2) People complaining that the welfare money they receive is not sufficient to support their family. They must use food banks, second hand clothing stores and live in the worst conditions. True – welfare rates do not provide the dignity of life that all people should enjoy. But many of the parents receiving welfare are seen at bingo halls and casinos after welfare day. It is a commonly discussed fact that the halls are busier at that particular time of the month. Where are the priorities? If the little welfare that is provided is squandered, where is the right to complain about the low quality of life that results?
3) Relatives standing in my kitchen saying they have no money to send overseas to their hungry relatives – and then leaving for the bingo hall and / or casino.
4) A person scooping all the money from her parents account to gamble at the casino. The elderly frail parents, who were out of the country at the time, had entrusted this adult child with their bank card so money could be sent to them as required. The return of the elderly parents was then delayed due to the lack of funds. Due to the over extended stay, their medical coverage and eligibility for continued social security programs was lost. The casino owner got his money.
5) A family breaks up with devastating results. The wife gambled away all savings and ran up huge gambling debts. The family home had to be sold to pay the debts. A separation followed (partly engineered by the adult children to protect their father) and the wife was left alone and devastated. The lure of the big winnings at the casino paid off well that time! The casino owner got his money.
6) A wife nearly running a business into the ground because of gambling. She looked after the financial management of the company while the husband did the hands on management. Unknown to him, she set up separate accounts and charge cards and ran up huge gambling debts. The husband found out by accident – he intercepted a call intended for her from a creditor seeking payment. The successful company nearly fell to the bricks because of gambling and the wife did hit the bricks. The husband escorted her to the door.
Oprah has had many sad gambling stories on her program. Every community where gambling exists has these sad stories. In the community where I live, a brand new bingo with slots is nearing completion. The casino (same owner) is increasing its space for slots – all to accommodate the people who love to donate their money to him.
Don’t get me wrong. If you have surplus funds to spend on gambling, that is fine. But the key word is “surplus” so that you are not relying on others to make up your shortfall or are not causing others to suffer because of your habit. If your children must suffer or go without because of your gambling, the gambling money is not surplus. If you or your children must go without medical or dental care because you need money for gambling, the money is not surplus. If your children must wear secondhand clothing and be ridiculed by other children so you can have money for gambling, the money is not surplus. If your children eat macaroni and cheese or yukdonalds rather than a healthy balanced diet so you can have money for gambling, the money is not surplus. If the gambling causes a rift between you and your partner, the money is not surplus. If you must steal the money from elderly parents or otherwise, the money is not surplus. Get the idea?
People suffer because of gambling. Who is to blame? Is it the government who allows gambling to exist and grow because it receives revenues from it? Is it the owner of the gambling establishments who is solely profit motivated? Is it the individual gambler who squanders away the money? Or is the responsibility shared?
People need to take responsibility for their own actions. Some people accept shifting the blame to the government or to the owner. However, it is the individual gambler who makes the decision to donate his money to gambling. The owners wish to elevate their lifestyle by taking your money. Nothing wrong with a solid business plan – even if it is to take the money of the poor and create social ills. Their business plan will fail if the customers, ie the gamblers, do not donate their money.
It is up to each individual. You choose – but you have no right to expect others to pick up the pieces after you when you voluntarily give your money away. You do have a responsibility to you children to give them the best start in life possible. Think of how you are helping your children as you press the button on the slot machine. Sit down and explain to them the great benefit you are giving them. Since gambling is so great, all parents who gamble have a responsibility to make sure their children are well versed in gambling so they can lead the same lifestyle. If it is great for you, it must also be great for your children!
One final comment – call it like it is. It is gambling. Some people I know refer going to the casino as going to school, going to the university or going for lessons. Doing that does not give gambling any more validity. It simply shows that these people don’t feel good about their addiction so they try to hide it or make a joke of it.
