[We’ve tackled serious ideas before on these pages but they usually deal with good or bad ways to play or what games are about. But what of the ultimate question for casino players; that’s right, the question of whether one should gamble at all? In this two-part column I have given two writers, Matthew and David, a chance to express their con and pro feelings about gambling casino playing. As you will see these two differ greatly in their opinions – to say the least!]
From Matthew:
I am an un-advocate of any type of gambling; be it sports betting, horse racing, lotteries or casino games of any type. Although I count myself something of a religious man, religion is not why I oppose games of chance. Some religions do not ban gambling; others do. That’s their business.
If you look at gambling as I do, you see that the games are fixed. I have no better way to say that. The sports bettor is playing against the house, as are the horse bettors; the lottery players and the casino players too face games they cannot beat in the long run. Except for a case of really good luck, these players are all expected to lose their money over time. I do not deny that some people – a few! – might actually win money because they got really lucky.
But the few who do win are not the true example of gamblers; they are the exception. The typical gamblers will tell you, if they are honest, that they have lost their money at their games of choice, even if they do want to continue to play them.
So why is that? Why do these losers – I can only call them losers – wish to continue their fruitless play? I think gamblers have been sold a bill of goods that they will win; that they will be the exceptions. All gambling venues advertise the joy of winning. No venue tells the truth on their billboards or television, radio or Internet ads that the future for their players is weak.
One lottery advertisement in my area kept saying, “You gotta be in it to win it.” Someone won it but millions did not!
Work is the only way to earn money. This idea that money will somehow fall out of the sky and land in your pocket is total nonsense. Those who believe this nonsense and pursue this nonsense are just asking for trouble.
So there I have laid it out for you to see. The games are fixed against you. The pursuit of these games is a waste of time and money. No good can come of a man or woman throwing themselves into this nonsense. It is a wrong direction for one’s life.
There are better things to do with one’s time, talent and treasure!
