For quite a long time, gambling has been blamed for the financial, social and mental problems that occurring to individuals. However, gambling can be safely done if the individual truly understands the positive and negative sides of the activity. Most people think that gambling is bad and make generalizations about it. Here are several myths about gambling that have been circulating around the community and their truthful facts.

Myth #1: Gambling is regarded as a trigger to addiction

Fact: Gambling indeed may cause an addiction. However, just like cigarettes and alcohol, it is less harmful if done responsibly. In this case, the activity cannot be blamed. Instead, the irresponsibility of the individual during the gambling activities should be controlled in order to prevent addiction.

Myth #2: Lottery is a good way to invest your money

Fact: When a person wins a lottery, he or she will be likely to receive a huge amount of money. However, the chance of winning the lottery cannot be forecast. Once the winner is decided, the lottery will be recycled with completely random numbers. There are no patterns in lotteries that you can discover. The more coupons you buy, the more likely you will lose your money.

Myth #3: Gambling is a crime

Fact: Addiction to gambling may trigger the individual to commit illegal acts such as theft, fraud, forgery, etc. However, the activity itself is not a criminal act. In fact, in most countries, gambling is legally acknowledged and controlled by the authorities. In areas like Macau or Las Vegas where casinos are centrally built, the activity has become major economic force. However, to be able to participate in legal gambling, you should be over the minimum legal age.

Myth #4: You have to bet everyday to be considered a problem gambler

Fact: People who bet everyday are more likely addicted to gambling. However, you do not need to do this daily to have problems with gambling. If you have once had trouble connected to addictive gambling, you should extra careful to avoid the possibility of engaging in further problems.

Myth #5: Betting while feeling depressed is just a harmless escape

Fact: A depressed person who places bets may drown his or her bad feelings with the excitement. In fact, many people gamble to forget the problems in life. Very few people succeed in drowning their hardships in life by gambling and yet manage to stay away from an addiction. People who get stuck with an addiction should work more on their priorities before participating in betting activities.

Myth #6: Gambling only creates losses

Fact: Lotteries are other betting activities also often used for raising money during charities. To help less unfortunate people, casinos occasionally hold charitable activities to gain profits. This shows that gambling can also be used for noble purposes.

Myth #7: You are able to visit casinos freely anytime

Fact: In most casinos, you must prove that you possess a healthy financial state before entering the building. In Singapore, for example, a person who visits the same casino for the fifth time within a month is considered a high-frequency gambler. On his or her sixth visit, the person must prove that he or she is not currently having financial problems before being allowed to play.

Most people have heard of someone who suffers from gambling addiction, but many don’t know what can be done to help that person besides simply telling them not to gamble. It all comes down to understanding gambling addiction more than anything else. It’s not easy to treat something you don’t really understand. And being addicted to gambling can be a really complex addiction unfortunately.

People who consider themselves a casual gambler hardly ever think of developing an addiction to gambling. They think of compulsive gambling as something that only weak minded individuals deal with. It’s quite easy to say that you would never become a compulsive gambler. But would you believe it if I told you that it really isn’t all that hard to become addicted?

Suffering from a high level of stress, being stuck in a job that you don’t like, or even a unhappy relationship can all create circumstances in which someone become desperate and vulnerable to gambling addictions. It might not seem like the situation you’re in, but more and more often people are trying to find ways to cope with their problems. Unfortunately, irresponsible gambling is one of the things so many people seek out.

Did you know that being in denial is actually one of the first things a compulsive gambler will face? The first stage of gambling addiction is loss of control, leading you to denial. This is not a good place to be if you are someone who is suffering from some form of depression or extreme stress.

Gamblers who are in denial go into their games looking for nothing but the win. This is because winning makes all their problems go away. What they don’t realize is that they are falling deeper and deeper into this unhealthy cycle of addiction. It’s pretty similar to being addicted to drugs or alcohol. So many are quick to disagree, arguing that they are in complete control and are able to put a stop to their gambling at any given time. As we all know, this isn’t true.

Not all forms of gambling addiction are the same. One person might be addicted to the lights, the sounds, and the wins of slot machines. Sure, slot machines are usually known as the form of gambling with the least amount of risk. But it is very easy to become addicted to the machines. Some people will sit at a machine for hours and hours, simply becoming lost within a trance of money making possibilities. It’s all because of gratification, need, and of course a good amount of greed.

Could the slot machine be a pathway which could lead the innocent gambler to more riskier games? Absolutely! It’s actually amazing how quickly one person who plays their favorite slot machine can progress on to play more addicting table games. I must stress the understanding that there are people who can maintain control. It’s just a known fact that there are so many people who can’t get a grasp on controlling their money making fantasies.

This doesn’t mean that those who are addicted to gambling are bad people, but it’s the path that one follows that can very well lead them down a terrible path of destruction, misery, and extreme depression. It’s really hard to convince someone that they have a problem that you notice, but it can be done. The whole idea of it is maintaining control before the problem sets in. This can be done by treating gambling as an entertainment past time, rather than a money making venture. Understanding the current situation you are in is at utmost importance. If you are in a mode of unhappiness, it is not the time to begin gambling your blues and your money away.

Responsible gambling is a great deal of fun, only if approached with common sense and understanding. Always be fully aware of your state of mind. If you do this, you will greatly reduce your chances of becoming addicted to gambling.