Five thoughts, ideas, insights, or quotes to power up your mind to think differently and creatively about life and who we are. Put all previous thinking away and open up a brand new world of the Supermind. YOUR SuperMind.

This week – Gambling.

Having a little flutter is a popular pastime. Many of us like a little bet now and again for fun or for extra pleasure watching the big game on TV. That’s innocent enjoyment. But, it’s a habit that’s gone from an excited buzz if you might win a few pounds, to an out of control habit that’s costing thousands. Betting has become all out gambling, and it’s spreading like wildfire. Time for SMS to get to the heart of things.

1. Is Winning Addictive?

When we have a bet it’s fun. But, it also adds a decided thrill especially if it looks like we are going to win. When we start we play for low amounts so win or lose, it’s still enjoyable. However, as we learn and do better we up the ante waging more amounts to win more money. Everyone blames gambling as an activity for this. But, what if gambling merely reflects a human trait that is the real culprit powering the show? Winning and feeling like a winner.

Is the emotion of winning the real addiction we are caught by?

2. Online off the scale.

At the start of this century if you wanted a wager you had to find a bookmakers. You couldn’t just have an urge to place a bet and be able to do so in an instant like today. Betting previously meant a) you really wanted a bet on a team/horse you fancied and b) you had to walk or drive to a local bookmaker. It wasn’t just an easy action. It took some effort. Therefore, only the true follower of a sport tended to bet. Roll onto the Internet era. Now any adult at any time of day can bet on almost anything very quickly. It’s too easy and too available.

Is the real gambling problem the internet itself?

3. More pressure, more fun needed.

Globally, life is now very pressured for most of us. We have to work harder then ever at higher costs than ever just to struggle to maintain our past standards of living. It feels very stressful and worrying and life seems a constant day after day battle for many to make ends meet. This equates to burnout, mental overload, health issues, and financial difficulties. With all that hanging over us we feel like we are losing. We need to connect to something that makes us feel like we can be winning again. Something that’s fun and not fear.

Is the growth in gambling merely a response to the sheer pressures in life these days?

4. Keep it real, keep it rationed.

It is hard to deny that gambling is rather out of control for a growing number of people. Whether it’s due to the online availability or to escape the pressures of life as noted above, whatever the exact reasons, gambling issues have surged. If you want to be place a bet, spin a slot machine, or purchase scratch cards and lotteries, there’s nothing you can’t gamble on 24 hours a day. With plenty becoming addicted, they have lost the skill to keep in control. Maybe then it’s time for controls to help out. Time to restrict online betting to no more than an hour a day or some membership programme to limit betting elsewhere to agreed limits.

Should gambling be rationed in nationally monitored schemes?

5. Gambling with other people’s lives.

I’m going to finish today with a simple wisdom disguised as a joke from the famous late British comedian, Tommy Cooper, He said, ‘Gambling has brought our family together. We had to move to a smaller house’. When gambling gets out of control it’s not just the person losing the money, everyone in their lives can become the losers too. Their family and loved ones – bills not paid, debts rolled up, no money for proper food or for clothes, no holidays etc and friends – never see them due to being almost bankrupt, can’t afford to go out. And add to this, changed behaviour such as becoming more aggressive, distant, forgetful. The present is a mess, the future bears not even thinking about…

When we gamble too much, we gamble with the lives of those closest to us too.

Ok, that’s another SuperMind Saturday done. Thank you for being here for the SuperMind time. Keep thinking about these. We need more minds thinking about this issue and the others issue on SuperMind Saturdays. Why? Because it’s needed. Because the world requires new thoughts and ideas. Ones from people like you. Let’s bring our SuperMinds together!

See you next time for more super thinking.

Photo attribution – free to use under Piaxaby Content License bymetalboy and pixelheart.