GAMBLING |PARAGRAPH|

 

Gambling is a growing addiction in this country. As more casinos open and more online gambling sites are created, more people have the opportunity to try gambling. For most people, a casino is simply a fun place to visit, fi lled with people, lights, noise, food, and a feeling of excitement as patrons try to beat the odds and win. Most people set a limit on how much money they are willing to lose, and when they reach that amount, they stop. Addicts, however, can’t stop. They always want to play just one more game to get back what they lost. If they do make up for their losses, they feel lucky and don’t want to end their winning streak. Win or lose, they keep playing, and the vast majority lose, returning repeatedly to the cash machine to replenish their funds, or getting cash advances on their credit cards. People have been known to spend their entire savings because they are caught up in the frenzy of trying to win. Because there are more casinos and online gambling sites, more addicts are surfacing, and the casinos and sites encourage the addiction: It means more money for them. The gamblers’ support group,1 Gamblers Anonymous, based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, has seen vastly increased membership in the last few years as more potential addicts are introduced to gambling, fall into its clutches, and struggle to get free. Clearly, gambling needs to be taken as seriously as any other addiction.