I guess I just dont feel sympathy for losing poker players because I dont see poker as gambling and in a way I dont think they do either. You wouldnt feel sorry for the guy who bets on chess matches and always loses would you?

We shouldn’t derail the thread further but I’ll just say I have little to no respect for psychoanalysis in general.

now THIS is a story hell yeah

more pleez sir

OP is now an MD? I thought only doctors were allowed to discourage or encourage specific treatment options?

It seems like OP started this thread to Concern Troll gambling addicts, which is why I alerted the mods. OP doesn't seem interested in getting feedback.

Anyways, now more than ever, Americans must shine a light on problem gambling, given that so many states have suddenly expanded their gaming laws in the past few years.

It's always been the GOVs job to preach the "Gamble Responsibly" trope. NOT MINE.

However, it is my responsibility to tell my elected officials how I feel about their specific gaming frameworks. I've drafted multiple emails to my reps/senators on this topic and received positive responses (from actual people!).

I would encourage anyone who wishes to see gaming reform, to reach out to their officials. Their response will be something like: "What are other states doing?" Tbh, not enough. We have to look to the APAC region to examine what meaningful problem gambling reform looks like.

It's my personal opinion, but that the way gaming is marketed in the USA, is indirectly targeting children.

Especially the ad campaigns that glorify socialized wagering. This has already happened in Australia and the gov is dealing with the fallout, because of how accessible and accepted gaming has become Down Under.



That may not have anything to do with poker, but I see these legalized sports betting apps alongside their non-stop advertising campaigns as a legitimate gateway for problem gaming.

My opinion: Poker players must keep an eye on how Australia is handing its problem gamblers. Could this be coming to America?

Recently, AU passed a law stating that a Problem Gaming Officer will be at casinos.



Good first step -- along with some of the other barriers they've put in place to give people a buffer/cool down period. USA should be taking tips.

Ive written congressmen on this and a variety of other issues. While Ive gotten positive responses, it's obviously never lead to legislation. Casinos are among the biggest lobbyists in the country. They contribute superpacs. Obviously elected officials will be most concerned with agendas of those who find their campaign. I think it's naive to depend on government regulation in such a vicious market economy. Most of the supreme Court believes in corporate personhood. The type of legislation APAC is achieving will never happen here. That's why I'm bold enough to take such clearly for forbidden (according to you) steps as having and sometimes sharing opinions on the nature of gambling addiction and various treatments

Easyfnmoney -

No idea why you think OP has done anything wrong or this thread should be closed. He started it to get feedback about his issue, which a few people have given. Others have mocked him, including you. You've also tried to change the subject to something else, instead of starting your own thread. If anything needs to be done with this thread it should be too remove you and I'm fairly sure the mods can see that as well.

Would you care to highlight where I have mocked OP?

To begin with, the first sentence of your previous post.

So is OP an MD or not? I was trying to figure out what qualifications OP has to make medical recommendations. How is that mocking OP?

I think we often don't know who does or doesn't actually have a problem but sometimes it's super obvious. I've seen a few guy sell or "pawn" jewelry to stay in a game. The story about the little girl in the casino is brutal. I play with a guy who if he wins he'll hit and run the game after and hour or two and spend the weekend at the casino with his wife but when he loses he'll play 40 hours straight and easily dumb 30-40 buy ins, blowing off their dinner plans etc or be on the phone with her telling her he'll be home soon making up stories about car troubles etc. I even used to play with someone 5+ years ago, who would sometimes "pawn" jewelry to stay in action, also borrowed money without collateral stiffed a bunch of people and is now literally homeless.

At the end of the day a small percentage of the people we take money from are problem gamblers. And if you leave that game they're still gonna be problem gamblers.

I do not play for a living, but squeaking out profit in the small stakes games I currently play, I see stone cold donkey degens daily. All I think about is the fact that at one point I was the donkey.....I have no moral or ethical issues now that I see myself somewhat on the other side.

I dont think so. Sportsbetting is kinda like daytrading; it appeals to people who think they can use a 'system' to beat the game. I know a lot of sportsbettors who just subscribe to some chintzy tiktok channel and 'play whatever they pick'. They tend to have very little interest in studying or mastering the art, they see it as just some get rich quick scheme. I dont think many amatuers look at poker in this way any more than they'd l ook at chess in such a manner. There are simply too many variables in play to be able to follow a script with a win/lose result on your investment.

We were having a discussion, no one was giving anyone else medical recommendations. If you don't like the thread, just leave; it will be better off without you.

A gold chain is just a hedge against insolvency bighitter. A real poker player walks around with 100% of his net worth on his body. Make more money? Get a bigger chain bighitter!


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In all seriousness if I saw that someone was emotionally distraught from losing I wouldn't seek to take their money and I would encourage them to take time away from poker/seek help whatever. That being said I've never gotten the feeling anyone at the table had such a problem that it was ruining their lives. Usually those types of people are going to be found at the smallest stakes.

Honestly I have to think that anyone with a different mentality just isn't that good at poker. If you think you have to scumbag chase every little edge, you probably think that way because you struggle and you're bad at poker. If you print like an end boss there's no need for that mindset. Gitgud suckers!

Imagine you are a problem gambler, you're on verge of getting the courage to get help with your problem... and you read the following quote:

"Largely Unavailable?" Really? Gamblers Anonymous doesn't exist?

OP's comments allude to the only solution to gambling addiction is some sort of undiscovered medication?

So I'm the A-hole for asking about OPs credentials to make such a statement?

OP started this thread as if he wanted to help problem gamblers, yet a few pages later, he's saying things that are contradictory to what I've heard from licensed medical professionals.

If OP feels strongly about this, this is a problem that the government must solve, because they are the ones who are sanctioning poker games, unless you are playing in an unregulated room with no gaming commission oversight.

Unlike anyone else ITT, I am the only one who has actually provided links to videos where governments actually ARE TAKING ACTION against this problem.

Chillrob, I've enjoyed your posts over the years, including the posts about the dude with 100k bricks. If AUS-style regulation came to USA, those types of stories may no longer be possible.

You can look at this from a few different angles but let's read OP's next statement.
IMO -- OP is wrong about the underlined statement, but on the right track with the rest of the sentence. This is why I brought up the proliferation of legal sports betting apps in the USA.

Who made it the poker player's responsibility to help degenerates "Manage their high risk behaviour?"

This has always been the government's responsibility.

The only government in the world who seems to be taking this problem seriously is AUS. They even just rolled out the BetStop app, which is talked about in the clips I posted above. There's dozens of other new measures that have happened in AUS that are designed to protect problem gamblers.

I am curious if these solutions will help? At least they are trying something...

AUS created a branch of their government (https://aifs.gov.au/research_program...esearch-centre) that does nothing but gambling addiction research. When I have research out to my local government members, they had no awareness of how the national gambling addiction crisis in AUS and how their government is responding. Perhaps USA should take notes.

I have to disagree with the underlined statement.

How is sportsbetting is like day-trading?



I can't get banned from day trading for being too good at day-trading.

Who's the whale here, the rich guy on the left who literally owns casinos or the guy on the right who was a decent poker player once upon a time and now owes millions all over the place and is addicted to pit games. This pic is kind of ironic.

i'll give you credit for coming up with increasingly ridiculous takes itt.

The q in your OP, as has been pointed out, is asked at laest once a year. That doesn't mean it's not a valuable discussion for people who want to have it (obvs there will be trolls as well). But you leaned way too far over your skis, and man the yard sale is impressive. At least Limon held on for a couple of weeks before losing it.

I used to play cash a few times a month and would strike up a conversation with some of the guys who were there every day. A couple described losing their jobs and they were there trying to make enough to feed heir families as anything but minimum wage jobs were hard to come by. They were no going to succeed as the stakes were too low and they were not good enough. I own my own company (and no I could not offer them jobs) I did not need the money I might win from them so I gave up playing cash completely. Now I only do tournaments. That's just the way I see it for me but I am not a professional

This is a good point. I would think poker -tournaments- are probably both less attractive and less harmful to gambling addicts than just about anything else in a casino.

I think it’s pretty clear they’re suggesting Dwan is grooming the whale.

It's been proven in studies that a gambling addict who is going to lose 10k is going to do so no matter what. You can take away poker, and he will just dump it in the pit or on sports betting. So "nicely" deciding to go easy on him or quit him isn't going to do anything positive for him. It's just going to cost you money.

If you actually want to turn a negative into a positive, then take these gambling addicts for every last penny and donate the money to a charity that helps families with loser dads. But since this thread is just about virtue signaling, you're not going to do that.

A fool and his money are soon parted...

This is far from my experience with addiction. I only play poker. I do not like other forms of gambling.
Do crackheads jump around to heroin to mushrooms? TruE, there are some drug addicts that just do them all, but if there where no drugs or gambling, this world would be a better place.

Just a few comments to add to the conversation. Everyone, of course, is entitled to an opinion, but I wonder how many people who have ethical questions about poker also own stocks. I would imagine a good number. I know I do. Do these folks question the morality of the companies which they own a small part? When the dividend check arrives do they follow up to see if their profit came from layoffs at the company? Or maybe the company is selling weapons to. . .well, fill in the blank. Some folks will tell me there's a difference. But, sorry, there isn't. Although plenty of folks will try to convince themselves that there is. That's fine. I have no problem with that. I know it all comes down to what we tell ourselves. And we all tell stories to ease our souls. The only thing that changes is the story.

And a story. Years ago I was laid off. A couple of years later the management got around to just about everyone else. A friend of mine was let go. His wife was having a serious medical issue. Spoiler alter she is fine. But at the time she was having treatment. He went to see one of the higher ups and just about begged to keep his job for the medical benefits. He was told not to let the door hit him on the way out. Now, will someone please tell me how that is 'ethical' behavior but playing poker is not. When we play poker win, lose or draw we are making a free choice to do so. But we all need a job. At least until retirement. Funny thing is the manager eventually got whacked too.