Quote:
Originally Posted by Digby
But where do you think most losing players get their money from? THe gambling industry is supported by criminals with easy money from drugs etc or small time scammers who steal from their business etc to support their habit. Jason is no different to most big losing fish. Except apparently because he has scammed other poker players we must out him? Why, the number 1 thing is he is a scamming fish with a gambling probem. No one has ever cared about removing them from the game beofre. The more the merrier, most pros would say.
The fact that he scammed other poker players is secondary to the fact he is a big losing fish. He should not have been outed. He should have been alowed to carry on his fish compulsive gambling like all other players with a gambling problem.
I have many friends I know that play poker recreationally. They enjoy the game, we play microstakes home games, and a few of them go up to AC (I never go since I'm not 21 yet
) to play some 1/2 in a casino. They also sometimes play stuff like blackjack, craps, and roulette. One of them said they have a certain amount of money in their budget ($500 or so usually I think) and they have fun there until it's gone. If they make money it's a bonus, it's entertainment. They have real jobs and earn their money honestly like most people.
Also take a look at people like Guy Laliberte. He essentially funded the nosebleed FTP games for awhile. Did he steal any of that money?
Unfortunately you are correct to some degree, but that's not all the fish in poker, some just enjoy the game and think it's worth the money to play. And some delude themselves into thinking they are winning players and gamble too much, but most of the time it is still their money. The ones who resort to crime/scamming to feed their gambling habit I like to think are in the minority, and I believe I'm right. Either way if poker became unprofitable if all the fish stopped committing crimes to fund their gambling habits, it would be worth it imo and should be to anyone making money off poker. Just my opinion but I think most regs are in this boat.