Many people have fallen victim to gambling addiction, which has caused gambling to get somewhat of a bad rap. However, every community has its black sheep but that doesn’t necessarily represent the whole group. As time advances people are slowly finding out that gambling is not the devil people are sometimes painting it to be.
Reasons Behind a ‘Taboo’ Label
At its core, gambling is not that much different from something like stock trading. However, oddly enough, trading doesn’t attract nearly as much negative attention as gambling. Here are some of the main reasons gambling gets so much bad rap as opposed to financial trading.
Addictive Nature Of Gambling Games
The addictive nature of betting is what most people would bring up when going against the gambling industry. There are multiple factors that make gambling so easily addictive. The main one being its barrier of entry, which is incredibly low.
In order to play in either land-based or verified online casinos, a person only needs to be of legal age with some money to their name. Legal age alone does not qualify a person to be responsible enough to view casino gambling as intended. Lots of people are simply too impressionable and the idea of earning jackpot prizes is so tempting they lose sight of the overall picture.
However, the counterargument of this taboo is that gambling itself is not the issue but instead the people impressionable enough to let their passion get the best of them.
Religion & Cultures
The act of wagering money is probably as old as religions themselves. People from different backgrounds have diverse views on gambling. A number of religions straight up prohibit any kind of betting. For example, Hindu and Islamic views are all based on ancient manuscripts that both view gambling as an extremely harmful act to society.
Naturally, being so old these manuscripts never disallow other forms of risk-taking like stock trading. Furthermore, these moral laws do not take into consideration the evolution of gambling games and methods that have improved in recent years. Things like sports betting require extensive research and money management strategies that almost mirror the ones of a stock trader.
Read: How Gambling Laws Work in China
Traditional Career Path
The gambling community is still haunted by an old stigma so the general population simply does not consider gambling a legitimate career option. When people think of a gambler they picture drunks in a desperate and vicious cycle.
However, times change and in this day and age, the internet allows for an infinite amount of opportunity and possibilities. Literally, anyone can make living through things like Youtube, Twitch, etc. Although gambling is not the direct source of revenue in this case, people are finding success through betting nonetheless.
For example, a popular Twitch streamer Roshtein plays online slots every day and makes a living through advertisements and endorsement deals. Additionally, games like poker make gambling more calculated and predictable, making it a much more consistent means of making money with enough skill.
Criminal History Of Las Vegas Casinos
Casinos are stereotypically associated with mobsters and criminals, which is another big reason people view gambling as a taboo. This is due to popular TV shows and actual Las Vegas history, where casinos were often a front for mobsters and their money laundering schemes.
While gambling is not the actual root of corruption it’s understandable people see it as such. However, mobsters are a thing of the past as gambling today is for the most part heavily regulated, and as long as you’re dealing with a licensed and legal casino you should be free of any trouble.
Gamblers Aren’t Smart
Since the entry barrier to gambling is so low, most people automatically assume that gamblers aren’t the most educated or smartest. The superstition and often naivety that surrounds betting games do not help their case much either.
However, this of course doesn’t hold true as many professional poker players are regarded as some of the smartest people in the world. For example, Daniel Negreanu who has won the six World Series of Poker is also a member of Mensa, which is the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world.
Has Gambling Changed?
Many people are stuck in the past and like to think of gambling as a street hustle with negative connotations only. However, gambling games have simply evolved to an extent where they’re no longer the definition of the old taboo.
Betting games have so many great aspects that make them a positive experience as long as you don’t take it too far and keep your gambling sessions responsible.
