Thread

1. zug_zug · 1790700477 · focus · HN ↗

   Somebody said (I think it was FrostPrime) roughly: Gambling is genuinely the scariest drug, I actually think it's worse than cocaine and it's just right there on your phone.

   I think that really framed the issue well to me. Imagine having an addiction problem and having to carry the problem substance around with you 24/7.

   1. JumpCrisscross · 1790701547 · focus · HN ↗

      > Gambling is genuinely the scariest drug

      Every personality has something, it seems, that it tends to get addicted to if given the chance. Gambling has never been that to me. I get bored with most of the games and upset at losing money—even if I net win, I’m irritated about the incremental losses.

      On the other hand, I have to manually keep track of how many days in a month I drink because if I don’t I’ll happily have half a bottle of wine every evening, and I think I know where that leads. (When I lose money in a casino I almost always translate that into a nice dinner. Which I will, invariably, enjoy far more than winning imaginary numbers.)

      1. banannaise · 1790703588 · focus · HN ↗

         > and upset at losing money—even if I net win, I’m irritated about the incremental losses.

         While you don't appear to be susceptible, it is notable that this mindset is not something that makes you less likely to develop a gambling problem. It's actually part of how they drive addiction. A customer who is annoyed at every loss is often a customer who will chase their losses with more/bigger bets, trying to get the winning high back.

         1. JumpCrisscross · 1790708099 · focus · HN ↗

            > customer who is annoyed at every loss is often a customer who will chase their losses with more/bigger bets

            That makes sense. When I lose a bit the boredom accelerates and I just want to leave. I’ve “spent” the money on an experience and it was boring.

            The only exception to this is card games. But I don’t like those at casinos or on my phone. And I’d be happier playing a board game with most of the folks I play poker with.

      2. physicallyIllfr · 1790716387 · focus · HN ↗

         The fact that you think you incrementally lose but are a net winner indicates to me you're illinformed.

         As someone with years of experience in this industry, only a fraction of a percent of gamblers actually meet this defination. But they all think they're net winners and write off losses as "incremental"

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.