Athletes and problem gambling: what do you need to know?
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Gambling has become one of the most hyped activities that everyone is a part of. Different people have different attitudes towards gambling, gaming experience and demographic factors. Gambling obsession is considered to be a major public health issue in many countries and lies at risk. These are two forms- moderate-risk gambling and gambling problems. In every society, gambling issues are unevenly distributed and have been found to be quite common among people who have easy access to gambling in one way or the other.
Athletes have been found to be a major part of the current problem gamblers as they are most exposed to gambling advertising and promotion. Gambling among sportspersons has increased due to their environmental change. There are five major factors that are related to problem gambling: limitations in social opportunities, workplace motivators, triggers at the workplace, a recommendation from colleagues, and personal inclination and interest towards gambling.
How to prevent possible harm?
Some major signs of gambling addiction among athletes are:
- Continuous thoughts about gambling or investments at casinos
- Defensive nature when the subject is brought up
- Borrowing money which eventually leads to bankruptcy
- Missing important events and games due to gambling habits
- Increase in bet amounts in order to win back what is lost
Registering at Gamstop
Gamstop is a UK-based scheme that helps in the self-exclusion of punters for a reasonable time period within which all access to gambling content is denied. Despite the fact that there are several betting platforms with no GamStop, this self-exclusion tool is really effective. This helps in the recovery of gambling addiction eventually.
Use gambling blockers
There are other gambling blockers such as Gamban, Gamcare, Betblocker that help in controlling gambling addiction by blocking casino sites online. These can selectively exclude a punter from accessing particular sites as well.
Sports clubs are not directly related to gambling usually but are linked to sports betting. Gambling advertisements at elite sports events develop the association between the two factors. In the UK, the majority of football clubs have gambling logos on their jerseys in terms of sponsorships. Not only the sports fans but also the sports players and athletes are getting into the vicious cycle of gambling and are not being able to come out of it. Match-fixing is also a part of gambling within the sports cycle. This has generated interest from both the sports and the gambling industries.
Athletes may be more addictive towards gambling
Research on gambling among athletes is comparatively scarce compared to other subject matters. Players and athletes are technically more prone to gambling addiction due to the signs of compulsive gambling like winning expectations, energy levels, competitive spirit, and high IQ levels. Gambling has become an addiction and causes depression.
Athletes have higher tendencies of gambling because of their skill set. These people start gambling for the challenges and competitors attached to it but it adds to the risk of getting addicted over time.
The competitive spirit and potential have led the athletes to gamble in multiple forms. Along with these comes an additional addiction to alcohol and drugs. Gambling helps them financially and is highly lucrative. The cycle of addiction begins with wanting to get back what is lost which leads to more losses or wins and so on.
In the case of a normal person, after losing money in gambling, he might want to move to safer ways that would eventually help to recover his losses. Whereas, among athletes, it is a sense of superiority and power, and thus winning is the only option for them as they do not like defeat. More money is invested into gambling, and it goes on. This is where their addiction begins.
Conclusion
Obsessive gambling is like a disease that needs to be cured to lead a healthy lifestyle. Professional athletes treat gambling as a way to prove themselves thus losing more and more money eventually. Along with using GamStop schemes and blockers, therapies and treatments might also help them come out of their addiction. Problem gambling has become a common factor among them due to the opportunities and superiority it provides.
However, self-exclusion is always an option. One needs to identify and understand his own problem in order to get or ask for help and only then can he come out of his addiction. It is a tedious process but is worth giving a shot.
