The Art of Poker

Poker is a form of gambling, and like any other form of gambling it can be addicting, and life consuming. Up to seven percent of people who play poker are addicted to the game, and most of these people do not even understand the dangers that they put themselves and their families into. There is a big difference between a person who looses a large sum of money once in a while, and a person who is addicted. Here are a few things that a loved one can watch out for, or that you can think about yourself, if you believe a gambling addiction is involved.

Have the player ever missed work or school to play in the game? People who are addicted to gambling will often shun other responsiblities just to get more time in playing. This goes for online poker playing as well, not just in casinos.

Has the player ever borrowed money so that they could play? As the debts from someone who is addicted to gambling piles up, they will need to borrow money to finance their addiction. Sometimes players even risk their safety by borrowing money from people who have no qualms about hurting or killing someone to get their money back. Borrowing money is a dangerous sign of addiction.

If the player looses do they feel the urge to get it back soon as possible? With an addiction the “if I play a little more I could win it back” kind of thinking takes over. While everyone is disappointed to loose, those who are addicted let it become all consuming in their everyday thoughts and actions, unable to think of anything else until they can return and win that money back. Of course if they loose again, the cycle becomes just that much more vicious.

Is the player desperate enough to do something illegal to finance their gambling? Has the thought even crossed their mind? When playing poker becomes so important that the player is willing to do anything to get the money for it, it is time to seek professional help immediately. People addicted to gambling will steal and pawn items for cash, they also might consider drug trafficking to earn the money from a dealer, or even in some cases prostitution. The addict thinks that this is a one time thing, and soon they’ll be out of this mess. It is almost never a one time thing, and leads to destruction of their lives very quickly.

There are groups such as gamblers anonymous to help people that are addicted to playing poker at PokerStars.com, and other forms of gambling. Whether the gambling is online, or in a casino it is still destructive to become addicted to. Toll free numbers are available to help anyone who needs it.