Sunday, June 13, 2010

Gambling - a personal experience

Even BN-ruled Johor has now joined Pakatan’s band wagon to oppose sports (football) betting. While I’m not against gambling per se (it's up to the individual) I would neither promote nor encourage it. We already have more than enough forms of gambling, so we needn’t introduce another one.

Vincent Tan might have argued that licensing gambling prevents the money from going ‘underground’ and the government will benefit from the taxation. Well, the government may well benefit, and the illegal bookies may lost out, while the legal ones (Vincent Tan's enterprise) will benefit.

But the question to ask Vincent Tan is who will lose, because in gambling, for someone to win, someone else has to lose – that’s an inescapable fact of gambling. And you can bet it’s the common people, those who can’t afford to lose, who would be the real loser.

I wrote an article for the Centre for Policy Initiatives website titled A disease deadlier than AIDS where I highlighted that gambling is a mental sickness which has to be dealt with through the support of medical-psychology experts. The government should either provide funding for, or tax casinos into funding public clinics to address the mental health needs of pathological gamblers.

I argued that Pathological gambling is an insidious disease far more threatening than AIDS as we tend to be more lenient and accepting of its presence within our midst even though its drastic effects and consequences on the innocents, especially the families of the gamblers, have been known to be far worse.

I have personally witnessed the sad story of an addicted gambler – for more, see my new posting Makcik Puteh & Belangkas over at my other blog KTemoc Kongsamkok.

10 comments:

  1. I had to deal with a stupid brother in law who gambled himself into the arms of the ah long. I also know I am one among many who had the misfortune of dealing with idiotic gambling relatives.

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  2. A close family friend's husband was a gambling enthusiast too. Empat Ekor, horse racing, mahjong, poker - all were eagerly embraced.

    Eventually he got deep into debt to numerous people and had to hit the panic button. His wife who fortunately was employed had to bail him out by using all her savings, selling the house (which she bought on her own without any help from him because all his money went to feed his habit), and even taking on a second job in the evenings.

    I've often wondered why she didn't kick that pathetic loser out of her life.

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  3. Why not grant licences to Ascot to build casinos in every town and village? Gamble, baby, gamble!

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  4. And I thought it is in the Chinese blood to gamble.

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  5. It is, but some can't handle it, becoming addicts or pathological gamblers, causing misery and hardship to their families.

    Though Chinese are probably the greatest risk-takers in gambling (meaning no or little self control), unfortunately, gambling addiction is not just confined to them; other ethnic groups have potential pathological gamblers as well.

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  6. If you consider the indirect buyers (not just the guy who actually turns up at the counter) , a very large group of customers for 4D and DaMaCai are likely....Muslims...

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  7. Life is a gamble
    Every day you walk on the street
    Driving a car take a lift
    You never know the misery

    Even taking a bus or a train
    Take a flight sleep on it
    It's still a gamble....
    Nobody knows the misery

    Gambling in life
    On the money earned and borrowed
    Dreaming of the bag of gold
    Floating in the mind

    You have a choice
    Forget about sins
    Live the righteous path
    Stay on within the light

    The lure of millions
    In a life time most can't achieve
    So spend a few red notes......
    Wishing for the finished line

    Know the pitfalls
    Only one winner in a race
    Gamble within limit
    Know the evil enticements

    The misery of a life
    Gambling it all properties and soul
    Leaving a shell walking in shadow
    It's them forgetting the misery

    Life has choices
    Each make it where it will be
    Failure or success within a journey
    Learn it; be prepared and quick sand

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  8. If one can get rich by gambling, the country would have the most millionaires in the world by today

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  9. I did get rich from a lottery win.....hahahaha...that's how I can lepak in front of the computer screen, while most of you are struggling with your daily jobs....

    4D, BigSweep, Toto,...semua OK..

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  10. putting aside the morality issue, why must the licence be given to Vincent Tan on a silver platter?
    if the govt intend is to raise money, then auction the licence to the highest bidder.
    anyway, its all bull to argue that legalising football betting will allow the govt to have control over illegal betting. its more like encouraging more people to gamble with easy accessibility. the current football bettors will continue thru their bookies, which provide them with credit. they aint to pussy around with Sports Toto outlets, would they?

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