UK Casino Gambling Addiction
UK casinos, and casino gambling. Why
are we so addicted, and will the governments new proposals help to fuel
this casino addiction?
Since the dawn of gambling, where
ancient civilisations would offer their wares, betting on all manner of
occasions, from animal races to sporting events, and since the first recognised
casino houses, men have pitted their wits or put their faith in the gods
in an attempt to increase what little money they had, or to regain what
they had previously lost.
Of course you can reach far back
into ancient times to recognise the influence of Asian and Egyptian cultures,
where gambling on peoples lives and the outcome of sporting events in large
arenas was common, as was the use of knuckle bones as dice. Casino houses
nowadays provide a more modern background. Said to be of Italian origin
dating back to the 1700s, and made popular by the Americans who first experienced
casino houses back in the 1800s, they have now become a popular feature
of city entertainment throughout the modern world.
Gambling itself is deeply embedded
in many cultures and civilisations. From the Far East to the Western Worlds,
whether simply tossing a coin to decide a fate, or offering odds on sporting
results, gambling is inherent in us all. In the UK alone 300,000 people
are said to have a gambling addiction with some 6.5% of these related to
casino gambling.
But what is it about gambling that
makes it so addictive. For example, is winning at casino games all about
the money? Of course, it is the ultimate aim for any player to depart with
as much of the Casino
club's, cash as possible, and for most amateur players the aim is to at
least come away without losing too much of your salary. But really casino
addiction can be more about the feeling and the euphoria of winning rather
than the actual cash prize gained.
It is this state of euphoria which
is said to be the main cause of gambling addiction rather than the chance
of increasing your profits. Most top gamblers, that is, most gamblers who
play with big money, do not necessarily need the prize money on offer.
Many stars who currently earn millions of pounds each year are heavy poker
players and casino gamblers themselves, and do not necessarily need the
money. Of course winning one million pounds in a casino, for example, will
change most peoples lives, and would be gratefully received by anyone with
any degree of wealth, but there are many big gamblers out there who are
losing thousands of pounds per night, just content with the thrill of playing,
and addicted to the adrenalin highs and lows that can be experienced when
gambling at a casino. The social element and the feeling of escapism are
two other ingredients that can fuel gambling addiction. TV and films have
also gone some way to promote a glamorous feel to the industry.
Researchers from the Neuroscience
and Psychiatry Unit at Manchester University UK are investigating decision
making strategies in order to discover why pathological gamblers feel the
need to gamble, usually in an uncontrolled way and usually in spite of
previous heavy losses.
They are also investigating what
brain areas may be involved in the creation of these decision-making strategies.
They are also interested in brain areas involved in the urge to gamble,
the precursor to the act of gambling.
Pathological gamblers appear to have
different decision making strategies in certain situations compared to
non gamblers, for example, when faced with choices which have delayed rewards
as opposed to instant gratification. These decision-making strategies are
thought to contribute or cause pathological gambling behaviours.
The turnover from gambling in the
UK is said to be around £42 billion per year. Over £1.5 billion
of this goes to the government in taxes. And while the UK government’s
new gambling commission are looking at ways to ensure that gambling is
conducted in a child friendly, crime free manner, the recent proposals
and changes make it easier to join casinos. The government proposals are
also said to allow the construction of las vegas style gambling resorts
in the UK. So while gambling is something we may all love to do on occasion,
the addiction itself is a big problem. However, with the recent casino
proposals the government seem as addicted to providing gambling solutions
as much as the UK population are addicted to gambling itself.
Article Source:
Amazines.Com