An Interview on Problem Gambling Prevention

[Frank Kneeland]

Post Intro
for Dr. William G. McCown Interview
on
Problem
Gambling Prevention


Only
a single-digit percentage of the population have or will have serious
problems with gambling. If one says “3% of the population”, it
might sound small. If one says, “10 Million people in America”,
it sounds a bit larger. However you mentally classify it, big or
small, it's common enough that few people, if any, get through life
without at least knowing someone that has struggled with this issue.
For this reason you may wish to read about problem gambling
prevention, even if you are sure you don't personally have a problem.
The knowledge could enable you to help someone else down the road.


Here
are the links to part 1 & 2 of the interview.


Part
1
http://www.bjinsider.com/newsletter_145_pysch.shtml




Part
2:
http://www.bjinsider.com/newsletter_146_pysch.shtml




One
thing that came out during the interview is that if reading about
problem gambling unsettles you or makes you angry, it could be a
defensive mechanism. Even if none of this information has any bearing
on you or your life, reading about it should be at worst a brief
waste of your time. It should not upset you. If it does, something is
wrong. ~FK

[brmcc74]

Good reading Frank. I believe that anyone who "frequents" casinos has a problem. People are there to WIN. In most cases, people can not afford to be there in the first place. Im probably in the 7-8% group. Denial does no good.

[Frank Kneeland]

Good reading Frank. I believe that anyone who "frequents" casinos has a problem. People are there to WIN. In most cases, people can not afford to be there in the first place. I'm probably in the 7-8% group. Denial does no good.Here's a mind bender: If you are posting on a public forum that you might be in the 7-8% your chances of that being true just went down. People in the most serious risk category, rarely, if ever know they have a problem until it's too late.If someone gambles because they "need to win", I would agree with you on that being a serious issue. People should only gamble with money they can afford to lose, or risk falling pray to the negative side of what can be a fun pastime for many, if done corectly and safely.~FK

[royal flush]

lets face without problem gamblers the casinos would go broke not just from the few of us only play beatable games and play them correctly. any one whom plays "the sucker" games with big house edge have a problem as they dont do homework to greatly reduce house edge example from -12% to under -1% slots to basic stratigy 21. nothing new was said in this interview. even us long run winning players must have the bankroll and the mental composure to cope with the swings of various games

[Frank Kneeland]

lets face without problem gamblers the casinos would go broke not just from the few of us only play beatable games and play them correctly. any one whom plays "the sucker" games with big house edge have a problem as they don't do homework to greatly reduce house edge example from -12% to under -1% slots to basic strategy 21. nothing new was said in this interview. even us long run winning players must have the bankroll and the mental composure to cope with the swings of various gamesIt's an absolute truism that for some to win, others must lose. That doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. I'd be a lot happier if everyone was a winner, despite the fact that this is of course impossible.I'll settle for offering what I know freely and to any that will listen. If they still choose to lose then at least my conscious is clear.

[royal flush]

like anything else they are part of the food chain that creates opportunities for others if you dont take advantage of opportunities someone else will dont feel guilt you or i didnt make them play

[Frank Kneeland]

like anything else they are part of the food chain that creates opportunities for others if you don't take advantage of opportunities someone else will don't feel guilt you or i didn't make them play It would be unreasonable for me to feel guilt over things beyond my control. As I said in a previous post, I do feel some personal responsibility for introducing some people to gambling without properly addressing risk factors and the negative side of things. There was a time when I was completely unaware of problem gambling and thought that if one was a professional gambler it implied immunity. I saw a clear devision between pro and non-pro, and assumed only people in the latter group could have issues.I now assume nothing, and know that gambling problems can afflict all with equal measure.Better safe than sorry has become my catch phrase and seems the only logical policy to avoid the mistakes of my past. I trained a lot of people, with nary a word on gambling problems. A lot of people! If I'd known then what I know now, I wouldn't have. I hope it's not too late to say I'm sorry.

[backsider]

Im not buying this. If people like us who post on forums are supposedly in the low end of the risk pool, why Frank are you telling us these things as if the majority of us have gambling problems? Something doesn't smell right.

Im leaning more towards the majority or even ALL of us have that issue.

[brmcc74]

ya what Im sayin is that theres all kinds of gamers. Theres the people who claim to always have an edge, or never play. Then theres people who try their hardest to find good tables and win small/or  reduce their losses. Then theres people who could care less, and just fire twenty after twenty into penny slots and wonder why they never win. Bottom line, theres a fine line between entertainment and stupidity. Gambling gives me an unexplainable high when Im winning and the polar opposite effect when Im losing. Who likes to lose? Just my opinon but to an extent, we can all make excuses or justify what we are doing at the time.

[shadowman]

Im
 
Good job
 
doesn't 
 
Oops

Im leaning more towards the majority or even ALL of us have that issue.
 
Just like someone else ... someone that uses that devilish ' ...