Post
Topic
Board Gambling discussion
Re: Would you quit gambling for a friend?
by
Sanugarid
on 13/02/2024, 23:18:43 UTC
So I heard a story of some acquaintances that in their friend group, some person really got addicted recently.
At first it was just fun and game, they would sit together and play some slots together in a big screen with some 10€ or so for as much as this would last them with small stake spins. And this is something they would do on big occasions. Only when together as a group and only for big days like birthday parties etc.

But the thing is, unbeknownst to them, one person in their friend group was really compulsive. So in the course of a few months, he became really addicted. He would spend much of his own money from his salary on slots and sports betting, eventually losing most of it regularly every month. Then on nearly every get together he would ask his friends to chip in so they can play slots this time in his account. Every time asking for more significant amounts too.

This guy hasn't caused any trouble to his friends but it's a worrying situation to see him waste most of his salary every month... So now the other guys were contemplating to quit their poker playing hobby because it was really affecting their friend negatively. And they had a somewhat regular get-together to play poker with very small stakes just for the fun of it. It's a petty that they might have to abandon their poker games but to them it's either that or abandoning their friend and worsening his compulsion.

Would you do the same for a friend? Me personally I think I would have just confronted such a friend and told them to seek help instead of me altering my lifestyle for his benefit. If they didn't seek help to the point that it was affecting me I would've just stopped hanging out with them silently I think. A friend would've had to be a real good one to make an exception at least.

He's a good friend if he thinks like that. Most of us will not stop gambling just because our friend is an addict, we can help and empathize but those who stop gambling are rare.

In my situation, I can stop gambling first and bond with him, think of another hobby so he can forget gambling first. I'm not addicted to gambling so I can handle it and stop it, I'm not going to quit, it's like I'm going to spend time with my friend first because he needs my help. This is how I am with my friends, when they need sympathy I go to them or they go to the house. My friends are like my brothers because we've been together for so long.