What Does a Gambler Look Like?
I mean really… what type of people become compulsive gamblers? You would be surprised. I have met:
- Housewives who have spent all the household funds, including their husband’s 401k and kids’ education fund;
- Lawyers who got disbarred;
- Doctors who lost their practices;
- Countless people who lost their businesses;
- Judge who lost his seat;
- Teachers, professors, stock brokers, insurance agents, pastors, the list just goes on and on.
So…what did they have in common?
During my gambling and in my research I believe there are two types of gamblers–the “action” gambler (which I was) and the “escape” gambler:
The action gambler bets on sports games, play craps, roulette, and poker. Games where it takes a lot of thinking, a lot action and huge risk and even huger returns. To him or her that is like a drug, a rush. What makes that kind of gambling dangerous is that in order to get that rush he or she has to bet the max. Think about it, if I make $100,000, a year there’s no rush in betting $50. Fifty dollars, win or lose does not affect my life. To get the high from gambling winning or losing has to affect my life.
A lot of housewives, elderly people and shy people fall under the catergory of the escape gambler. He or she plays the slots, black jack, and other slow moving games. He or she does not want action, just escape. While gambling, he or she is no longer lonely and/or bored and does not have to think or interact with people.
The things that I have found that most gamblers have in common is that they are mostly educated or have high IQ’s. They need a challenge. A lot are over achievers and easily bored. They are different from the crack addict, but can be way more destructive. My reasoning is that most times the crack addict’s only means of getting money is a low paying job or stealing. He or she is easily defined as a junkie. He or she does not fool anyone and has limited assets.
A lot of times, the gambler has access to huge funds, has a great job, a house, and credit cards. Sometimes he or she has access to company funds, the list goes on and on.
When the gambler has exhausted his or her funds, unlike the crack addict, he or she still looks the role, so banks, family and friends still loan him or her money. A lot of times a gambler is more creative in coming up with ways to steal money, he or she is not the perspm who walks into a store with a knife or gun. He or she hits investment accounts, his or her kids’ education funds, he or she makes false insurance claims–an active compulsive gambler is a dangerous person.
November 6th, 2009Topic: Assessment Tags: None
