The Gambling Capital of the World?

It is everywhere over here and NSW is leading the pack. I don't gamble at all ever since I realised that the profits were mostly going to the super rich. They don't need my money but there are many good causes that do.
 

I believe that in the US there were many states that just did not want gambling to exist. But the natives has certain privileges that the US nor the states could deny. So now we have more and more of the native controlled land having casinos built on them. When I was still traveling a lot I would consider the motels/hotels and casinos to be good. Especially when traveling in the western desert states. Prices were reasonable and the food often pretty low cost. So we would stop, play a bit, then in the morning have a decent breakfast, then back on the road. I am not a gambler at all so I only played a few dollars on the slots. Sometimes win a few dollars but mostly only lost $10 to $20 then quite.
 
I have a SIL that loves to go to the casinos in Louisiana. She get as many as she can into a group, and they all go for a four day weekend. I've not heard that any hit jackpots, but I Do know a few of them are always in debt. I don't gamble. I've never seen the attraction. :dunno:
 
Over here gambling is not confined to casinos.

We have lotteries and lotto scratchie tickets available at every newsagent, also betting on racing, football and you name it online and at betting shops. When watching football on TV we are bombarded with adverts for gambling agencies.

Then there are the not for profit registered clubs that get most of their revenue from poker machines and keno games. The clubs are everywhere in every town and suburb and not restricted to members only. Anyone living outside the 5 km radius of a club can sign in as a temporary members otherwise you can be signed in as a guest of a member.

Sydney has one casino and a second one is being built as we speak. It is supposed to be for foreign high rollers but if it is like the existing one it will be preying on the locals as well. They send buses to the outer suburbs to bring in the suckers, who are often, but not exclusively, Asian.

One of the saddest sights I have ever seen was in the Western Australian town of Kalgoorlie where the customers of the two up game were mostly Aboriginees who are surely the very definition of the depressed poor. The organisers were alternately the local Italians and the Aussies.

This is what the venue looks like. It is hardly a palace.

2 up kalgoorlie.jpg
 
Thank you for so many interesting comments!
Wish I could add my name to the non-gamblers!
It took only one win to get me "hooked" many years ago.
Would go to the Melbourne casino at least once a week, also to pubs and clubs in the neighborhood ("slots").
Finally came to my senses and accepted counseling: First group counseling, then one on one.
Still hooked, but have adhered strictly to advice given: Take only money you can afford!
That's what I do: Take only $20.-and make it last and last!
Four weeks ago (this is the honest truth!), I put my last coin in a slot machine and guess what? The machine shrieked and sang-people came running--a row of Ned Kelly armor had turned up--$4500.-!!!

:hitit:
 
A good read on casino gambling in Louisiana and Mississippi is "Doubling Down" that explains the kick that gambling can provide for some that take them out of their mundane everyday world...
 
I think gambling has become more popular since the wages of the average person have stagnated and even decreased. It's that long shot of spending a quarter and getting a huge payout that is so attractive. That's why the States' lotteries are inproportionately funded by the poor and middle class.
 
I think there is a lot of gambling in most countries, casino, lottery tickets, slots etc. Plenty of gambling in the East too, where even the poor gamble on an ant race!OK, I made that up, but there are all sorts of odd races with betting.Then there is horse racing, dog racing, camel racing .I can see the attraction of everything except the slots.I never gamble as I never want to lose money.I have seen people mindlessly feeding coins into slots for ages.
 
oakapple said:
I think there is a lot of gambling in most countries, casino, lottery tickets, slots etc. Plenty of gambling in the East too, where even the poor gamble on an ant race!OK, I made that up, but there are all sorts of odd races with betting.Then there is horse racing, dog racing, camel racing .I can see the attraction of everything except the slots.I never gamble as I never want to lose money.I have seen people mindlessly feeding coins into slots for ages.
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I think the popularity of machine gaming...slots, video poker..etc stems from the human desire for instant gratification. Throw in a coin, and with little or no skill, the possibilty is there for a windfall! Then when it doesn't happen.... there's always the next pull of the lever or push of a button. The chance of hitting it big is narcotic for some people, and very addictive.
 
Poker machines (slots) work on the principles of operant conditioning.
Rewards are intermittent and unpredictable. It is a most effective way to keep people at the machine.

Gambling relates to operant conditioning because it is considered a form of positive reinforcement using a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement (Especially slot machines).

Variable ratio schedules of reinforcement mean that you are reinforced on a variable rate, as opposed to a fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement. Variable ratio (VR) schedules mean that people are reinforced after an unknown amount of tries or pulls. Variable ratios are effective in general because people know there is a payoff, but don't know when, and that is exactly why they keep on betting.

Another example you can use is called Extinction. If someone continues to gamble and loses time after time, they will stop gambling. Extinction means withdrawing reinforcement and behavior decreases. But, since the variable ratio of reinforcement (above) hangs over many peoples heads (i.e, meaning they know people do get the payoff at somepoint), people continue playing... sometimes over their head.
Click to expand...

Susie, that win of $4,500 is working against your entirely sensible desire to cease gambling.
 
It's that intermittant reward that is addictive.. It's unpredictable and one never knows when it will happen.. It just might be the next one.. if not... then the next one..

I remember the first and only time I went to the boat. I lost $100 in 1 hour because I didn't know how to bet on the poker machines.. So I left.. Hubby used to tease me and ask if I wanted to drive by the boat and hand them $100 to save time.
 
Interesting about the term "Doubling Down". According to Mr. Go. "Doubling Down"used to be a gambling term for taking a risk, but now has become the "go-to" for CEO's, meaning their grand plans are sure to fail!
Don't know if "Doubling Down" has the same or similar meaning in Louisiana and Mississippi casino gambling, Ralphy1.
 
You're absolutely right, Dame Warrigal, about the effects a win has on a person!
I was real quick, though, and used the money to feed my other addiction: traveling.
Also gave my granddaughter a hilarious 18th birthday party-so now I don't feel so guilty. :cheerful:
 
It means going for broke when your losing and you keep doubling the amount you bet to make up for your losses and maybe get ahead of them. As I understand it it can take place in any type of gambling...
 
In politics, it means sticking to your ideology and statements no matter how goofy and erroneous they are.
 

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