There is double-sided hypocrisy in Jamaica and that is the allowance of Jamaican Lotto and Jamaican Cashpot games.

But on the other side is the strong aversion to building and allowing casinos to develop.

Either way, there will be people who become addicted to both and certainly, the Jamaican Lotto and Jamaican Cashpot games are causing more people to spend what they do not have.

Yes, there are those who depend on these games to survive; but good or bad they are still suffering from Pathological Gambling.

Gambling is an activity that you can find and do in any country in the world.

It is fun, relaxing and gives you loads of entertainment. People gamble in different ways. They may gamble at horse racing, sports betting, car racing, card games, slot machine, and even the lotteries. Gambling usually has very interesting, coveted, and life-altering rewards.

Lotteries are very popular in many countries and people religiously go out and get their lottery ticket. Governments like the Jamaican government, even make a lot of money off it to cover their budgets and take taxes from your winnings.

But there is a downside to gambling and not many can handle it.

Gambling ruins people’s lives.

Gambling ruins finances.

Gambling ruins reputations.

Gambling creates problems between families and alters how you perceive a person.

People will take their last dime and gamble. Some people will skip work or school to go and gamble. Those who gamble online will stay on for hours, ignoring everyone and everything. They end up losing track of time even. And this is not a good thing for anyone’s physical, psychological and financial well-being.

To try to rise from the financial ruin you will find yourself in, can seem impossible.

This is so and gets worse when gamblers try to chase down a loss to recoup. This is never a good thing and will lead to more debt.

Pathological Gambling Problem

Pathological gambling affects the social activity of over ten million Americans annually. But it is a treatable addiction just as how one is able to treat smoking or drinking addiction. Some believe though that it is not curable.

Identifying pathological gambling is not very clear-cut and many will use different methods to do so. It is also extremely difficult because the person with a gambling addiction will lie to cover up their addiction.

The internet is relatively easily accessible.

The majority of people have devices that can get them with no problem. Hundreds of millions of people use cell phones and these devices are now coming ready to access the internet.

Hence, the problem with increased numbers of young people becoming pathological gamblers at an earlier age; the exposure is almost everywhere, with the lotteries as well.

Pathological gambling does not discriminate and everyone is prone to it from every social stratum.

It is said that in the early 1960s the percentage of people in the United States that gambled was at about sixty percent. That figure soon jumped to approximately eighty percent in the 1990s. People who are prone to having a gambling addiction include those who are depressed.

Typically you suffer from depression when you have some life-altering, stressful situation that you have not yet dealt with.

In comparison, the rates for suicide are high in places that are gambling capitals like Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Therefore it is very prudent that people who have gambling addictions or depression should seek help.

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About the writer:
Poetess Denise N. Fyffe is a published author of over 30 books, for more than eight years and enjoys volunteering as a Counselor. She is a freelance writer for online publications such as Revealing the Christian Life, Jamaica Rose, Entertainment Trail, My Trending Stories among others.

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This book shares key practical strategies on how to become an author and a working writer. It helps you to get over the everyday nuisances that hinder the writing process. You can follow each strategy, at your own pace until you are writing frequently. It is geared towards both aspiring fiction and nonfiction authors and working writers who produce content, on a daily basis.

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