“How I wish that there were more
Than the twenty four hours in the day
‘Cause even if there were forty more
I wouldn’t sleep a minute away
Oh there’s blackjack and poker and the roulette wheel
A fortune won and lost on every deal
All you need’s a strong heart and a nerve of steel
Viva Las Sheffield, Viva Las Sheffield”
Even with Elvis crooning, “Sheffield” doesn’t really have the same lyrical impact as the more illustrious, decadent, glitz-ridden capital of the gambling world that is (Viva) Las Vegas. However the British government is currently assessing a number of cities with a view to choosing one which will be able to open what have been termed “supercasinos”. Super presumably for the prospective casino owner’s bank account rather than for the gamblers themselves.
While the proposals are not without their controversies it is fair to say that humans and gambling together go back further than Sven-Goran Eriksson’s hairline; even in the Bible there is a passage where Moses uses a lottery to award land.
Summer with its various sporting events is a bumper time for gambling and 2006 especially so. There will be Wimbledon when for 2 weeks the “plucky Brit” becomes focus for 99% of a media and public which mostly don’t give a tennis serve of a toss about the sport during the rest of the year.
There will also be the British Grand Prix, with its skids and crashes, and that’s just the muddy rainsoaked fields where fans have to park their cars.
This summer will be particularly appealing for gambling in that it is World Cup year.
Football is very attractive to gamblers in that most aspects of the game can be bet on – from the time of the first throw-in to how many times Wayne Rooney will be caught mouthing obscenities onscreen.
With the amount of interest and possible outcomes, the potential for gambling controversy has followed footballers in a manner akin to Ulrika Jonsson over the years.
One famous example was during the mid 90s when a succession of floodlight failures forced the abandonment of a number of English Premiership matches. Initially seen as perhaps a sign that the electrican NVQ qualification needed toughening, it later transpired that the floodlight failures were connected to a Malaysian betting syndicate. After betting vast sums, if the syndicate saw they were going to lose, they, very much in the manner of a little brother playing FIFA on the Playstation would then pull the plug before the game finished.
For World Cup 2006, Brazil are churrasco-hot favourites so unless you are willing to risk a huge wager on them, you’re better off placing your money on some of the more unpredictable options. Sadly upon asking in William Hill in Tower Bridge I was told that no odds are offered on a Sven sex scandal coming out in the tabloids mid-World Cup. Whether this is down to it being in bad taste or indeed a dead cert I was unable to ascertain.
Another popular method of gambling is bingo. Previously seen as a game for pensioners in seaside towns willing to sell their Cliff Richard LPs to finance one last crack at getting a full house, bingo has been rebranded as a night out for the younger generation, with luxury bingo halls, accompanied with promotional material showing shiny happy people more reminiscent of those in a Gillette or Bodyform advertisement.
It is now big business with players staking over a billion pounds in the past year alone.
The majority of people’s gambling experiences tend to be limited to the lottery, the annual “I’ll pick that horse because I like the name” flutter on the Grand National and maybe a night at Mecca’s bingo halls
Stories that portray the darker aspects of gambling, the impossible odds, its addicts who have lost everything are somewhat less evident in the media, which contributes to fuelling the fanciful “it could be you” dream.
This can be seen at different levels – from the local pub, where it is not uncommon to see mesmerised gamblers continue to play the fruit machine even after winning the jackpot, through to the roulette table where the father is putting the family’s mortgage money on red number 23.
Gambling charity Gamcare reported a 41% increase in people seeking help for their gambling addiction during 2004-5.
One reason cited for this has been the internet. It is true that some newspapers blame the internet for everything – corrupting youth, encouraging violence, perhaps even global warming. Funny how these papers seem to be controlled by media companies scared of a bit of competition – but that’s probably for another article.
What is definite is that while one has to make a concerted effort to obtain a substance such as heroin, a hit of gambling can be found in unlimited pure quantities just by a couple of clicks of the computer mouse. According to various reports, the increase in gambling has been most prevalent amongst women. Ignoring the booming “we need to save the women from being addicted – poor helpless things” tone of some of the media, it is clear that given the choice between stepping into a smoky corner shop bookies and simply logging on, most people will choose the latter, especially those new to the gambling world which as figures do suggest, are women.
If you feel you may be having problems with gambling then Gamblers Anonymous have compiled a list of 20 questions listed below; if you answer yes to over 7 then you may wish to seek further advice.
- Do you lose time from work due to gambling?
- Is gambling making your home life unhappy?
- Is gambling affecting your reputation?
- Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
- Do you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or to otherwise solve financial difficulties?
- Does gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
- After losing, do you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses.
- After a win do you have a strong urge to return and win more?
- Do you often gamble until your last pound is gone?
- Do you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
- Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
- Are you reluctant to use gambling money for normal expenditures?
- Does gambling make you careless of the welfare of your family?
- Do you gamble longer than you planned?
- Do you ever gamble to escape worry or trouble?
- Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
- Does gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
- Do arguments, disappointments, or frustrations create an urge within you to gamble?
- Do you have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours gambling?
- Have you ever considered self-destruction as a result of your gambling?
At this point I could say that to be safe on the internet and not risk addiction, madcow disease or birdflu you’re best off sticking to websites such as 020.com. Instead I reckon enjoy a bet in moderation this summer, point some winnings my way and as you’ve probably had enough of this article by now, peruse the links below.
