SlipLive

A good friend of mine called the other day and wants to meet up again at Foxwoods. The last time we were there we got completely wasted and I somehow ended up nearly a grand richer. At first, I felt bad about the "easy money", but then thought maybe they lure you in the first time, get you hooked then slowly take everything you own, including your pet iguana.

This got me thinking (something I rarely do) about how people view gambling in general, and related societal perceptions. People are all getting together for a purpose, but is this a noble purpose? In the course of life, are there others like it? Is gambling really a sin, or only a sin when you don't win???

Then I think of wealth and elitism and it gets complcated from there. But I was just wondering what others think about gambling, personal or general perspectives, whether you gamble or not and if so, what are your favorite games and why?

I've recently grown fond of Roulette, but only because largely of aforementioned gains and because I just don't have the patience for Ttexas Hold 'Em. And it seems you get more drinks at Roulette...is this because they want you to leave the table wasted and poor?

-Curious maybe,

Phrazz

As a youngster I have been forbade by law to encounter in any gambling situations. Gambling has been proven to be an adicting hobby, mainly because of chance that you might win it all. I have always done poorly at Texas Hold 'Em, and was always scared of puting my money up for something that i was not skilled at.

But for people like me, who are not good at cards, there is an entire section called SLOT MACHINES. When i have visited Las Vegas when i was younger then today, there was a kids "gambling Section" All with coins for winning games. These coins are equal to on quarter so i always thought of it as money. But there were slot machines. I dont see how just changing what the money looks like makes it "not" Gambling. Anyway, i won 80 tokens and then just as quickly as i won those they were all gone, and i claimed a prize of a POG Slammer. ( a fad of the youth)

Some people know their limits and others dont. My bestfriends dad wrote the software that most of the Casino's in las vegas and foxwoods/mohegan sun use. All the slots interact with one another and just the possibility of winning is less then getting struck by a car. I wont be a gambler when im older, nor do i think its a Sin. Its a choice to make, one can control their own destiny if taken in small loads.

Hopefully i dont skrew up, but money is tricky, you can play with it, and loose it all. So far i dont like gambling with my OLD friends. Some are jus tlike broken vending machines, taking yoru money to never give it back.

I have gambled....... and when I'm winning, I'm cool with it. But as soon as I start to lose, I take my ball and go home. I guess I'm just that cheap. When I was in college at Lock Haven, Williamsport had an off track betting site which I went to once. It was pretty cool, till I started losing, that's where it all went downhill. Although, I have enjoyed games of poker with like nickle anti.. cause you know change (pennies and such) isn't real money... but beyond that, I don't think I could ever saunter up to a roulette table.

All this aside, I don't necessarily consider it a sin. Heck, when we by our weekly lottery ticket, we're not doing anything but gambling. But, when you let it get out of hand and you develope a problem, then it goes too far. I understand the draw to the "rush" of winning. Endorphins are powerful drugs! But, like everything else, a large amount of control needs to be administered. Usually in situations where I have gambled, I'd set a limit for myself. Say $20. When that $20 is all gone, then I am done playing. Too many times in our self indulgent society people don't know when to say when. The same can be said about drinking/drug use/etc. Like the saying goes, everything is ok, in moderation. So long as you have control over what your doing, I think it's ok to have a little vice of throwing some money down for some "entertainment". After all, your basically paying to pass the time and for excitement, and people wouldn't look down on you for paying to get on a rollercoaster would they? So long as you have your limits (this is what I would have picked had it been a selection in the pole, but I picked the "no" answer.. so take that 1 no answer and kind of blur it...).

if you look at the real moral and ethical values of gambling, its a sin. a big sin. why? b/c money is a sin. material goods and the exploitation of others for the purpose of gaining money (their money) is just plain wrong. casinos make me sick. my skin crawls when im in there. i dont like the constant battering my senses take. the lights, the fumes, the smell of money, the look on peoples faces.. it all pisses me off. i hate gambling.

now, if i HAD a shitload of money to burn and didnt care about losing it, then i would love it. once you have the power of money and wealth, you've already sold your soul, so it doesnt matter if you sin or not.

diesel wrote: i dont like the constant battering my senses take.

something I never thought I'd hear Diesel say!!

I'm with you there though.. if I had a boatload of money that I just felt like pissing away, I probably wouldn't have a problem.... well.. it depends.. how rich are we talking...

This is not my focus but something I certainly agree with and something that was a driving force behind Andy's work:

"Making money is art, and working is art and good business is the best art."


That being said if I ever have some extra weight to throw around I wouldnt be opposed to throwing it around in the casino. I personally enjoy playing poker a lot, its a hell of a game and there is a lot of room for mind games.