BWIN and Harvard - Partnership Study in Conscience to Help Understand the Causes of Extreme Gambling

I am sure that we have all heard the negative statements that have been thrown at the direction of land-based and online gambling casino companies. Many groups have claimed that they are the reasons that we have so many people that are addicted to gambling in our society today that these groups of people usually don't have much evidence to back their claims with. This is why it is great to see an online gambling company take the initiative to try to help in finding out why some people gamble compulsively and are addicted to it and that company is BWIN. BWIN and the Harvard Medical School which is one of the most well known medical research schools in the world have teamed up to do a five year research study to try to understand what makes people addicted to gambling to the point that it becomes the most important thing in their lives.

This five year long study is also being done with the help of the Cambridge health alliance and their division of addictions. The main purpose of this study is to try to identify what makes a gambling addict, how to prevent gambling addiction from occurring in the 1st and then what are the major steps that need to be taken to prevent gambling addiction from ever forming in the 1st place. This is not some small research study as it will almost 50,000 gambling players. I must say that I applaud Manfred Bodner's (CEO of BWIN) courage in taking the chance to undertake this partnership with Harvard. It shows me that not only is he a businessman but he is a businessman with a conscience will care for more than just making a quick dollar.

Hopefully this research study will cause other gambling companies to step forward and start doing research partnerships of their own with the medical community not only in America but across the world. Gambling addiction is a serious problem in our job as a human community is to try to understand it a lot better so that we can make decisions in our society in the near future as to how we can not only curb this disease but also how to diagnose and prevent it from occurring again. Kudos to all that were involved in this gambling research study.

Author enjoys writing about subjects relating to blackjack strategy and texas holdem poker.

When Stress Causes You to Want to Return to Your Gambling Addiction - 5 Helpful Tips

Stress can be a strong trigger when you have a gambling addiction and are trying to stop. When you have a gambling problem, it is important that you handle your stress in the best possible way you can. Stress is part of all of our lives, however, when handled properly, it will stop you from going back to your gambling addiction.

1. Make sure that you have a "To-Do List" each day. Make sure that you put your priorities on your list first. Do not forget this list, because when you put the things that you have to do on paper, this can reduce your stress exponentially. When you are scattered, and do not know what you need to accomplish on a given day, this can increase stress.

2. Eat right and take necessary supplements on a daily basis. When you eat right, you will feel much better mentally and you will be able to handle stress better. In addition, please make sure that you drink plenty of fluids as well, because dehydration can cause fatigue. Remember, we are what we eat. Eat well on a daily basis, and you will see your stress level kept at bay.

3. You must sleep properly. If you do not get proper sleep, you will not be able to handle your stress in the best possible way. Not sleeping properly can contribute tremendously to the stress that could bring you back to your active gambling addiction. Not sleeping properly can contribute to depression and anxiety and well as increased stress.

4. Give yourself 30 minutes each day to relax and get centered. You can practice meditation, or read some self help books. You can just take that 30 minutes to do nothing. This is your time for yourself, and you have to give this to yourself. Give this gift to yourself. It is important!

5. Talk about your feelings to a trusted friend or family member. Do not hold all of your feelings inside, because this is truly not healthy and can lead you back to gambling addiction. If you need to see a therapist or minister, this is absolutely okay. If you need help for your gambling addiction, you must actively seek help by professionals or close friends.

I am hoping that these tips were helpful for you so that you do not allow stress to contribute to a desire to return to gambling.

Remember that gambling addiction can ruin lives of individuals and families. Do not let stress allow your gambling problem to spin out of control. Keep your stress at bay, so that your life stays healthy without gambling.

Michelle Tee

Michelle Tee is a self-help coach and author on the subject of gambling addiction . If you are looking to stop gambling and have not had success in the past, visit her site today.

Gambling Addiction - Possible Causes

If you have a gambling addiction then you may be wondering how you became so addicted. How did this happen to you? How did you find yourself so deeply entranced in such an addiction? You certainly didn't intend to have this gambling addiction. Exploring the causes may help you quit.

There are many causes that may have led you to succumb to a gambling addiction. Some are apparent but some are not so apparent. The causes that are easiest to see include unhappiness and your dissatisfaction with life. Also, you may have experienced a negative event that triggered your gambling addiction. The non--apparent causes of your addiction include type A personality and negative thoughts that are buried in your subconscious mind.

Let's first explore the apparent causes of your gambling addiction. If you are unhappy and dissatisfied with your life then you will tend to seek something outside of yourself to help you feel happy. This can be the point when you turn to an addiction such as gambling. You are looking for that instant fix to become happy and satisfied. Unfortunately, this instant fix is not long--lasting. It is what it is -- instant! You need to find other things that will bring you happiness. You need to learn to enjoy the small things in life. Find things to look forward to other than gambling.

Another apparent cause for your gambling addiction may be connected to a negative event in your life. This event may have triggered your addiction. It may have been the loss of job, loss of a partner or loss of material things, Your grief over your loss could be the trigger. It is important to seek out counseling, or read an excellent self-help book, to deal with your loss in order to let go of it. Letting go will allow you to grow and live for the future.

Now let's explore the non--apparent causes of your gambling addiction. You may have a type "A" personality. It is this type of personality that drives you to continue gambling. You want to win. You think that if you gamble enough you will figure out the key to winning. You think you may have unlocked the secret to winning the slots, the trick to betting on the horses or you've developed the best poker face for Texas Hold'em. You're sure that you have control over your gambling addiction. Isn't it all just a game anyhow? At this point you must remember that gambling is what it is -- a gamble. There is no sure-fire way to win.

Another non-apparent cause for your gambling addiction may be negative messages that are buried deep within your subconscious mind. For example, when you were young you may have been told that playing cards was a taboo; that if you played cards you would grow up to have a gambling addiction. You may have also been told that if you bought even one lotto ticket you would become a gambler. If these negative messages were relayed to you on a regular basis then they would be rooted in your subconscious mind, and you will have lived your life accordingly. The best way to eliminate these negative messages is through hypnosis/hypnotherapy. A Hypnotherapist can bring out these negative messages and rectify them.

In exploring the causes of your gambling addiction I hope you can find your way out. You CAN overcome this addiction! You CAN win! I did.

Written by Cynthia Romero, author of the Smile More Today and Tomorrow website.

Here Are Some Causes of a Gambling Addiction

What are some of the causes of a gambling addiction? As a former gambler and mental health counselor, I have done a lot of research on why people develop a gambling problem. What I have found is that there is more than one cause of gambling addiction and that although it is important to know the cause, the solution is much more important.

Here are some of the many causes of gambling addiction:

o Gambling is exciting while the gambler is in action. The adrenaline high feels good, and it is quite easy to become addicted to these "feel good" chemicals in our brain.

o Gambling compulsively may fill a void for many people with a gambling problem. This void could be in many areas of one's life. Poor social life, loneliness, job dissatisfaction, empty-nest syndrome, boredom, and lack of purpose can all contribute to a gambling addiction.

o A big win at the casino is the worst possible event for anyone with a propensity for addiction. The adrenaline high of a huge jackpot can fuel future addiction like jet fuel in a plane. Most, if not all people give back the winnings from their jackpot, plus much more money as well.

o Escape from emotional pain and psychological distress can also fuel a gambling disorder. This is especially true for "escape gamblers" who mostly play slot machines, lottery, or partake in online internet gambling.

o For "action gamblers", the craving for action and feeling very important to others can fuel a gambling addiction. Action gamblers are mostly male and are usually sports betters, poker players, and racetrack gamblers.

o The thrill of "easy money" can fuel a gambling addiction, especially if the gambling addict has a long string of wins at the beginning of his or her gambling career.

o People with anxiety and/or depression have show a strong propensity for gambling problem as well as other addictions.

o People with first degree relatives with a gambling addiction have a stronger propensity to develop this addiction themselves.

These are just some of the general causes of a gambling problem, however, there are many more as well. In addition, each unique individual will have different reasons for having a problem with gambling, and no two situations are the same.

The most important thing, however, is that once some of the causes of a gambling problem are established, that the individual seeks immediate help for his or her problem.

The solutions, which include abstinence from gambling, professional help, and support groups, self-care, and lifestyle changes are most important in reclaiming ones' life from a gambling addiction.

Michelle Tee is a self-help coach and author on the subject of gambling addiction . If you are looking to stop gambling and have not had success in the past, visit her site today.

What Are the Causes of Gambling Addiction?

If you have a loved one who is a gambling addict, you might be asking yourself what caused this to happen. A lot of research has been done as to why people start having this problem. What research has found is that there is no definite reason as to why people develop gambling addictions.

The causes vary from case to case even if it is good to know the exact reason, the resolution will always be more important for this kind of disorder.

This article will list some of the several reasons why a person gets addicted to gambling. To begin with, gambling is an exhilarating experience. During the actual activity, adrenaline kicks in and this is a good feeling to have. Some people want to experience these "feel good" elements in the brain over and over again, hence the start of the addiction.

Some people consider gambling as a filler of an empty void in their life. For example, if someone close to you dies, you turn to gambling to fill the emptiness and longing that you have for that person. If you feel like something is missing in your life and you can't quite pinpoint what it is sometimes you turn to instant fun, like gambling, and this can be the beginning of an addiction.

Others would turn to gambling to escape from an emotional burden or a frustration. These gamblers usually can be seen playing slot machines, online gambling, or even the lottery. If your environment is made up of parents always fighting, or you are faced with too many expectations from other people, sometimes you just want to get away from it all and take risks through gambling.

If the people around you are gamblers, then there is a very big possibility that you will end up like them. The environment you are in can be a very critical factor in contributing to a gambling addiction.

Since these people will eat, talk, and sleep gambling, you are most likely to follow their lifestyle. It is very easy to like the winning part and this can be your motivation. The kick you get out of getting "easy money" adds icing to the cake.

Of course this is only the first step in the process to kick your gambling habit for good. If you're looking to stop gambling now and have not been successful in the past then click here to claim your free 10 step plan to quit gambling today.

Online Gambling Debts - How to Deal With the Causes and Effects of Online Gambling Debts

One thing there is no shortage of on the internet is opportunities to gamble. We are spoilt for choice, whether your fancy is for betting on sports, playing virtual card games or bingo. One of the things that makes internet gambling so potentially dangerous is that it is easily available for 24 hours a day. The real danger comes when you combine this factor with the fact that it is so easy to feel detached from the reality of money spent online. Gradually racking up a debt online does not feel the same as handing over hard earned cash from our wallet, so it is that much easier to lose track of how your online spending is mounting up.

For these reasons, debt problems from internet gambling are on the increase. In this article I hope to clarify some of the legal issues around online gambling, as well as providing some advice on dealing with the underlying problem and the debts that result from it.

Legal Issues Around Gambling Debts

When we talk about debt from online gambling it is important to be clear about the nature of the debt, because who the money is owed to does make a difference. People are often unsure about the legality of debts from online gambling. In the UK you can gamble legally on credit and incur a debt, but this debt is not then enforceable through the law.

However, there is an important point to make here, which is that this only applies when you are using credit extended by the company offering the gambling (casino, bookie, etc). If you use a credit card company to pay for internet gambling, that is a legally enforceable debt the same as it would be in any other circumstance, because you have borrowed money from the credit card company, not the casino. It is now against the law in the US to use a credit card to pay for online gambling.

You will find that many credit cards will regard a payment to an internet gambling website as a cash advance. This is then clearly borrowing money from the card company and the debt you incur can be pursued through legal action. If you do use a credit card to pay for online gambling this way, you should be aware that cash advances on credit cards are almost always charged at a much higher rate of interest than normal credit for purchases.

How To Deal With Debts Caused By Gambling

In dealing with gambling debts, there are two separate issues to tackle. One is the debt itself, and the other is the habit of gambling that led to the debt. Even if the debt is dealt with, it is likely to build up again if the root cause is not tackled too. Let us first consider the problem of paying off the debt.

The principles for tackling debt are nearly always the same, irrespective of the causes of the debt. To permanently deal with debt you should not be considering borrowing more money or paying anyone to deal with your debt for you. These courses of action are likely to deepen your debt in the long run.

With a little advice, you can deal with your debts yourself, by contacting your creditors and agreeing terms for repayment that you can afford. There is clearly more to it than that, but it is beyond the scope of this particular article. The process is straightforward and allows you to take back control of your finances.

Factors Leading To Internet Gambling Debts

It may help to have an understanding of why some people can become addicted to online gambling. The following are often contributory factors:

Gambling can be thrilling, leading to an adrenalin rush and feelings that we want to recreate time and again.

Many addictive gamblers think that they can win money and that this will solve all their other problems. It actually just leads to more problems by creating debt, which can then make it seem even more important to win the money, creating a vicious circle.

Addiction to gambling can actually be a mental disorder, which can lead to a compulsive need to gamble.

Being addicted to online gambling is often associated with other personal difficulties, including depression and stress.

Online Gambling Debts - The Warning Signs You may have a problem if you can answer yes to any of the following questions:

When you are not gambling, do you think about gambling and how you are going to get back to it?

Have you ever missed work because of online gambling?

Do you feel the need to gamble again after winning or losing?

Is the length of time you spend on gambling getting longer and have you ever spent longer online than you thought you had?

Are you secretive about your gambling with family or friends and do you dislike other people bringing it up?

Practical Steps To Tackle Online Gambling Addiction If you think you may have a problem with online gambling, here are a few simple steps you can take to begin to reduce or stop the habit:

Be open with friends and family and seek help with the problem.

Cancel any accounts you have with websites for online gambling.

Consider using software that blocks your access to online gambling websites.

Keep a proper, ongoing record of everything you spend - take steps to bring home the fact that the money you are using is real.

K D Garrow has worked as a senior manager for the last twenty years, with responsibility for significant financial control. His website offers free advice on paying off debt, including information on how to deal with online gambling debts. The site includes recommendations for the best debt management companies and advice on how to write off debt.