Online Poker

[dms1972]

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[High Fidelity]

I think it's criminal that gambling is advertised, frankly.

You're from the UK so you will remember the days where F1 cars had cigarette company branding on them, same with football shirts... but that was stopped because of the influence on people and children. Yet now we have football shirts with gambling sites on them.

I wouldn't say gambling is inherently bad but there are certainly a lot of people that should never do it because they struggle to walk away. In your case I'd suggest you don't gamble at all.

 

[disciple Clint]

Not sure if this is the forum to talk about this: I started to play this about 12 years ago, initially I seemed to be pretty good, learnt how to weigh up the odds, varying my game etc. When I had won a bit I started giving some away to charities. A few years ago when playing I got in debt on a credit card to about £2500, after a few attempts to talk to the card company, I got some help from a christian debt charity - I had to pay the bulk of it back, but it was restructured over a longer time with less interest. I also set up a donation to the debt charity and kept that going for a couple of years after I had paid back the debt. I got rid of my credit card.

I had pretty much given up the poker had not played for over a year but I went back last week and in a matter of days lost all I had in the bank - about £800 (which had taken about one year to save up). I have now self-excluded from that poker site for the maximum five years. I am not signed up to any others.

I don't know if its wrong to play Poker for money, or if its a matter of conscience - I think about there being a few christians who are Prof. Poker players (eg. Dan Nenegru and Doyle Brunson). I think its matter of conscience and also if you cannot play well (or at least manage to break even) it is very probably wrong for a person to play, also if you cannot stop and walk away and keep reloading till your broke another reason not to play.

Thoughts?

My thinking is that your problem is not with poker it is with gambling, some people become addicted to it much like some people have a drinking or drug addiction. There is help available if you think you could benefit from it.

 

[returntosender]

I used to play but never for money. Here in AZ it is against the law to bet on line. There are many free sites but that doesn't help if you wish to quit. It just makes it harder to stop. The gambling sites themselves offer help if you are addicted but I don't know if that is true outside of the U S. I think probably the question in this case is where are you spending your time if it is not with God? Is it a place where Christians gather, or a place where Christians should be, etc. One of the ministers I follow says something like "if you are winning someone else is losing"....I don't quite follow that. Since you are here asking maybe that is the clue to your answer. I hope a day will come when you have lost all interest in it and God will free you. God bless!

 

[dms1972]

Its now about 4 months and I have not gone on any other sites. I told myself that money is gone - no point trying to win it back. It hasn't plagued my thoughts thankfully - and I have thought very little about online poker over the last few months. I did say what had happened to a family member so as not to keep it secret. I am aware of the verse in proverbs "be careful if you stand, lest you fall." But when its not on my mind I intend as much as possible to forget about Poker - God has been merciful to me in this matter so I give Him thanks.

 

[bèlla]

All things in moderation. If recreational gaming is depleting your resources, creating debt, or requiring you to work with debt consolidators you’re unbalanced.

The whole idea of gambling is the game of chance. Risking money raises the stakes but can you afford it? I won’t. Too many have depleted savings and sizable assets at the tables.

I have a similar approach to investments and believe in minding my money. Bankrupting myself for sport isn’t good stewardship. It deprives inheritance and benevolence to others.

If the Lord removed the yoke don’t put it back on. Recognize your susceptibility and leave it alone.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

 

[dms1972]

All things in moderation. If recreational gaming is depleting your resources, creating debt, or requiring you to work with debt consolidators you’re unbalanced.

The whole idea of gambling is the game of chance. Risking money raises the stakes but can you afford it? I won’t. Too many have depleted savings and sizable assets at the tables.

I have a similar approach to investments and believe in minding my money. Bankrupting myself for sport isn’t good stewardship. It deprives inheritance and benevolence to others.

If the Lord removed the yoke don’t put it back on. Recognize your susceptibility and leave it alone.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

Thanks - yes - I do need to be careful - I think its has been a snare for me so I have not gone back - thankfully I haven't felt a strong desire to either - Accepting the consequences (ie the money is gone), owning my mistake and 'burning the bridge' with that poker site - has draw a line on it - I just wanted to give an update.

 

[returntosender]

Its now about 4 months and I have not gone on any other sites. I told myself that money is gone - no point trying to win it back. It hasn't plagued my thoughts thankfully - and I have thought very little about online poker over the last few months. I did say what had happened to a family member so as not to keep it secret. I am aware of the verse in proverbs "be careful if you stand, lest you fall." But when its not on my mind I intend as much as possible to forget about Poker - God has been merciful to me in this matter so I give Him thanks.

Good Job!
My daughter pointed out that drinking, smoking, etc are very much similar. The pleasure in the brain that they give. It is very difficult thing to give up. I still would love to go play the slots But I know the brain pleasure will just start all over again. It seems also that we end up replacing it with another that gives us the same pleasure feeling. Hopefully it is a positive replacement.
I applaud you and God for your accomplishment.
God bless

 

[dms1972]

Good Job!
My daughter pointed out that drinking, smoking, etc are very much similar. The pleasure in the brain that they give. It is very difficult thing to give up. I still would love to go play the slots But I know the brain pleasure will just start all over again. It seems also that we end up replacing it with another that gives us the same pleasure feeling. Hopefully it is a positive replacement.
I applaud you and God for your accomplishment.
God bless

Thanks for your enouraging words - people can be addicted to gambling for different reasons - I don't recommend it to anyone - there is a big difference between shove halfpenny or slots and some other forms of gambling (though these can become addictive also) - I played against other people online - but there is always an element of chance and risk. As I was starting to go against self-boundaries I had mentally set up beforehand I realised it was going to get more problematic if I didn't stop and self-exclude. Perhaps it didn't reach the level of addiction with me - or more likely 4 months away is still to soon to assume anything. The test for me may be when perhaps in year I have a few spare £££s. At the moment though I don't see any point in thinking about it - I have some craft and woodwork projects I occupy my spare time with. I also am putting more of my spare money into charitable/missions giving.

Oswald Chambers wrote about the "Retired Sphere of the Leasts" - which if I recall he was refering to falling on one's strong points - biblical characters who stood the test at one point and yet fell later - I might go a year without feeling tempted, or I suppose I might be tempted tomorrow even though it seems like I have it under control. My question I suppose (because some reading this may think I am overconfident) is how can I avoid being over-confident and yet not defeat myself? Make a thorough confession to myself and God and clear the deck properly, then keep confessing my weakness in regard to it in my private prayer. I can see at the moment some of the things that preceded my going back to it which I am making a written note of.

 

[dms1972]

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