Monday, June 30, 2014

Gambling Addiction and Crime



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A gambling addiction is called Ludomania which is an urge to continue gambling despite the negative consequences.   Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards and Dr. William C Shiel Jr. reports on onhealth.com that compulsive gambling affects 2% to 5% of Americans.   The affected individuals find that they need continuously more money for gambling to satisfy the gambling enjoyment.  The enjoyment comes from escaping problems ore relieving sadness or anxiety.    When money is lost, the individual works harder at gambling to recoup the loss.  It is an ongoing cycle. To finance the gambling, the individual reverts to crime through stealing, fraud, or forgery to acquire finances.   This high focused attention on gambling results in lost marriages and employment.
                       
Did you know that casinos inherently have crime associated with them?    Casinos thrive on money being wagered and an addicted gambler will need a lot of it.   Once they run out of their own, they will do whatever it takes to get more.   Theft is the answer in the case of desperation.  The behavior is almost like the addiction to drugs.    Instead of drugs, the fuel for the addiction for gambling is money.   The
                               
In Canada, the Edmonton Journal reported on June 27, 2014 that a man stole more than $126,000 from his employer, Raynor Rentals, to support his gambling addiction.  The man worked at the company as an accountant.   In 2011, he began gambling and a year later the addiction was out of control.   He was sentences to jail for six months followed by two years of probation.  He is also sentenced to counselling and 75 hours of community service.   Family members had paid the $126,000 to the employer.

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