Casinos

An inside look at casinos including their “traps”, psychological effects, and odds of winning

Tag Words: Casinos; gambling; blackjack; odds; psychological effects of gambling; slot machine; craps; roulette; gambling addiction; gain; loss

Authors: Alex Silvestro, Pat Lubin, Tom Gallagher, Mike Cucinotta with Julie M. Fagan, Ph.D.

Summary

Casinos can be one of the most exciting places. The moment someone steps in one, they are surrounded by flashing lights, screaming people, and thousands of chips. People go to casinos in the hopes of winning millions. While some people hit it big, most people leave the casino with less money than they had before, often times a lot more than they had. Casinos prey off the weakness of most people by offering several table games, perks such as rooms, food, alcohol, and false illusions. With most of the table games, the casinos are the odds on favorite to win most games. Even if someone wins multiple games, the casino has the odds to win in the long run. All these factors can fuel knowingly or unknowingly what is becoming a growing addiction: gambling. While most casinos offer people help by giving them a number to call or a group to offer support, they still fuel this addiction because without people gambling, they have no business. Casinos can be quite an experience if someone knows what to expect, what to avoid, and how to stay in control.

Video Link

An Inside Look at Casinos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJFloDgb1iA

The Issue: Casinos

Casino Perks/Traps (AS) Casinos love to use chips instead of cash for a couple of reasons. One if money was floating around tables people would be more inclined to steal the cash. Also by using plastic chips people forget that they are spending money so they will be less cautious and more likely to spend more money. Also if you have ever looked around a casino there is no clocks and usually no windows be sides at the entrance. This is so people will lose track of time and continue to gamble. Remember casinos have the advantage so the longer you are gambling the more likely you are losing money and the casino is taking your money. Casinos also tell dealers to continue to deal out cards at a fast rate for a couple of reasons. One is it the more and more you are playing and the less you are waiting you are more likely to forget about other things besides gambling like how much money you have won or lost or what time it is. The other obvious reason is the more games you are in the more likely you are losing money to the casino. Everyone knows that at casinos they give out free drinks to whoever is gambling. This seems great you get to gamble and get a free drinks as long as you gamble. However, if you are getting drinks with alcohol in them you are falling into another one of the casinos traps. When people begin to get intoxicated they tend to forget how much they are spending or just really don’t care how much they are spending so they begin to get more reckless as they are gambling. Have you ever noticed the waitresses they mostly very attractive and they tell them to feed the big spenders and the people who seem to be drunk more and more alcoholic drinks. The biggest perk that casinos give out is the comp. This can be a majority of things such as free rooms and upgraded rooms, VIP, free spas, free meals, free tickets to shows, and even free chips to keep on playing. However, the only way to get comp is to either be a big spender or someone who spends a lot of time in casinos losing money. The main reason casinos give out comps is to keep gamblers who won money in the casino so they can lose the money they won. Even if you were to leave as a big winner they will offer you free rooms to come back and when you do most likely you will end up spending the money you won.Tournaments are another way casinos like to bring gamblers back to casinos. They can have tournaments where they might even spot half of the entry fee. If you were to win the tournament you win the cash prize but they also might throw in winning a $50,000 dollar automobile. They keep trying to put more incentive into bringing the gambler back.

How is a gambler able to get a comp. Casinos hand out reward cards, or club cards that can be scanned like a credit card. They have different reward cards for different spenders of course being if you are a big spender or a smaller spender. If you were to go into a slot machine you just simple slide your card into a machine and play. It records how long you are playing and how much you won or lost. If you were at a table such as a roulette table or a poker table you just simply hand your card to a pit boss or leave it on the table until he grabs it. Usually it is up to the pit boss to see how much you are gambling or how much you spend. Most pit bosses won’t even take your card until they have noticed that you have been playing at the table for a respectable amount of time. Most of the common comps come to average spenders who just come to play for fun. The big spenders will usually be the ones who get the free rooms whoever they usually gamble more often so they know the games have how to play which gives them a better chance to win. Casinos usually have a basic guild line of how to comp players. It is

common for casinos to comp about 10 percent to 40 percent of the amount that they are expecting to win back from the gambler. Formula that casinos use to comp players.

The amount of time played

Number of hands per hour

Average bet

The house percentage

Casinos are all about trying to win money anyway they can. So casinos usually pay there dealers about minimum wage so that they don’t have to pay those employees much money. It is up to the gambler to tip the dealer. However, dealers do not expect you to tip them if you are losing money but if you were to win it is up to the gambler to tip the dealer. Now you do not have to tip the dealer but it is not classy and consider disrespectful especially if you have won a good amount from the dealer it is considered he has been lucky to you or he has been helpful you should tip him. There is a method for tipping if you won a big hand it is respectful to tip or it you are just winning small hands it is considered polite to tip a dollar about every hour or a at least every other hour. Just a reminder that dealers are not allowed to take chips so when going to tip the dealer put it on the table and tell him that it is for him or her. http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/casino-gambling-basics-ga2.htmThe more people the casinos have to more money they believe they will make. Which is for the most part true because casinos have it set up that any game the gambler will play the house or casino will have a slight advantage. If you have ever been to either Atlantic City or Las Vegas you will notice the bright lights and tall casinos. They all have a certain look to attract gamblers not to mention the attractions, concerts and other events to draw in people. These places have are amusing to many people and are made to seem as vacations or nice places to get away from the regular world without any stress and have fun. It is a rush to walk into a casino and throw down a couple of dollars with the chance of winning big. This is how they attract people into a casino but it is also there job that once they have you in to keep you in longer than you intended on staying. Once you walk into a casino they still have bright lights and you will hear jackpot noises all over the casino even though it is rare to win a big jackpot. Once you walk up to a table you hand the dealer some real cash and he gives you plastic chips which might seem harmless but it is one of the biggest tricks in a casino. All casinos now use plastic chips and this is because when you are playing at the table whether you win a big hand or lose a big hand you might not notice how much money you made or lost because you are not really playing with money at all. Most gamblers have are told to have a set limit of money that they intend to play and if they end up losing that money they should call it a quits. However, it is common for players to stay in longer than they intended because they might buy in not realizing how much they actually lost playing with plastic chips instead of money. Also they tell gamblers to have a set time as well so if you have trouble stopping at your money limit or you are winning to stop at a certain time to prevent yourself from losing more or to lose the money you have already won. The only problem with that theory is that casinos do not want you to stop playing or to know what time it is so besides near the exit their are no windows or clocks. Now you are sitting at a table for a while and you are lucky you have been winning but you do not even realize how much because of the fiat money and you lost track of time and you realize that the casino has

been giving you free drinks for the past couple of hours. Seems like the life, knowing that your winning money and getting free alcoholic drinks that usually cost at least $7. However, this is another common tricks that all casinos do that will help them in the long run. When people begin to get a little drunk they tend to forget or care how much money they are spending. So a hand that the gambler might have decided to fold or not bet on he will either continue betting or calling which if he or she is not really lucky they will end up losing more and more hands which means more money for the house. However, you are an experienced gambler and you know some of the basic tricks of the casinos and you made it out that day by hitting big. It is the job of a casino to make sure that you keep coming back and playing. Casinos have reward cards which are free to players and every player should get because it is a way for them to end up getting comps. Comp which is short for complimentary allows players to get rewards from playing hands. Like listed above there is a set of basic rules and guidelines that most casinos use. Some of the basic comps are that casinos hand out discounted rooms or free rooms, tickets to concerts, and even free money to gamble. Like i had stated before the more you are in a casino the better chance the casino has of taking your money. One of the biggest misconceptions with comps is that only big spenders get comp rooms. Most of the comps that casinos give out are to regular spenders. It does not matter if you win or lose big casinos just know that the more people in the casino the more money they are capable of winning. They will either mail or email you comps constantly so hopefully one day if your are just bored of your regular life you can have a nice one day vacation to a casino. They also hold tournaments which is another way to attract people. Poker is one of the most common tournament games because it is a way to show your skills against other players. There usually is a buy in with a first place winning of a certain amount of cash also they have been to known to hand out prizes such as cars which is another perk that casinos use to attract people. After you book another room and you are back to gambling the same old tricks that the casinos had before are still in effect trying to make you spend more money. If you have a free room and you do not plan on gambling all night they have night clubs and other attractions that are a good way to go and relax. However, it is a little different than gambling when they hand out free drinks their is a coverage charge and the drinks are highly over priced. When you have a room it makes it a lot easier to go in a have a few drinks without worrying about driving home after. Casinos have many tricks to help attract people into a casino and no matter how much players think that they can win big most of the time they end up with an empty wallet but if you play smart casinos are fun and a good way to relax from your normal daily life routine. http://casinogambling.about.com/cs/comps/a/compbasic.htm

Psychological (AS) Money is converted to "credits", tokens, or chips for gambling. This abstraction makes it

harder to keep track of how much money has actually been lost. Once real money has been converted to play money, it takes significant mental effort and discipline to cash out, even after a win.

Customers at slot machines receive frequent, small prizes at irregular intervals. This encourages continued betting in the hope of getting a big jackpot.

The mathematical complexity of some slot machines disorients customers by allowing multiple lines of play and various bets. A "penny" machine may allow 25 lines of play at up to 10 credits per line. Each pull of the handle at the maximum bet will cost $2.50, which is fifty cents more than on some "dollar" machines.

Casinos keep customers in the gambling halls by offering hourly prizes that must be claimed within 30 minutes.

Customers are required to insert a casino ID card into a slot machine to qualify for hourly prizes. Although there may not be a requirement to gamble, once the card is in, the customer may actually feed the machine.

Gambling halls are filled with happy loud sounds like the tinkling of coins and simple ditties for winning bets and quiet short sounds for losing bets.

Hypnotic rotating wheels and video displays with flashing images keep the customer's attention on the slot machines and gaming equipment.

Slot machines programmed with "near misses" make customers think that they are close to winning thereby encouraging further play. The psychological stimulus of almost winning augments the desire to continue playing to try to get a big prize.

The loud ringing of slot machines paying out a jackpot serves to convince players who have been losing on nearby machines that it is possible to win by continuing to play.

Slot machines flash messages such as "Play 3 Credits" which imply that it is advantageous to maximize the amount of the bet. These messages act like subliminal suggestions which may be obeyed subconsciously.

The low level of lighting and the absence of clocks in a casino relaxes the customers and makes them lose track of time.

Casinos provide free alcoholic drinks to gamblers at the slot machines or game tables. People gambling under the influence of alcohol have poor judgement and lose their money faster.

Casinos have chairs only in front of the slot machines and game tables. This eventually forces tired customers to sit down to relax in situations conducive to gambling.

The floor plan of a casino is like a giant maze. The gambling machines and the gaming tables are arranged in staggered clusters that make it impossible to walk between two points in a straight line. It is necessary to meander through a variety of machines and games, and it is very easy to get lost and disoriented inside a big casino. Keeping the customer in the casino increases the chance that he or she will spend some money in a slot machine or at a table game.

Casinos establish a tier system with labels of "platinum", "titanium", and "diamond" for the more prestigious players, whereas the ordinary players are assigned categories like "gold" or "red label". The higher ranks with greater fringe benefits can only be achieved by increased level of play or by winning large jackpots. Big players have access to the "high roller" areas which supposedly pay bigger percentages.

(http://www.scientificpsychic.com/workbook/gambling.html)

Psychology Factor (AS)Do you notice that most players who win money want to win more; they will continue to stay at table until they lose all their money. The same situation happen on the players who lose money, they will try to cover the money lost by betting more until they lose all money they have in hand. This is the psychology factor that makes the casinos continue to be the winner at long run. The casino won't fear even you win big money because they know they will get back your winnings plus your money in the long run.

There are many betting strategies that published on various e-books that teach the player how to win money from casino. Theoretically the strategies will work if the player smartly implements the strategies. But the fact shows that most players will turn greedy when they win and forget about their strategies; what they want is continue win and win big. That's why they forget about the strategies, and bet based on their greedy behavior. This is how most players lose money to casino in the long runs.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Players-Lose-Their-Money-To-Casinos&id=1063940

Conditioning is a central training principle of behavioral psychology. Nearly everybody knows of the experiments by Ivan Pavlov in the early 1900s. Pavlov started by ringing a bell and presenting food simultaneously. When he stopped offering the food, the dogs still salivated at the sound of the bell. Later, to keep the dogs responding to the bell, he reinforced the behavior by accompanying it with food at random, but frequently enough that the stimulus was not futile too often. B F Skinner extended this work during the 1930s using conditioning to train animals such as pigeons and rats to perform various tasks.

Tom Creed, a psychology professor at the College of St Benedict at St John's University, says that slot machines utilize similar conditioning processes to produce player behavior characteristics desired by the casinos. Interestingly, slot machine developers didn't expressly build these features into the apparatus. Rather, the machines are successful because they happen to include them.

According to Professor Creed, the desired behavior is for patrons to be attracted to the machines, to gamble once attracted, and to continue playing for extended periods. More, this behavior must be maintained despite the negative influence of losses. A device "that can succeed under these conditions is indeed a model of operant conditioning at work," he states. Further, "the slot machine's nickname, 'one-armed bandit,' is indicative of the control it exerts over the player but is only half accurate -- it does take money from its victim, but must do so by enticement rather than force. 'One-armed hustler' would be more accurate."

Attracting solid citizens appears to be a matter of equipment design, from general appearance and sound to displays of payouts. This may help explain the current popularity of "themed" slots. Differences between Little Bo Peep and Count Dracula games may be nothing more than images on the screen or graphics on the faceplate; however, individuals may show preferences for one or the other, as well as a proclivity to investigate something new particularly when they can identify with it.

The most powerful feature of the slots for encouraging desired behavior, Professor Creed believes, is the reinforcement function. Payouts, which comprise the primary fortifying element, occur at unpredictable intervals and are of variable sizes. Play is initiated by the "possibility of winning big," he says. Gamblers "are not dreaming about small, relatively frequent reinforcement. The lure is hitting the jackpot." But, once begun, interest is kept up by the variable interval reinforcement of the modest returns. "This 'schedule-induced behavior' is so potent," he adds, "it is often regarded as an addiction."

Numerous small wins are augmented in maintaining behavior by secondary conditioning mechanisms, especially during periods when little or no return is obtained. In slot machines, the most important of these is the relative frequency at which players think they "almost" win. "Getting two out of three jackpot bars on a payline is exciting [and] the player has been

reinforced at no cost to the [casino]." High-value symbols visible on the display but not together on a payline are alternate conditional reinforcements that don't cost the bosses a cent. A conditioned stimulus effect, chiefly resulting from the bells, whistles, and flashing lights associated with winners on nearby machines, is an additional obvious means of secondary reinforcement. Cashback and slot clubs, while not inherent machine features considered by Professor Creed, serve comparable reinforcement roles.

Superstition is yet another conditioning principle intimately associated with slot machines. Prominent among these, Professor Creed asserts, is switching among machines. "Occasionally, switching is followed by reinforcement. When this happens, not only is slot playing reinforced, but so is switching." This doesn't necessarily equate slot players to rats who find their way through mazes when there's no cheese at the end.

http://krigman.casinocitytimes.com/articles/10510.html

Psychological (PL)You’re a college kid heading to Atlantic City for a night out with your friends. You’ve been planning this trip for a few weeks and let’s face it, it’s been the longest three weeks of your life because you just got done writing two ten page papers and aced a couple of mid-terms. Your roommate, the youngest in the house, turned twenty-one last Tuesday. It’s time to rage. Harrah’s is hosting a special event at The Pool. They brought in two of the biggest DJs in the music industry for one night only. A couple of your buddies called in their comped rooms but it isn’t like anybody plans on sleeping. It’s going to be one of those nights you talk about decades after you graduate. The second you get into the car to head down you have a set amount of money you’re looking to spend. Tonight is going to be all about the clubs and whatever else you can get into without spending a dime on the tables. Things change the second you walk through the main floor. The casino is right there and people are winning. What’re a couple hands of blackjack and few pulls on the slot machines before the night officially begins? You find the slot machine you like, it feels lucky and it’s even themed with the logos of your favorite sports team. After hearing that winning ringer a few times you start feeling a little more than lucky. This is your game. You’ve been here for a couple of hours and finally increased your standing within the rewards program of the casino. It’s time to meet up with your friends and head out to the club. You spend most of your money at the club and had a great time but you can make it back because you did so well earlier in the night. It’s time to make that money back. You know you can and you will but as the night the clock moves forward your wallet grows leaner. You’re down and you’ve fallen victim to the casino.

Slot machines are programmed to keep players at the seat for extended periods of time. Losing at the slots isn’t entirely the player’s fault. Casinos coax their patrons into the activity of playing the slots with a few simple techniques. Behavioral psychology plays a major role in the success of slot machines in casinos. In the early 1900’s Ivan Pavlov ran a series of experiments based around the ability to train dogs to respond to audible cues in connection with rewards. To begin the experiment Pavlov would ring a bell he would reward the dogs with food. As the experiments progressed Pavlov would reward the dogs on every nth ringing of his bell. Even though the dogs wouldn’t receive a reward on every cue of the bell they would proceed to salivate upon the ringing. The dogs in Pavlov’s experiment had been successfully trained to expect food upon the ringing of the bell to the point where he didn’t need to feed them at all. The same method of conditioning has become part of casinos; in particular slot machines. Slot machines weren’t

originally designed to work under the same principles as the experiment performed by Ivan Pavlov but they inadvertently possess many of the same principles. The behavior the casinos play on is the ability to attract gamblers and get to them play for extended periods of time. For the slot machine to work in the casino’s favor the player must sit and play through the incurred losses. Although the slot machines do pay out hefty sums on jackpots they rarely pay out the jackpot. Slot machines are programmed on a variable ratio. A reward based on a variable ratio is given out on an average. The variable ratio means that an amount will be paid to the player on every nth turn. In our case let’s say the average number ‘n’ is 200. On every 200th pull thecasino will pay the player at that machine. However, because this is a variable ratio the machine doesn’t pay out every 200th pull. Instead, if the machine pays the player on the first pull it could hold out to pay again until the 399th pull. The average in this case comes out to 200 because the casino has given a reward twice over the past 400 pulls. The variable ratio reward system allows the casino to get the upper hand on its patrons. When the player does win they are rewarded with credits and long series of “beeps” and “boops”. The “beeps” and “boops” work in much the same way as Pavlov’s bell. After a string of losses and not hearing the familiar sound of winning most players will leave the machine they have been playing in hopes a finding a better slot. As they wander the maze otherwise known as the casino floor the players will look for a machine with a color or theme that most agrees with their interests of reminds them of a fond memory. All the while the soundtrack to their search is little more than the pull of the arm and the sound of a winner. As the dogs hone in on their desired machines they fall back into the game of bells, whistles and continue the game of racking up rewards points while losing their wages. Moving away from the slots there are lots a games which can be played with a group of friends. In many ways the strategy in which a person you have a relationship with can affect the way in which you lay down your own bets. This aspect of gambling not only ventures into psychology but sociology and communication between members of a group. While all the players at the table when completely unfamiliar with one another will handle their bets in an individualistic manner a players moves can be drastically altered by having a friend at the table. In any walk of life when there is a problem at hand and a group of individuals is around to solve the problem certain members of the group will be better prepared through knowledge and experience to solve the problem. The members who are better equipped for the problem at hand then decide how to go about solving the problem. All of the other members whether or not they’re confident in the solution will inevitably follow suit because the person who is making the decision has past knowledge. This train of thought and strategy finds its way into casino tables when two or more friends sit down to play. There are a few instances where the group can be swayed by one person’s decision on how to bet their own stake. At the blackjack table there is usually a lot of talking and the more experienced players will dictate what to do on every hand. Sometimes these players will be risk takers and sometimes they’ll play the percentages. It is always in any player’s best interest to go with the percentages than the high risk. Bravado isn’t going to make the cards fall in a casino. When you take this group dynamic to a table like craps or roulette the game can get more interesting. Everyone will go by what has been working for them and take the game easy. If a certain number or color hasn’t gotten a hit in so many turns the players begin to get a little on edge. The color or number that hasn’t been hitting is said to be due. One player might throw down half his or her stack on a single spot. This act of idiocy can lead the group astray from their more intelligent bets. Everyone at the table who knows the guy who just laid down the ridiculous bet will most likely go in for the ride. Solidarity is key a key dynamic to the survival of any group. These actions will strengthen the relationship of everyone who follows

suit. Win or lose psychologically everyone walks out of the hand a winner. The group dynamic of gambling is the strongest in the game.When it comes time to decide whether or not to stay at the slots or tables, which all gamblers will face from amateurs to professionals, it is imperative to keep your wits about you. There is the old saying that the casino always wins in the long run. This saying is tried and true. When a player is up it is very easy to stay at the table and keep playing. There is no problem with the strategy of continuing to increase the night’s winnings as long as you keep with the strategy that got you to where you are. As the night wears on many players start to get cocky by betting on hands which are in the casino’s favor based on the odds. These hands never will be in their favor but lady luck has been on their side so they throw in the chips. These players are going for the big win because that is what they ventured off to the casino for in the first place. By the time they realize they’re stacks have dwindled it’ll be too late. When this realization sets in it’s time to head into Plan B. Plan B involves making back the money lost. At this point it is a pretty good idea to get out of the casino and cut your losses. The problem with Plan B is that it never works. Players continue to fork over their money only now they’ve become more cautious in their betting and when they win on sure hands they don’t take down the pots they need to get even. Over an extended period of extreme caution the player’s pot dwindles down to nothing. They buy back in the hopes of gaining breaking even yet again but lose the next round of chips taken out. These players haven’t been entirely suckered by the casino. They get caught up in their own psychological hole which they can’t escape. Greed isn’t always good, especially on the tables and the slots.At the end of the night when all is said and done whether you won or lost you’re probably going home on a good note. The casinos broke you in a little, tricked you into playing their games, coaxed you into sitting on the tables a little too long and gave you the hope of somehow winning your money back. With a little practice and keeping these few details in mind next time you venture in to Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Philadelphia you’ll fare a little better on the floor.(http://www.scientificpsychic.com/workbook/gambling.html)http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Players-Lose-Their-Money-To-Casinos&id=1063940http://krigman.casinocitytimes.com/articles/10510.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Rewardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_dynamics

Gambling Addiction (TG)When one thinks of someone with an addiction, the first thought is that of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs. An addiction that is overlooked although it affects millions is an addiction to gambling. Gambling isn’t as obvious an addiction as drugs or alcohol but still bears a burden for those who knows someone who suffers from it. Like any addiction, it has affects many, has symptoms both visible and hidden, and can be treated if taken seriously with the help from loved ones. Problem gambling affects more than 15 million people. Under this category, 3 million are considered severe problem gamblers or gambling addicts. Whether it is because of a biological disorder or the thrill of possibly winning millions, gambling has become more severe and the number of people affected by it are still growing. While gambling can range from online poker to betting on sports, casinos are the most well known culprits when it comes to fueling people’s gambling addiction. No matter what category a person falls under, it is important for them to understand that they suffer from an addiction and take the proper steps towards curing it.

With any addiction, it is important to be able to identify the symptoms and be able to tell if someone you know and love displays or hides these symptoms.

The person is quiet or has lied about their gambling - If the person is quiet or has lied about when they gamble, how often they gamble, and how much they, they may have a gambling problem.

The person is preoccupied about gambling - If the person discusses past gambling events, plans for future gambling, or feels the need to have money ready for gambling, they may have a gambling problem

The person has trouble controlling their gambling - If the person doesn’t know when to quit or feels the need to win back all the money they have already lost, they may have a gambling problem.

The person gambles even if they have no money - Most people go to a casino with a set amount of money they are willing to gamble, if the person has lost that money and goes to get more money to gamble, money used to pay bills, children’s education, or basic living needs, then they may have a gambling problem.

The person has committed any crimes for money - Like any addiction, people need to fuel their addiction. If the person has committed any crime whether it is fraud, robbery, etc, they may have a gambling problem.

The person has friends or family that are worried about them - This is one of the most overlooked symptoms. Most of the time when a person has any type of addiction, friends and family express concern for the individual but the individual dismisses it or gets angry when the subject is brought up. If an individual has lied to family and friends or has shown to put gambling over important relationships then they may have a gambling problem.

While these are only a view symptoms that a person may or may not display, it is important to pay careful attention to how they act and what there state of mind is. Stress and other factors can contribute to a person developing a gambling addiction so a person who is sad, anxious, or angry shouldn’t gamble as it may reflect one of the mentioned symptoms and possibly lead to more. Although some of these symptoms are more severe than the rest, it is vital to take any symptom seriously and offer that person the love and help they need.

Treatment for gambling addiction is a difficult and tedious process that needs a 100% commitment and dedication from both the individual and those who care in order for that person to properly beat it. With any addiction, it is important to know the individual and pick a treatment option that is appropriate for them. Treatment that works for one person isn’t tailored for others and may worsen the addiction. A common element with addictions is that it is important for a person with an addiction to admit they have one. If a person denies they have an addiction, they will not be open to help from anyone and will not commit to any treatment. Once a person admits they have an addiction, there are several treatment options that an individual can choose.

The first option a person can take is Gamblers Anonymous. Similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous is a 12 step recovery program. One part of Gamblers Anonymous is they have 20 Questions that help determine whether they truly have a gambling problem and are willing to try and stop gambling. The questions are:

1. Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?3. Did gambling affect your reputation?4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?5. Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?6. Did gambling ever cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency? 7. After losing, did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses? 8. After a win, did you have a strong urge to return and win more?9. Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?10. Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling? 12. Were you reluctant to use “gambling money” for normal expenditures? 13. Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family? 14. Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned? 15. Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom, or loneliness? 16. Have you ever committed or considered committing an illegal act to finance gambling? 17. Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping? 18. Do arguments, disappointments, or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble? 19. Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortunate by a few hours of gambling?20. Have you ever considered self destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling? - Those who say Yes to 7 or more of these questions are said to be compulsive gamblers and should seek help. http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/20questions.html

Another option that Gamblers Anonymous offers is a sponsor. A sponsor is a person who has time and has been free from gambling for a while. This purpose of a sponsor is to provide support and guidance to a person who is having trouble controlling their gambling habits. While the support of friends and family is valuable, a sponsor is someone who can truly relate to the person and be able to understand how they feel and how hard it is to control this addiction. As stated before this form of treatment is not for everyone but can be effective for someone who truly needs someone to be there when they need it.

The second option is cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy is meant to target an addicts behavioral patterns when it comes to gambling. Most of the time, gamblers have irrational gambling habits and thoughts when they gamble so it is important to get gamblers to approach situations differently. Also through this process, gamblers will be able to fight the urge to gamble, find different outlets instead of turning to gambling, and fix any relationships that were ruined because of gambling. Sometimes a Four Step Program is used to re-label, re-attribute, refocus, and revalue. Each step brings a person one step closer to curing this addiction. In some cases, cognitive behavioral therapy can include drugs to counteract psychological urges. Some examples of these drugs are Tegretol, Topamax, Lithobid, and Luvox. While drugs have proven to work for some individuals, it is not for everyone and is often over used or thought to be the cure so people take a pill a day and think they are cured. It is important to have a balance between therapy, drugs, and support. For an addict, they will need to find what works for them, be fully committed to fighting this addiction, and understand that this will be a arduous but rewarding process. http://helpguide.org/mental/gambling_addiction.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/gambling_addiction/article.htm

Also related to gambling addiction is the possibly of high frequency. In the past few years, gambling is more than just going to a casino and playing table games. Gambling has now turned into betting on sports, playing the lottery, and many other different forms. Casinos are no longer the only form of gambling but are considered one of the most prevalent sources and can still have serious effects. Several studies have looked at adolescents who are of age to gamble and others look at older adults who may have been gambling for a while. One study showed that the numbers of adolescents who have gambled at least once was much higher than those who have gambled in the past 12 months. This study also looked at other types of gambling while also taking into account different age groups, gender, and other gambling activities. Since new types of gambling activities have been introduced, casinos are not the only cause of gambling addiction. Another study showed gambling frequency has declined in the last 15 years but said that there were limitations to their research and some results may not reflect adequate results. Once again this showed how casinos have loss their grip on the gambling world. Gambling frequently at casinos has shown not to be a strong source for causing gambling addiction. Gambling frequency is not easy to monitor and casinos are not the only source of gambling that may lead to a gambling. While it is easy to see someone who frequently goes to a casino may have a gambling problem, this doesn’t apply to everyone. Those who have never have stepped into a casino may still have a gambling problem. Casinos are still one of the most popular places to gamble and can be one of the reasons a person may develop an addiction to gambling but with little physical evidence and erratic results, its hard to blame casinos for causing people to have an addiction to gambling. In the future with more sources to gamble popping up and more evidence on frequency of gambling, it may be easier to tell if casinos are the ones to blame. http://www.gamblingaddiction.org/adolescent/CHAPTER2.htmhttp://www.basisonline.org/2011/02/wager-vol-162-gambling-frequency-decline-in-15-years.html

Odds/ House Edge (MC)With all of the aforementioned tricks and methods casinos use to keep you gambling, I have compiled the statistics for each of the main floor games (Craps, BlackJack and Roulette). Along with odds Ill take a small look into table etiquette when playing craps.

Craps is by far the most intimidating game on a casino floor. If you don't know where the craps table is just listen for the loudest screams and celebrations. It’s almost always in the middle of all the floor games next to a bar of some sort. There are a couple of reasons that craps can look like such a confusing and intimidating game. First and foremost the players surrounding a craps table consist of loud, drunk older males who have a lot of money in chips and a lot of chips on the table. Second the Game board itself has over 40 places to make bet and takes 4 dealers to run just 1 table. Plus these dealers aren't your regular blackjack dealer, they are in constant conversation with the gamblers and aren't afraid to yell at you or disregard your bet. Having played Craps every time I've been to a casino i understand what to do and most importantly what NOT to do when it comes to bets a etiquette.

Etiquette at a craps table has a lot to do with your winning and overall experience at the craps table. The main part of playing craps, besides knowing what the best bets are, is how you interact with the dealers and other gamblers at the craps table. As i said before it takes 4 dealers

to run a game of craps and each has their own job. A craps table has 1 dealer on each end whose job is to convert cash into playing chips and make sure that the bets at their end of the table are paid correctly. The 3rd dealer is called “The Stickman” because he is the one controlling the dice with a long flexible stick. The stickman is the loudest dealer announcing each roll of the dice followed by where it wins and loses. The stickman returns the dice to the shooter after all payoffs have been completed. The last and most important dealer at the craps table is “The Boxman”. The boxman wears a suit and tie and remains seated during the game in front of the main bank of chips. This position goes to an experienced casino executive and his job is to take charge of the craps table, in any case of dispute the final word goes to the boxman.

As a gambler you have to understand dealers want you to win, the house wants you to lose. The only way dealers make money besides for the hours they work (minimum wage) is in tips. If a dealer only has losers then they will not be tipped well. Dealers will help you and as payment small tips are expected for regular wins and larger tips for big wins. A good rule to go by is for every $50 won you tip $2. Also when a shooter is making someone else at the table a lot of money tips can be given to the shooter. Dealers allow this but find it disrespectful if you don’t tip them at the same time.

These rules of etiquette will keep your craps dealers happy and a happy dealer will help with any questions. This said you should never play craps no matter what. I researched the house edge that is applied to each of the possible craps bets and you will lose a lot of your money in a short amount of time. A 7 will be rolled once in every 6 rolls statically. The list below brakes down the statics in more detail.

CrapsBet House Edge

Pass Line 1.4% Don't Pass Line 0.8%

Come Bet 1.4% Field:3, 4, 8, 10, or 11 5.5%

Field: 2 or 12 5.5% Any 7 16.67%

Any craps 11.11% Hardways 6 or 8 9.09%

Hardways 4 or 10 11.11% Place 4 or 10 6.67%

Place 5 or 9 4.00% Place 6 or 8 1.52%

Blackjack is one of those games that people like to play because they know how to. While knowing how to play most people don’t know that the house has a 5% advantage over them. This 5% advantage is only if they gambler follows the rules perfectly. The casinos make money off the people who don't follow the rules and who are nervous to take another card. The blackjack rules are very strict, if the dealer is showing 20 you hit until you have 17 or better. But a gambler who thinks that they can sit with 14 and let the dealer bust is wrong 58.3% of the time which gives the house an even bigger edge. The list below shows the frequency if you follow

the rules of blackjack.

BlackJackEvent FrequencyPlayer win 44%

Dealer win 48% Push (tie) 8%

Player Blackjack 5% Dealer Blackjack 5%

Roulette is the game that is very approachable and social. Everyone at a Roulette table is guessing numbers and colors and most will pair up and pick together so that if they win they can celebrate together. Problem is there are 2 spaces on the roulette wheel that are neither odd or even, black or red, high or low. The 0 and 00 spaces are the green ones and when the ball lands on them there will be no celebrations. These two numbers alone are what give the house its advantage of 5.26. This game is better then the rest cause you can have fun with your buddies picking pointless numbers and colors. Pointless numbers include your birthday,street number, age, and the number of drinks you have had all night which hopefully is less then 36 because it doesn't go any higher. Bottom line is you will lose your money slower then craps while having more fun with your buddies, but still you will lose your money if you don't quit while your ahead.

Double Zero RouletteBet Frequency

Single Number

2.63%Even, Odd, Low (1-18),High (19-36),Red, Black 47.37%

The House Edge is the Casino’s (house) Advantage (edge) over the gambler. Everyone knows that the casinos have the advantage but gambling is fun so people are going to continue to do it, myself included. If I have learned anything in my semester long research into Casinos is that you cant go just to win money. Gambling is fun when you do it for fun, not when you go out of your way to try and beat the House. If you think you can beat the house go back and look at the statistics. This article is to inform you on the bets that have the best odds of winning and let you know what bets to stay away from when you do gamble.

The Service Project: Survey

For our community service project, we chose to write a survey and hand it out to people at casinos of our choosing. The survey consists of questions we have each thought of and questions that Gambler’s Anonymous has used in order to determine if people realize how much they gamble when they go to a casino or more importantly if they have a gambling problem. The survey asked: What is your gender?

What is your age? How often do you go to a casino?How do you feel when you are in a casino? Do you go to a casino with a limit on how much you are willing to gamble?Provide a range.If yes, Have you gone over your set limit? If so, by how much? After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses? Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned? Have you ever felt remorse after gambling? How do you feel when you leave a casino?

What we hope to find from this survey is a wide variety of answers from different perspectives. We understand that no two people are alike and not everyone we ask is going to admit they have a gambling problem. Instead, we hope to see that our participants realize what their state of mind is when they are at a casino, realize how much they gamble with, and if they feel they are in control.

(PA)One of the casinos we got information from was the Mt. Airy casino in Pennsylvania. I was in the parking lot outside the casino. It was very hard to get people to take the time to answer my questions and trust that I was doing this for research. I believe people didn’t want to answer my questions or take the time to hear what I had to say for fear of being judged or not willing to spill secrets to a stranger despite the fact i don’t know them and its anonymous. Another factor that i believed contributed to people’s lack of response is fear of realizing their own gambling problem or vices. Older adults weren’t willing to take the time but I ran into college age kids who were willing to answer my questions. Unfortunately they were all men roughly the same age (21 to 24) so I didn’t get the diversity I was hoping for. They all said that they go to casinos roughly 1 to 2 times a month. None of them believed that they went to casinos more than they should have. All of them agreed that they like the thrill of walking to a casino, and playing the table games of their choice. They said there is no greater feeling than winning money at a casino in front of everyone, getting cheap drinks, and having a good time with friends. Most of them go to a casino with a set amount of money ranging from as little to $50 to as much $500. Some of them said that they have gone over their set limit but not by much saying they had gone to an ATM to withdraw a little more. This goes along with the feeling that once they lost their money, they would try to win it back. All of them said that there were times were they lost their money and left and other times they would try to win it back with mixed results. All of them agreed that they have gambled longer than expected. They said that once they get there, they sit at tables and play their game of choice mostly poker, roulette, craps, and blackjack with the occasional lesser known table games. Depending on if they were winning, trying to win money back, having a few drinks, or just having a good time, all of these would lead them to stay longer than expected but they said they rarely have a set time limit. These results were similar to the ones we mentioned in this classipedia. Some of them mentioned feeling a little remorse after gambling only if they lost money or someone they knew lost money. In the end, all of them said they have mixed feelings when they leave casinos depending on how much they won/loss, how much their friends won/lost, or overall experience including drinks, perks, rooms, and atmosphere. I thanked them

for their time and hope that these questions would make them think differently about casinos and gambling.

(NJ)During our community service project we visited the Tropicana in Atlantic City NJ on Friday

4/08/11. After being told we couldn’t hand out surveys inside the Casino we tried handing out surveys in the parking deck. This didn't work because being a Friday everyone was rushing into the Casino either for the nightlife or to gamble so they didn't want to stop and take the survey. Instead me and Pat went into the Casino to just ask the questions in a conversation format while either sitting next to them or playing a table game along side them. This worked out a lot better because the people could answer the questions while explaining to us how their night went. Instead of writing them down on paper we just typed the responses into our phones. The results are recorded below.

Gender Age Frequency $Amount1 M 50’s 1/Week -2002 M 40’s 1/Year -603 M 60’s 3/Year +254 F 60’s 3/Year 05 M 20’s 1/Month -1106 M 20’s 1/Month +507 F 70’s 1/Week -2508 F 40’s 2/Year -409 M 50’s 5/Year -60010 M 30’s 2/Month +10011 M 30’s 1/Month -8012 M 40’s 2/Year +20013 M 60’s 1/Week -2014 F 60’s 1/Week -7515 M 50’s 1/Month -120016 M 40’s 1/Week -150Mike M 20’s 1/Month -70Pat M 20’s 4/Year +160

The one thing that we saw repeatedly was older individuals and money in the negative. The other survey questions asking them about their limit and how they felt before during and after were the most revealing. Out of the 16 people surveyed, 10 admitted to not really having the money to lose. Most saying its fun and “its just money anyway”. Another pattern we saw was that gambling is a family event having about half of the people surveyed being at the casino with a family member. The question about remorse everyone answered that they had no remorse but I think the answered would have been different if the survey was taking anonymous. Being a Friday night the traffic around the gambling was mostly young people going from the bars and clubs and later on in the night when the bars let out they were gambling. Overall having a logical conversation with these 16 gamblers made them think about why they were here and what keeps them coming back. Hopefully some will go home and realize that they don't need to

gamble to have fun. Especially the man I was playing craps with who was down $800 when I started playing along side him and asking questions, he eventually was down $1200 when I left.

(NJ)While standing in the parking lot at the Borgata on Sunday morning I was able to get a hand

full of people to survey the following answers. I was only able to get one girl to survey the rest were mostly men but I was able to to get a pretty wide range of ages. Out of the women they mostly would go with their husbands not really gambling much they would either be a good luck charm however the one woman I got was 39 years old and she said she would mostly play slot machines and hardly ever went over her limit. She would usually go with $200 and play slots. She loved the sound that the slots win when she would win and had won money over time but most of the time she ends up losing. She never felt like she should not have went even when she would lose and would go to the casinos about once a month and she never had to usually pay for a room because she would get comped. The men on the other hand would spend a little more. Some of the younger men i found had a smaller range from about $100 to $300 at the most. I found this most likely because they probably would have less money most of them were in college and did not really have jobs where they could live off of. This age was from 21-25. They mostly wanted to go with a group of friends and have a rush of maybe doubling up even though most of them admitted to never really winning. One of them said that he was able to actually win about 80% of the time and he played poker and said he has been playing poker since he was 18 years old with friends and on the Internet. Most of them said that they would usually end up losing because is they were ever winning they wanted to win more but would really just end up losing it all. One of them had a problem with stopping and would always go over his limit by a hundred dollars or so. When he lost he felt that he could make his winnings back but never really did. Most of them did not really go to the casinos a lot about 1 time every 3 months at the most. They would usually try to make it a special occasion and take advantage of a comp room that they were given by one of their friends. the main purpose most of them admitted to going to the casino was to hit up the clubs but they did feel that they had a rush entering and gambling at the casino.

I was only able to survey two older men about the casino and I think i was lucky to get two different examples. The first male was 48 years old and said he would bring his wife sometimes but most of the time he went by himself or one of his buddies. He would always go with a set limit of about 500 dollars and never went over but would start by only playing $200. This method meant that he would not spend his 500 dollars most of the time unless he lost his first $200 fast. He never really had a time limit would just go to he lost his money or when he got tired and that would happen only if he never went over his limit. Played a variety of games and really only went to the casino on a special vacation or time away. Probably went about 5 or 6 times a year. The other man was 76 years old and loved going to the casino with his wife. He went about once a month if not more and would spend and wide range of about a $1000 to $5000 dollars even though he said that he never really spent as much as $5000. He loved going and winning money, the rush of gambling was fun for him and his retired wife. He just went and really did not care how long he was their or how much money he had as long as he and his wife were having fun then it was a good time. I guess he was lucky and had some money to spend so he did not mind but he did say that one time he bought in after his $5000 dollar limit but won some money back. Even though he won he wish he would have not bought back in because it was very risky. After interviewing them all I could find out that most of them did not win but loved going no one that i was able to interview said they had a problem or one that they

wanted to admit to. Casinos maybe fun but they have the edge in every game and as long as you set a limit you should be fine and you will have fun.

Editorials

(Cucinotta)Daily Targum

Casinos: Their Slot More Being Built

Its official the United States is in a recession and has been since December of 2007. With most businesses being forced to shutdown or lower their prices, why haven’t Casinos.

Since the recession in 2007 Casinos have been popping up everywhere on the east coast and continue to expand. From NJ spending millions to create a tourist district in Atlantic City, to Pennsylvania being allowed to have table games, Casinos seem like the only thing to profit from recent economic problems. Now that gambling has become more of a job then leisure, I found it worth repeating my opinion.

To recap the average American spends $49,683 annually with $2698 spent on entertainment. So I ask again why haven’t Casinos been forced to lower their prices. The answer is because of the combination of entertainment and the chance to win money. Casinos do everything in their power to get you to spend your $2698 at their locations so this is why more are being built and more games are becoming available.

When I say “lower their prices” with casinos I’m talking about bettering the players odds. With house advantages like 1.4% for craps, 5% for roulette and 20% for slots; I don’t see why casinos cant lower their advantage at all. Having talked about the increasing number of casinos being built and games offered I looked into what types of games were being put in most. To no surprise, nickel slot machines with the house advantage of 20% were being put into casinos most since 2007.

The reasons for this aren’t obvious so I have compiled a couple reasons for you here. First and most important is that slot machines don’t require a worker and they are always turned on. For a small electrical bill a slot machine can have all its lights and noises running 24 hours a day seven days a week. Slot machines are fun and inviting and come in thousands of varieties to fit the needs of everyone who comes in. They take no skill or intellect to play, you just relax in a chair put money in and pull a lever. Actually pulling a lever has become to strenuous and now all slot machines built have flashy, easy to press buttons. Black Jack only can win you 2.5 times the money you bet, slot machines are different because literally every credit has the possibility of having a huge payout. Slot machines use Psychological tricks to keep you at the machines losing your money. Tricks like small pays outs every couple spins and almost every roll being a near miss to a huge jackpot or bonus game.

With all of these reasons you mind as well just take your money to an arcade, at least at an

arcade the games are better. Their is one last psychological trick I like because its exactly like the city in which its in. Lights and bells go off every time you win, stimulating you to play again. When driving through Atlantic City you can see all the lights and hear all of the commotion, it is just one big slot machine and with every visit you feel like your going win big. And like a slot machine Atlantic Ciy even bears the slogan “Always Turned On”http://www.thegamblersedge.com/craps/craptp.htmhttp://www.nextshooter.com

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(Lubin)Wall Street Journalonline.WSJ.com

It’s the American dream, every American dreams of becoming rich without lifting so much as a single finger. These dreams can be satisfied by playing the lottery, picking up a scratch off or cashing in on a slot machine. The latter of the three is in fact the easiest to lose your savings. Slot machines are designed to hark on a player’s human nature and rob him of his savings. The majority of players don’t venture to the casinos with the intention of losing their money at the slots but the way the games are set up there is no other possible outcome. When people begin the realize gambling as a whole is as much as means of entertainment as going to the movies and not a possible means of income they will come out on top. The casinos always win in the slots game but it’s not all based on mathematical odds.

Slot machines are rigged to keep people in the seats for the long haul. They use mental cues to coax players into playing until their bankroll’s run out. The science behind the tactics casinos use in keeping players at the slots is based on a famous experiment. The Pavlov experiment in which the scientist used bells to cue feeding times for dogs has been adapted to the slots in combination with the dream of winning big on one big pull. The slot machines are set up to play enticing noises when a player hits a winning combination. These noises draw in players and are repeated throughout each player’s session at his seat. They all make noises regardless of the amount won. With ever win the players become enticed to push more money into the mouth of the machine.

I don’t feel it’s wrong for the casinos to hark on a person’s greed. It may be a bit on the immoral side to take advantage of a person’s greed or response to the high of even a small win. That’s the risk people take when they sit down at the slot machines. It then becomes their decision whether they want to go for a big win or spend their night’s money on a few minutes at the slots or on other means of entertainment. I hope people show self control and allot a given amount of money to risk at the slot machine and get more out of life meeting people in the other areas of entertainment the casino has to offer.

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(Thomas Gallagher) Star Ledger 3/23/11

When one thinks of an addiction or someone who suffers from an addiction, the first thought is that of alcohol or drugs. It is believed that these addictions are a serious illness and need to be treated immediately. An addiction that is overlooked is gambling whether it is gambling at a casino, on races and games, or online poker. Gambling is as serious as an addiction to alcohol or drugs but gambling doesn’t get the same publicity. Each addiction deserves a specialized plan for the individual but it’s important that each addiction be taken serious and addressed. While more people may know someone who is an alcoholic or drug addict, compulsive gamblers are just as prominent.

Addictions all have facts, symptoms, and forms of treatment yet gambling is often viewed on a different tier than that of alcohol and drugs when it should be viewed the same. An addiction affects millions of people whether it is the person who suffers from it or family and friends who try to help that person. Millions of people can be classified as a compulsive gambler, numbers similar to that of alcoholics and drugs. Symptoms for alcohol and drug use are more visible than that of gambling. All of them have invisible or hidden symptoms that are just as serious and need to be identified in order to treat the addiction. The biggest difference between gambling and alcohol/drug addiction is the treatment an addict can receive. Rehab for drug addicts and alcoholics are much more prevalent and are used more than that of gambling. There are less rehabilitation centers for gambling and aren’t as common. Each addiction has support groups, medication, and numbers to call depending on the person’s individual need. Most importantly, addiction affects relationships and well being. Gambling like alcohol and drugs can tear family and friends apart, affect a person’s physical and mental health, and can lead to suicide. With all these similarities, an addiction is an addiction. Gambling is no different than alcohol and drug use they are all serious addictions.

When someone buys a bottle of alcohol, there is a label saying drink responsibly. Drugs are illegal an can lead to jail time or a heavy fine if a person is caught using. Gamblers are told to be responsible , monitor their money, and not gamble if they are depressed or drunk. While all these are ways to get people from becoming an addict, people still find ways to fuel their addiction. People will try to sneak alcohol, buy drugs, and gamble away their savings. An addiction means being enslaved to a habit. Gambling is the feeling of spending in the hopes of winning despite accumulated losses. It has proven to be an addiction, one that can be compared to alcohol and drug abuse. Next time someone mentions an addiction make sure to understand that gambling is an addiction and needs to be treated properly.

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(Alex Silvestro)Ever watch a casino commercial or have saw an advertisement in the paper that talked

about visiting a casino. At the bottom in extra small print or at the end of a commercial where the guy talks really fast it always says something like “have a gambling problem or know anyone who does call 1-800-gambler.” This is because casinos have to acknowledge the fact that gambling addictions can ruin individual’s life and it would seem classless if they did not act like they care. The question is do they really care if people have gambling addictions?

People who have addictions or like to gamble more often then most are the ones casinos make the most money off of. The people who spend more then they can afford and the ones who continue to come back to the casino for more then a “once-in-a-while weekend vacation”. In Atlantic City there are currently 10 casinos and a Hilton hotel that has tables and slot machines because it is in Atlantic City and sees how the big brother casinos make profits and tries to do a little of the same on the side. There are also two casinos currently under construction the Revel Casino and the Golden Nugget which are set to open in 2011 and 2012. Everyone has a friend or knows someone who likes to gamble about everything. Well the funniest or most ironic thing about that person is every time they come back from the casino they always like to tell stories about how much they win. The funny thing is if people go to casinos all the time and they are always winning why would they continue to keep building more and more casinos.

This is all because every game in the casino gives the house or the casino the edge over the gambler. Certain games such as Keno have a 25% edge over the gambler which gives it a lot better chance of winning. Also they as always giving out these complementary or comp rooms to continue to get repeat gamblers back to casinos as much as possible. Casinos have numerous tricks to try to people to come back to casino and gamble. So if they really care so much about gambling addictions why do they continue to trick people into staying longer? The longer people are in a casino the more they are willing to spend money so casinos have tricks which help confuse gamblers. Next time you enter a casino look around you will notice that there are noclocks or windows in a casino. This is so people gambling will lose track of time and bet longer then they intended to. Even the chips are a part of a scheme to help casinos win more money. They have chips instead of actual money so people may not realize how much money they are actually playing with so they will gamble more. Casinos give out comps to people so that they will most likely come back even if they did not plan on it. Certain comps that casinos give out are free or discounted rooms, free food or drinks, free airfare, or limousine service, and casinos have even been known to give out free chips to help encourage people to gamble more.

Without people casinos will not be able to make a profit and will go bankrupt and eventually have to close. Just because they have a gambling addiction hot line or have signs that make you believe they care about gambling addictions honestly the only way they will be able to pay their bills is if people continue to keep playing and they don’t care what problems you have as long as the money keeps flowing in. http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/alexs13@eden.rutgers.edu