Am I addicted to gambling?

Question

I was at an amusement park yesterday when I saw this game where you had to put in 2 balls into a can, but the can would make the ball bounce so you had to be gentle. If I put in 2 balls, I would win a box 360, so I put in $5 and played. I lost, the next day the guy made the game seem so easy for me to win and I felt so happy and left like it was a piece of cake. I put in $10 and lost again. Then, the guy made me a deal in-front of my cousins which seemed so good, so I had to put in another $10, and I lost once more.

am I addicted to gambling? this is the first time I've ever put so much money into anything at the amusement park. Or was it because the guy made it seem so fun and winnable? Or was it the pressure from relatives/friends/cousins?

I'm 14 years old.

Answer 1

No, you are not addicted to gambling. The guy at the amusement park took advantage of your youth, a scheme they try on everyone. An older adult usually knows those games are rigged, they allow an occasional win but the odds are against you. Beware of games at carnivals and fairs too. If you want to play, set aside x number of dollars that you can afford to lose, then walk away. Addicted gamblers wager large sums of money over a long period of time whether they can afford it or not, spending paychecks, savings, or borrowed money, it is a compulsion to gamble. That does not apply to your one time episode.

Answer 2

I don't think you're addicted to gambling, you're just stupid.  Amusement park games are next to impossible to win.  That's pretty common knowledge.  Trying once just for fun is one thing, but going back again and again is just crazy.  You will spend the price of an Xbox trying to win it.

Answer 3

You lost 25 bucks. Nothing to worry about as far as being an addict or anything. Addicted gamblers bet with their mortgage payments, food money, car payments, stuff like that. Just do what you're doing now by being aware of your habits so you don't lose control. P.S. I lost 600 bucks in a casino last night. That is a problem gambler.(My kids still have plenty to eat though)

Answer 4

No, you got suckered. I would stay away from carnival games. You can't win them. They are rigged so you can't win. I used to work at an amusement park. You know the shoot out the star game, with the machine guns? One season, nobody won. Does that tell you something?

Answer 5

No, you are not addicted. Those addicted to gambling will go for gambling even the drive dsitance is more then half day frequently.

Answer 6

You're not addicted to gambling but, you were the victim of a clever scam. Those games are routinely rigged by the operator so that it might seem easy to you when they demonstrate, but when you actually play, a flip of a hidden switch and presto, things slightly move or change angles without you noticing. It's a common thing at amusement parks. How do you think they make money and stay in business? The key is knowing when to quit. Not b/c you "can't hit the broad side of a barn", or b/c you can aim straight, it's b/c you only have a certain amount of money that could be spent on better things or saved. Next time make a small budget and play only $5. When you're done, win or lose, you are done. Don't keep trying to win.  

Answer 7

Haha.  No.  You just enjoyed the rush.  You're not addicted.

Key point: You stopped.  An addict would have spent everything he had.

Answer 8

Whether its gambling, drugs, s*x, job promotions - life is full of people and things that make normal "no no's" fun and make you want to continue.  Best advice?  Take a deep breath when confronted with any of the above and make sure the decision you make at that moment, will not influence or ruin the major part of your every day life.