Five Signs You’re Addicted to Gambling
It is easy to fall under the spell of the excitement and glamour of a Las Vegas casino. In fact, it would be hard not to, as the opportunity to gamble is everywhere with its seductive appeal. The lights, sounds, and excitement can lead you to overlook signs that you are beginning to lose control. There is a fine line between enjoying gambling and becoming addicted to it. Fortunately, there are telltale signs that gambling has gone from an enjoyable pastime into a true addiction that could affect your life negatively.
1. You’re Drowning in Debt
Winning a bet feels pretty good, and you might keep raising the stakes. You keep losing money, but tell yourself everything’s OK. You place another bet on your credit card and win some back. But then you lose three times after and everything you’ve won. Before you know it, you’ve blown all of your money and have maxed out every avenue of credit that you have.
2. You’re About to Lose Everything
Once all your credit and loan lines are maxed out, your only option is to use the cash that you have. You might start selling anything valuable, so you have enough to gamble. You also have begun to default on your mortgage, car, and insurance payments. And now you are on the verge of losing everything.
3. Your Family and Friends are Done
Your partner or family has already threatened to leave if you don’t stop. Financially, the household is struggling, and you often hide how much you gamble from them. You keep pressuring them to loan you money one more time, promising it’s the last time, and you mean it, but it never is. They’ve begged you to stop gambling, but you can’t seem to stop.
4. You’re Being Sued
You’ve stopped making payments on your financial debts, and they won’t be put off any longer. The amounts of money you owe are substantial, and interest is building. Creditors and loan institutions are starting legal proceedings to sue you or garnish your wages.
5. You’ve Landed in Jail
You begin to feel like everything is falling apart, so you think to yourself, “If I can just bet some more money, I can win. I’ll pay everyone back and be done with this.” However, there is a flaw in your plan. You don’t have any money, and no one will loan you any because you haven’t paid them back what you owe. So you resort to theft, schemes, or other things you otherwise wouldn’t normally do.
“If I take some cash from work or John and Sally, I’ll win tonight and return the money before they notice.” But not only do you lose, but they also figure out what you’ve done and decide to press charges.
“I found out how to cheat. I think I’m pretty good at it, and no one will ever know. I hate cheating, but I’ve got to win my money back.” But not only do they catch you cheating, but they’ve also detained you. And now you’re being charged.
You can’t believe this has happened. This is not like you, and you can’t shake the feelings of shame and disappointment.
Resources
Gambling is an excellent form of entertainment in moderation. However, you can become addicted just like you can become addicted to drugs, alcohol, food, or even exercise. If you think you or a loved one could have a gambling problem, help is available in Nevada. All of these places are ready to help and offer support to those who need it. You don’t have to go through this alone, and you can recover.
People come all over the world to Las Vegas to unwind and have fun gambling. But unfortunately, gambling addiction is a very real problem that affects members worldwide and in our community. Contact us today if you’ve been arrested in Las Vegas and need a bail bondsman. We’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll get you out quickly and without judgment.
