By Thompson Perry
For Chris Prentice, gambling has become too comfortable and familiar to exhilarate him in quite the same way as it once did.
“I used to [get excited gambling], but now it’s become second nature to me,” said Prentice, a senior communication major. “It’s like riding a bike: a rush at first but old habit after a while.”
It’s a habit that Prentice shares with many of his fellow students; according to a study by Potomac State University, nine out of every 10 college students has made a wager of some kind in the past year. For the majority of these students, gambling represents a generally harmless way to have fun and excitement, but for some, gambling poses a significant risk.
“Most people can gamble responsibly and never develop a problem. For some, gambling develops into a problem for which they have little to no control” said Mary Lay, project manager of the Indiana Problem Gambling Awareness Program “Problem gambling can lead to financial devastation, crime and poor physical and mental health including an increased risk of substance abuse, depression and suicide.”
Although statistics show that the majority of college students partake in occasional gambling, approximately one in 20 students falls into the category of “problem gambling.” Problem gambling represents a psychologically uncontrollable preoccupation and urge to gamble, which results in excess gambling and all the dangers it encompasses.
College students are at particularly high risk of developing gambling problems; according to a national study, the demographic finds itself more than twice as likely to develop into problem gamblers when compared to the general population.
In spite of the dangers, however, most college students are willing, on some level, to assume the risks of gambling in the hopes of securing some reward. The motives may vary, but many point to pure greed as the culprit.
Senior business major Jack George disagrees.
“Gambling is very appealing to college students for a variety of reasons. One reason is that college students have relatively little to lose,” said George, who has played poker for years and even spent a semester in Las Vegas. “If I lost money [playing poker], I still had my parents to pay for my tuition, room, and board. But, if I won, I could go buy something at Neiman Marcus or see Jerry Seinfeld from the front row at Caesar’s Palace.”
Additionally, he takes offense to those who would finger greed as at the core of problem gambling.
“As a huge proponent of greed, I’m proud to say that greed is almost never to blame when it comes to problem gambling,” said George. “Most of the problem stems from the psychological phenomenon that people are willing to work much harder to prevent a monetary loss than they are to make money. So, when someone is losing at the blackjack table or poker table, they start chasing the loss to get even. As they continue to lose, their bets get bigger and bigger, as does the hole they dig themselves.”
And with the University of Louisville’s Belknap campus located in such close proximity to Churchill Downs and the proliferation of online gaming, students have many avenues to gamble in a manner that can easily be considered a social, recreational activity–but that, experts warn, may be a dangerous path.
[Excessive gambling among college students] is an issue that’s very much under the radar,” stated problem gambling services manager Jeff Marotta. “Most colleges seem to view student gambling as a harmless extracurricular activity, yet we know that for a certain percentage of student gamblers it can lead to serious problems.”
George agrees that gambling can lead to such problems if not done responsibly, but he also contends that there are benefits to the habit that are often overlooked.
“I’ve learned to deal with disappointment extremely well. I’ve learned to take emotion out of my decision-making. During my time at UNLV, I’ve been able to pick the brains of many successful people while I played cards with them,” said George. “I’ve also learned not to fear risk. Almost anything–from the stock market to women–compensates very well for risk.”
And although he is quick to defend risk, George also preaches the analytical benefits of gambling; such benefits, he claims, have affected the way he makes decisions on a daily basis.
“Good poker players understand that good decisions, rather than results, are what is important,” said George. “If you make decisions on expected value and logic, rather than on fear and emotion, you’ll come out ahead in the long run.”
Prentice agrees that, with logic and responsibility, gambling can be kept in a healthy, enjoyable moderation.
“Gambling is not as glamorous as some people make it out to be,” said Prentice, “but, by the same point, it’s not as dangerous if done right.”
And while the majority are doing it “right,” there are some who struggle daily with their addiction to gambling.
