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Do you have a gambling problem?

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CSGO had a huge problem with gambling it was disgusting.

Big youtubers like Syndicate, Tmartn and streamers like Phantomlord secretly owned gambling sites, then they made videos/streams on these sites where and bet thousands of dollars on skins (i.e the virtual currency in the game that can be converted to real money if you sell to a skin-money website or another user via paypal) and won even more and more by rigging the odds, filming fake reactions and not enclosing they actually owned the websites. They tricked loads of young kids (since thats their audience) into going onto these sites because they thought they would win.

Pretty disgusting tbh, and these guys had barely suffered any consequences from it. Apparently phantoml0rd made $100 mil from his website before twitch banned him and it got shut down.

the FaZe guys also owned a csgo site and didn't disclose the fact that they owned it.

h3h3 made a great vid on it if you want to find out more about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8fU2QG-lV0

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 21

fallen_acorns

I would say I had a mild gambling addiction in my first two years of university. I played far far to much poker, and bet on sports to much.

I was never that serious that it ruined my life, or caused any major drama.. but it took away large chunks of my disposable income for a couple of years.

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My problem was the internet and self-control. in both cases, I started playing in person in real life.. I was very good at poker in person, and won a decent bit of money in university and in poker clubs. Betting wise, I usually broke even or ended slightly up when going to betting shops.

But that all changed when I started to do both online. I had terrible self-discipline back then, and its something that I have worked very very hard to improve now, to the point where I would say I am very disciplined. In real life its easier to impose limits. So for example when I played poker in person.. I would go to a poker club, sign up for 1 or 2 tournements.. 30-50 quid a pop. or I would play a cash game for 100-200 pounds. Both of these have defined end-points.. the tournements end either when you win, or loose, and whilst some let you add more cash, they still always end after a number of hours. The cash cames were easily limmited by how much cash I brought with me.. as I never ever used my card. So worst case scenario was I lost a limmited amount of money.. say 100 pounds in a night, and it could never be more then that. I felt awful, went home.. chilled out, and then only went back when I felt better again. Often nights would be winning nights, and overall I did very well.

The problem with online is that it was 24/7 and there was always a game, and its always tied to your card, and the limmits are entirely self-imposed. So I would play.. and win sometimes.. same as in person. But if I lost - I didn't need to go home because there were no more games that night, or because I didn't have cash.. If I lost I could play again and again and again, getting more and more frustrated, and playing worse and worse due to the negative emotions.

So over the two years or so that I played, I ended up winning a fair bit in person.. but loosing more online. Then I decided to stop, which co-insided with me meeting my now-wife and focusing on turning my life around. The biggest thing that helped me stop playing games though was starting my own business, and very quickly realising that I can earn far more reliably through being clever and working hard, then I ever could from gambling. Sure I may not have the chance to get millions yet, as is possible when you gamble.. but I can reliably bring in plenty of money now.. which still gives me a great feeling, especially when its my work, for my company thats bringing me in an income and plenty of cash - but it carries far less luck and risk then gambling did.

Reply 22

antony.crosbie

Let's say on a game, such as Fifa, if there's a sale for Fifa points, like £7 down to £4 for 1500 points, ill do it straight away because i know i can get more for less, but then sometimes i can spend to much and regret it...

Reply 23

FlintofBavaria

I mean, if you count loot boxes and other stuff like that, yeah, anyone our age gets targeted because companies want money, and we're blasted with BS like "LOOT BOXES AREN'T GAMBLING"

But paying money to potentially get something good is gambling so.........