Is playing 100 dollars a week in poker a gambling problem?

Question

I play like 100 bucks a week in AC in a low limit poker game once a week. I really do love going to the casino as a stress busting method... is this a gambling problem? If I lose my money I stop always. I usualy break even or win however...

I make about $4k a month no fam kids etc.

Answer 1

A "problem" can't be determined by the amount. A problem comes from gambling interfering in your ability to live your life.

Charles Barkley may have compulsive tendencies, but if he isn't spending the rent check and is able to fully provide for his family it's hard to knock his habits as a true "problem."

This is a slippery slope, however, as you can continue to lose money and realize that you can't stop.

Ask yourself: if I needed this money for something else important, could I really stop?

Answer 2

Many years ago there was a time in my life when I could tell you where there was a poker game anywhere in the City of Chicago. I knew because I use to play in each of them.

I said I didn't have gambling problem. I never gambled with more than $100 and back in the late 70's that was a lot of money. I always either broke even or would win a few dollars. I played sometimes to 2 or 3 AM. On the rare occsions, if I lost more than $50 I would leave the table.

Several years later I was taking the commuter train into the city with a bunch of people and we became freinds. We all got on and off at the same station stop. We used to play Pinochle and sometime when we didn't have 4 players we would play three for all and would play for quarters.

One night I were playing three-for-all and I argued with my freinds for the entire train ride over a stupid quarter that I had lost saying I shouldn't lose the quarter etc etc etc.

I lost my freinds that night because of gambling and I remember getting home and sitting on the coach and crying for days afterword because I was so alone.

Stop now before you lose your freinds and the love of your family, before it is to late. Gamblers Anonymous Can help.

Answer 3

Depends on how much money you have. Bill Gates probably doesn't have a problem playing $10,000 a week.

I think gambling is knowing when to stop. I know a guy who likes to gamble so much that he'll go all the way to the casino with only 5 bucks just to gamble. When he loses he walks around. The guy has grown kids too, so he's not some young guy.

I think it's good that you have a set limit and you don't exceed it. I consider that to be the mentality of a disciplined gambler and not someone who has a gambling problem.

Answer 4

You don't have a problem based on your income, your current level of play and self control. However, be careful because I used gambling as an escape from my personal problems and while it does work it is very expensive and doesn't resolve issues. I would look at other ways to relieve your stress, besides gambling, like going for a run or to the gym, if you aren't already doing these things. Finally, make sure you keep control of your gambling amount and frequency: if your limits go up and visits are more frequent while your income didn't go up you may be headed for trouble!

Answer 5

It really depends on how much entertainment you are getting from that $100 a week. Especially if you don't lose $100 every time you go, other people spend more than that on booze, cars, alcohol, porn, fine food, whatever. If you think you're getting good value for your entertainment dollar, then there's certainly nothing wrong with it. People will tell you gambling is a problem but it's not different from anything else as long as you play responsibly.

Answer 6

Depends on how much money you spend, how often you really lose...how much time it consumes, what you will give up to gamble. Like family time, rent payments. Are you lying about it. I have a gambling problem, it cost me 2000.000 bucks my (ex)boyfriend and a hell of a lot of time. I thought I was having fun. Guess what I got for it..even after winning a few nice jackpots. I got therapy, lots and lots of freaking therapy!! If you might have a problem you won't quit till you are face down floating in a pond sooo, you may want to give that question more internal thought. The bozo's on here don't know any real facts. Sorry.

Answer 7

Just as long as you are not spending the rent and food money on it then i see no issue at all with it. When i was first learning how to play hold em i would spend more then 100 bucks a week for sure. But i see no problem at all with it, if playing poker makes you happy then go for it. It's when you sell everything you own and you spend every last cent to your name is when you have a problem.

Answer 8

I would say yes. Not because it is a huge amount money (obviously, you can afford it), it is because I think you are spending too much time gambling. Unless you are considering going pro, I would say cut down the gambling time to once every two months. But when you do go, you can spend more than $100 if you want to.

Answer 9

You can answer your own question by seeing if you can stop for about 4 months. Take the hundred you spend a week and put it
in savings, after 4 months you will have 1,600 in savings take a small portion of that savings and take a trip to a casino.If you can do this then I would say you are not addicted.

Answer 10

It's what you can afford if you not paying bills and letting things go it wouldn't matter if it was 25 dollars a week. I think by you asking the question than something is going on to make you think it's to much. Do a budget, see what you'll able to do, we all want to spend money on things we enjoy. But that's 400 a dollars a month. So assess it for yourself and your lifestyle.