Monthly Archives: April 2021

The digital era brought us a lot of good things - all the information in the world is just a few clicks away, we can talk face-to-face while being miles apart, or work in the same virtual office with people from across the globe. However, this level of accessibility also has the potential to harm us - were always dancing on the thin line between usefulness and abuse.

Practically everyone has a smartphone or a tablet by now, and reaching gambling sites has been made far too easy. Gambling is the kind of activity that starts as something we do for fun, but it can quickly pull us into the vicious circle of addiction. Once that happens, we risk ruining our relationships with family and friends, financial security, and losing our jobs. Since this is an important topic that doesnt get discussed nearly enough, we decided to do our own research and create a guide for employers on how to provide proper support to employees endangered by gambling addiction.

Gambling Addiction in Numbers

Before we give any practical advice on dealing with an employee with a gambling addiction, lets look into how gambling affects people in general. Stats tell us that 0.6% of the adult population has, or had, problems with gambling. If we include people with less severe addictions, the number goes up to 2.3%.

When an employee suffers from gambling addiction, so does their work performance. According to a study from the NSW Government, almost 25% of gamblers admitted that their addiction impacted their work ability. This drop in performance can manifest in many ways, from using workplace technology to access gambling sites to office absenteeism to indulge in gambling. Its essential to recognize the signs of gambling addiction on time, so well list the most common ones here:

These signs may or may not be caused to gambling addiction, but theyre undoubtedly red flags an employer should address before they turn into bigger problems that will be both costly and time-consuming to resolve.

What To Do When You Suspect an Employee Is Struggling With Gambling Addiction

Wrapping It Up

Gambling addiction is a severe problem that should never be ignored. Unaddressed gambling has the potential to ruin lives and turn great employees into disconnected and unproductive husks. Employers should support their employees on their journey to recovery, but, to do that, they have to be able to recognize early signs and address them promptly before the addiction causes any irreversible damage.

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How To Deal With Gambling Addiction at Work - The African Exponent

Northern Ireland goalkeeper Trevor Carson has revealed how a gambling addiction left him at rock bottom.

he 33-year-old, who currently plays for Scottish Premiership side Motherwell, said he has not placed a bet in more than six years after seeking professional help.

He recalled how his lowest moment came when he spent his last 200 which he had kept to buy his young daughter a birthday meal and present at the bookies.

Carson, capped five times by Northern Ireland, was speaking in an interview with football journalist Michael Clarke.

He described how his father would place novelty 50p bets for him at the age of 11 but what started as fun developed into a serious addiction that almost ruined his life.

Carson said, through the help of support group Gamblers Anonymous, he has now overcome his addiction.

For years I convinced myself that maybe I didnt have a problem, or if I wanted to stop that I could stop. I needed that help, I needed to go to Gamblers Anonymous. It changed my life it definitely did, for the better, he said.

Carson, from Killyleagh in Co Down, spent five years at Sunderland a spell which included loan moves to several lower-league clubs.

He later joined Bury, Cheltenham Town and then Hartlepool, before signing for Motherwell in 2017.

Carson said it was at Sunderland when he first realised he had a serious problem.

He described how he had to seek help from the then chairman, former Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn, after getting into serious financial difficulties as a result of his gambling.

Speaking to The Michael Clarke Show, he said: I have no shame in saying I did have a gambling addiction. I got myself in pretty serious debt. I wasnt earning big money at Sunderland at that time. It was the end of the (2005/06) season and I ended up having to go to the club.

Niall Quinn was the chairman at the time and I ended up ringing Niall and he couldnt have been better. He said come over, speak to me. And I will never forget him, my mum will never forget him, for what he did for me, because I was in a dark place then.

He got me over, he said to write down my debt what I owe, who I owe and he said just forget it. I said no, I have another year on my contract, I will pay you back deduct it from my wages or whatever, I just need to get my head above water.

Instead, he said Quinn set him the challenge of competing with the main two goalkeepers. Craig Gordon and Marton Fulop, saving the club from signing a third senior keeper, as a means of paying him back.

Carson made his debut in a July 2006 friendly against Darlington, after Gordon and Fulop got injured, and signed a three-year contract, but never held down a first team spot.

Later, he moved down the leagues, and it was during a spell at Cheltenham that his addiction started to run out of control.

He said he felt sick after relapsing after Quinns help, adding: You think that would have been it I was maybe 19 or 20 at the time, and I still gambled after that. It wasnt enough for me to give it up.

It wasnt until I went to Cheltenham when I was 25 or 26. I had got married in the July, moved to Cheltenham, and my marriage broke up maybe two months later. My partner moved back to Newcastle.

He added: That is when it hit rock bottom basically I lost a lot of money. I didnt even contact the PFA, I remember Googling, and I went to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting for the first time in my life.

It was a Tuesday night, November 10, 2015. I always remember the date because it was my last bet. For me, just going into that meeting and sitting around a circle and speaking to other people who had this addiction and illness that is what helped me.

I went to meetings, I still do Zoom meetings now just to keep on top of it, because I always know I am one bet away from being in that dark place again.

Carson told Michael Clarke that one incident sticks in his mind where he lost money he had saved for his daughters birthday as being a turning point, saying it was the moment he realised he needed help.

He added: It was my daughters birthday on November 4 and she is up in Newcastle and I am going to see her on November 7 or 8 I cant remember.

At the time I had gambled that much money I think I had 200 to my name. That 200 was enough for me petrol up to Newcastle, take my daughter out, get her a little present, take her for something to eat and petrol back down. The rest of the month would look after itself.

I had managed to convince myself that I could make that 200 into 1,000 that is the gamblers mindset I could get her a better present and take her to a nicer restaurant.

So I went into the bookies, lost the 200. Luckily I was able to go to my grandad, which I did on many occasions, and made up a lie about needing money for this and that, which as a gambling addict you do. You lie and you deceive.

But for me I just never forget getting in the car and thinking this cant go on.

It was his darkest moment, he explained, adding: Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to accept you have got a problem or to want help, and for me that was my rock bottom."

For Carson, the signs started at an early age, as innocent fun led to an addiction that almost ruined him.

In the podcast, he added: I can remember back to being 10 or 11 years old playing football on a Saturday, then I would go with my dad to watch him on a Saturday afternoon playing for Killyleagh or Saintfield whoever it was.

You would always meet at the bookies and your dad would put your 50p football bet on for you.

For me it was sort of instilled in me, and I had it in me.

When I was at the height of my addiction, the thought of going a week without a bet seemed impossible, but I am six and a half years now without a bet and it is all from going to that one meeting at Gamblers Anonymous.

Carson is the latest Northern Irish sports person to speak out about problems with gambling.

Former Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisin McConville lost tens of thousands of pounds but has since recovered and trained as a counsellor.

Northern Ireland footballers Kyle Lafferty, Roy Carroll and Keith Gillespie have also publicly discussed their past problems.

Carson said learning to speak to others was the first step to tackling his demons.

It took a few days for me to build up the courage to go I accepted that I did have a problem but it just was a pride thing I think, he added.

But it is honestly the best thing I have done.

My advice to anyone out there if they are going through anything similar is to speak go out, get help. Because it is the best medicine, just speaking.

Thousands of other people are going through the same thing and need the same help.

He added: The old saying is one day at a time, and all of a sudden that day becomes a month, and that month becomes a year. For me it is six and a half years down the line.

If you are at the start of your journey, it might seem daunting, but for me just speak out and get help.

* Anyone affected by gambling can contact the National Gambling Helpline 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133 or visit the GamCare website.

Watch: Trevor Carson - the keeper who can't be kept down.

Belfast Telegraph

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Northern Ireland keeper Trevor Carson reveals gambling hell left him at 'rock bottom' - Belfast Telegraph

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away, know when to run.

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

There are many type of games of chance, attitudes about gambling and trades-off for society.

Gambling attitudes range widely, from it being harmless fun, to an edgy activity to avoid but tolerate, to concern over vice and addiction.

Gambling can be entertainment like the NCAA basketball tournament brackets so common now during March Madness, or late night poker games in dorm rooms for quarters or even bingo to socialize while dreaming of winning. This seems pretty harmless.

There are lotteries and scratcher tickets. Raffles offered by Rotary Clubs and Catholic schools seem like beneficial fundraisers.

And then theres serious gambling like at casinos with slot machines, blackjack and roulette.

Horse and dog racing tracks or the booming sports gambling on any game imaginable, all tolerated if in moderation.

Still, nobody views gambling as exactly virtuous. In approaching a convenience store counter, a patron with a slushie and snack has a different attitude than the average Lotto player.

And compared with the mall, theres definitely a distinct vibe in a casino.

While having an occasional beer or two is OK for most people, some folks can to go too far with such simple pleasures. So many of us know someone first- or a second-hand who has fallen off the wagon, leaving a mess of their lives and of those around them.

Just as some people cant seem to handle their liquor, there exists a taboo undercurrent of compulsive gambling in our society. And, man, does it seem to be poised to take off.

Gambling problems are joined at the hip with the idea of something-for-nothing, false hope, superstition and compulsive tendencies.

Gambling vendors have clearly invested in neurological insight in how to reel people in, and keep them playing.

While gambling establishments can be said to be private businesses that deal in legal vice to willing customers, its another thing for our government to profit from addicted populations. Such is the nature of state-run lotteries.

Lotteries go way back in American history, with proceeds used to pay for bridges, armies and Ivy League schools.

Missouri also followed a popular trend in entrenching lotteries, by dedicating its proceeds to education since 1993, thereby maintaining bipartisan support since. Democrats tend to like more revenue, particularly for public schools. Republicans like them as a revenue enhancer to fund the treasury without having to raise taxes on the general public.

The thing is, lottery funding for education, veterans programs or other heart-strings purposes is a shell game more revenue from this side, allowing existing funds to go to other programs.

Gambling is said to be a tax on people who are bad at math. Lotteries are a regressive tax of sorts, as poorer people tend to spend more, in proportion to their income and in absolute terms. Call it a reverse Robin Hood.

Like it or not, a new wave of gambling is coming.

We could outlaw the stuff, but prohibitions on activities people want to do lead to black market offerings, organized crime and even more unsavory side-interactions.

Restrictive legal frameworks can slow the tide but risk cronyism and government corruption. Open it all up like Oregon has and a corner of Break Time or IHOP could turn into a mini Isle of Capri.

The gambling industry rolls faster than the rules, leaving lawmakers to play whack-a-mole. But a state lottery operated in our name, deliberately built upon a foundation of desertion, while destroying the lives of our most vulnerable citizens, is absolutely shameful.

If adults want to gamble that is up to them, but how to handle the societal fallout from those who become compulsive is a tall order.

Cures include professional counseling and ones social circles to provide a personal safety net.

Prevention, always more preferable, starts with personal mores, positive peer pressure and educating the public about the dangers of gambling, such as the documentary film Out of Luck available on streaming services.

Run away from the whole mess as much as you can, for everyones sake.

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Gambling is the vice we can't afford - Columbia Missourian

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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has published plans to strengthen the regulation of shared racehorse ownership following an industry-wide consultation completed in the autumn of 2020.

The consultation, which was formed part of one of the nine key goals for British racings recovery plan, examined the current risks and opportunities of shared ownership and how they might be addressed through enhanced regulation and improved administration.

The industry plan for shared ownership, which has been developed through consideration of the consultation feedback and further engagement with stakeholders, details 10 key measures to be introduced as part of a phased implementation plan over the next 12 months.

The measures are designed to support public confidence in Syndicates and Racing Clubs and provide a solid foundation for the continued growth of shared ownership. The measures include strengthening the existing Code of Conduct for Syndicates, which was originally introduced in February 2017.

Richard Wayman, Chief Operating Officer of BHA, said: It is vital for the future of our sport that we are able to attract and retain racehorse owners. Syndicates and Racing Clubs clearly have a pivotal role to play in those efforts.

The consultation responses confirmed that the sport has many extremely well-run Syndicates and Racing Clubs who give their members exemplary levels of service. It is crucial that the public can continue to have confidence in Syndicates and Racing Clubs, which these measures have been designed to support.

My thanks go to all of those who took part in the consultation and took the time to offer the feedback which has been central in devising this important package of measures.

Related

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Online Gambling Allowed in Netherlands, About 40 Companies to Apply for Licence - European Gaming Industry News

An estimated 2% of Illinois adults have a gambling problem, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. But its unclear which populations are most affected and at risk.

The Illinois Department of Human Services launched a new study last fall aimed at collecting data on the issue of gambling disorders in the state. The agency has also issued several new grants to organizations and treatment providers across the state aimed at raising awareness and removing barriers to treatment for those with gambling disorders.

Christine Herman spoke with Gateway spokeswoman Teresa Garate and MAHAs substance abuse program coordinator Lina Xie to learn more about the issue of gambling addiction.

One of the recipients is Gateway Foundation, a Springfield-based addiction treatment center.

Teresa Garate, Gateways vice president of strategic partnerships and engagements, says the pandemic has caused many people in addiction recovery to relapse and she suspects the same may be true for people with gambling disorders.

The fact that you can now access gambling on your phone, especially sports betting makes it very, very easy and very accessible to do, even when youre at home, Garate says. And weve also seen, of course, more people with anxiety and depression and uncertainty about the future, because of COVID.

Garate says barriers to treatment can include lack of awareness and understanding of the problem, insurance coverage and stigma.

The fact that people dont see it as an addiction makes it even harder for people to be self-aware and understand that they have a problem, that they need help, she says. Theres a lot of stigma related to this.

Lina Xie, who leads the Midwest Asian Health Associations substance abuse program, says anecdotal reports led her to the understanding that gambling is an issue that many [community] members are concerned with.

Thats what motivated MAHA to seek out state funding to launch a gambling awareness program and also participate in the statewide study on the issue.

In honor of March as Gambling Awareness Month, Gateway and MAHA will join The Way Back Inn and TASC-Illinois to host a free virtual speaker series on gambling disorders from March 29 to March 31.

The webinars will look at public health policies for addressing gambling disorders, the importance of ending stigma and practical information on how to access treatment. More information can be found online.

If you or someone you know has a gambling disorder, the states helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER. You can also test ILGAMB to 53342 or visit http://www.weknowthefeeling.org.

Originally posted here:

Organizations Working To Raise Awareness About Gambling Addiction In Illinois - WSIU

Domestic Law

Gambling inventions in general have been rejected in Vietnam based on Article 8.1 of the Law on Intellectual Property:

"[The State] recognizes and protects intellectual property rights of organizations and individuals on the basis of harmonizing the interests of intellectual property right holders and the public interests; does not protect intellectual property subjects contrary to morality, ordre public, prejudicial to national defense and security."

Support for the rejection is Article 321 in the Criminal Code which specifies for gambling to be an offence and which is in Item 4 of "Offences against ordre public" of the Criminal Code.

International Treaties

Vietnam is a member of theWorld Trade Organization(WTO), and therefore, should comply with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). In some cases where the patent applications for gambling inventions were refused, the applicants have requested the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN) to consider Article 27.2 of TRIPs:

"Members may exclude from patentability inventions, the prevention within their territory of the commercial exploitation of which is necessary to protect ordre public or morality, including to protect human, animal or plant life or health or to avoid serious prejudice to the environment, provided that such exclusion is not made merely because the exploitation is prohibited by their law."

Where the exclusion should be necessary to protect ordre public, not merely because this is due to a prohibition by the domestic law like said Article 321 in the Criminal Code.

There is no definition of "ordre public" in TRIPs. In the IPVN's recent Decision on appeal settlement No. 2676/QD-SHTT dated 14 July 2020 for the invention "Systems, methods, apparatus and user interfaces for gaming and wagering", the IPVN's position in this regard is that not only gambling has a negative impact on the gambling player and his family, but also gambling is the reason for social crimes and other offences, and therefore, the refusal to protect this matter is necessary to protect ordre public and is consistent with TRIPs.

Outlook

An open question is why Vietnam is prohibiting gambling and considering the same detrimental on the society, while in many other countries, gambling is not prohibited.

In fact, Vietnam permitted some companies to do a few kinds of gambling businesses as a test, and as a result, then issued Decree No. 06/2017/ND-CP in 2017 permitting some gambling businesses with strict controls. And recently, some lawyers have raised the issue that the State should respect the right of people to spend their own money (for gambling), and therefore, should remove Article 321 from the Criminal Code. To this end, it is expected that in the future, gambling will not be prohibited like many other countries as well as gambling inventions will be patentable in Vietnam.

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Patentability of gambling inventions in Vietnam - Lexology