Gambling: The path to obsession

Brightly lit bingo machines, some with military themed displays, entice spectators at the Ramstein, Germany, enlisted club Dec. 20th, 2007. A bill has been introduced in Congress that would eliminate gambling on all military bases overseas, to include slot machines and bingo games in military clubs.


Gambling: The path to obsession
By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, January 30, 2008

For “Tony,” a former soldier turned Defense Department civilian working in Germany, an addiction to alcohol and gambling went hand in hand. So has the recovery.

“It started out as just a small thing for some amusement,” said Tony, who asked that his real name not be used, pursuant to the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous. “Over a period of time, it progressed into something that was more important. If I wanted to have fun and do something exciting, that’s what I would do.”

Gambling is a particularly nasty addiction, he said, because on its own, the addict stays in a clear state-of-mind.

“What excuse does the gambler have? It’s not like they’re taking a chemical or can say ‘Hey, I was drunk,’” he said. “You’re the one who took money out of your kid’s savings account and went gambling. How do you defend it?”

The lies that went along with his gambling addiction caught up to him pretty fast, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52029