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Can I play poker and be recovering gambling addict?

I have a horrible gambling problem. Blackjack, keno, craps. But I don't view poker as the same animal. I love it for the mental challenge. Like chess. I just like to play poker, for money or for fun. So is this possible?

Public Comments

1. Can someone drink and be in recovery from alcoholism? NO!
2. That a way to justify it. It's a scam just like every other casino game.
3. no. gambling would beat you again. dont give in
4. big NO sir. stay away.
5. that's like asking if you can jack off and be a recovering sex addict. if you can, then go for it. if it brings back your gambling urges, then don't
6. you cant be recovering if your still playing. dum du dum
7. I'll give you 2 to 1 odds that playing poker won't help.
8. I would suggest to you if you play, play with your friends where there is no money in the game, play for fun. Stay away from land based casinos and those to be found online. If you are looking for support with your gambling problem check with Gamblers Anonymous. http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
9. no
10. Although poker has no house edge like other casino games, it can be a drain on your bankroll at times. Most player accept the swing that there bankroll will take. If you have problems with spending money at other table games then i would stay away all together. I know many people who play way to much and spend lots of their time and money on the felt, i feel sad for some who don't play well and come back day after day and have no real shot to beat the game because they are up against better players than they are. I myself deal in Vegas and play poker at my house and at other casinos from time to time, but in never play any other table games and i only play with money that i can lose. Some can stop when they have either won so much or lost so much money, but others can't pull themselves away from the action no matter how bad they are running.
11. Make no mistake, poker is gambling. Despite being a game of incredible complexity and skill there is still a luck factor involved. You can move all in with the best hand, and be a 97% favorite to win and still lose everything. To learn and become proficient at the game will take a lot of time, effort and money and still you could lose. Daniel Negreanu is a famous poker player, he turned pro at the age of 21. He has won three world series bracelets and in 2004 was named poker player of the year. In that year his earnings topped $4.4 million. I was watching his video blog the other day in which he was talking about a cash game he had been playing the night before. In it he lost $300,000 in the first hour or so, then he made a comeback and was ahead $300,000 (a $600,000 positive swing). But by the end of the evening he was down a total of a million dollars. This is one of the finest poker players in the world, and he just flushed over a million dollars in one night. Sound like gambling yet? If you play in cash games you stand to lose actual money in real time. If you play in tournaments should you fail to cash a few times you have gambled real money in the form of entry fees. For all there is a huge skill component to poker, there is still that unknown factor and the luck factor that will cause swings in your bank roll. If you have a horrible gambling problem you will feel compelled to play at a higher level than you are truly qualified to play. The thrill of the big pots and higher stakes will draw you in and appeal to that gambler in you. Just like before you could lose everything. Playing poker in a real casino will also put you in close proximity to other forms of gambling and may tempt you again. So in short, I would seriously steer clear of it. Don't kid yourself that it is not gambling. Poker is not like chess, you are unlikely to lose your house playing chess. Also in chess there are always only a finite number of good moves. In poker you can make a world class play against a vastly inferior player and still lose.
12. no one can be totally sure except yourself. Poker is gambling. If you are recovering, it is BEST to stay away from all betting, whatever it is. Poker involves money. Poker involves casinos. Poker involves emotions. Poker involves LUCK. Poker involves risk / reward. All of these factors could get you into trouble again. Is it really worth the risk playing poker? I really don't think so. Find something else to occupy your time. pm me if you want Best of luck to ya.
13. Variance is the fundamental nature of gambling. The ups and downs provide the rush--the 'high' of gambling. The rush is emotional and affects decision-making. If you put money in a bond mutual fund, it has low variance. If you watched it day after day, you wouldn't feel any rush. This isn't gambling. In poker, you might make money over the long term because you're such an excellent player. However, poker is high variance. When someone who has a gambling illness has a bad run, self-destructive behavior often occurs. WIth high variance, bad runs will occur. In short, poker players go on tilt, not most bond investors. Don't kid yourself, poker is gambling.
14. This is a tough one to answer. Obviously any gambling recovery program would list poker among all the other vices. However, played the correct way, I view poker as INVESTING. You are simply making value judgements based on starting with the better hands and only betting when you are certain (or as certain as you can be) that you're in front. You invest mainly in Aces and Kings. If you are prepared to give yourself a solid base of knowledge, a decent bankroll that is NEVER used for any other kinds of gambling and have your head in the right place, I'd say it's possible. Only you can answer it though. Ask yourself why you are attracted to poker. If it's for the buzz you're missing from the other forms of gambling, walk away. Drop by the Church anytime you want more advice.