This is one life lesson gifted to us by “Iron” Mike Tyson. This holds true in the ring, on the court, and on the field. Going into a sporting event with a clear plan can definitely improve an athletes’ performance. But we also need to be able to adjust when the unexpected occurs and affects our plan. I had a match once when I just wasn’t landing my punches. I was tangling up and clinching with my opponent, something I really wasn’t accustomed to. Coming back to my corner, my coach said “your problem is we didn’t know she’s a southpaw, like you.” We had to quickly change my strategy and come up with a plan on how to move around the ring differently, what to throw and in what order, etc. I was able to come out on top to win the match.

The same lesson applies to gambling. If someone chooses to gamble, they had better have a plan. Gambling is inherently risky. There are ways to try and lower that risk. The term “responsible gambling” is what is most often used to describe ways to gamble in a “lower risk” way. But I want to take a quick minute to challenge that terminology.

To use the term responsible implies that those who don’t gamble in this way are irresponsible. But there are a lot of reasons someone might gamble in a disordered way, and it’s not about being irresponsible. For example: early exposure to gambling; being an athlete; medications that increase compulsive behaviors; family history; or coping with trauma or physical or emotional pain, can all contribute to disordered gambling. So, would we say that people who have difficulties with gambling due to some of these factors are irresponsible? No, we couldn’t in all fairness say that.

This doesn’t mean that people can’t gamble in an irresponsible way. Both disordered and non-disordered gamblers can do that. Is it irresponsible to gamble with money you need for bills? Yes, it is. Is it responsible to risk money you have on an outcome that is unknown, in the hopes of winning more money (that’s what gambling is, folks)? I’d really have to say it’s not.

So, let’s get past labeling people as responsible or irresponsible. Instead, let’s outline some of the behaviors that can lower someone’s risk, if they choose to gamble:

-setting dollar and time limits, and sticking to them

-using only money they can afford to lose (not money they need for bills, savings, or other obligations)

-not borrowing money (this includes not taking cash advances or loans, not pawning or selling items) in order to gamble or deal with financial problems caused by gambling

-not mixing gambling with alcohol or other substance use (which can alter memory and judgment)

-not gambling to escape personal problems

-not hiding your gambling or lying about your winnings/losses

-not chasing losses (returning later or another day to try to win back what you’ve lost)

-not letting gambling affect relationships, work or health

-knowing the signs of a possible problem, and getting help if these are noticed

Okay, so what about when that unexpected happens? Many “low-risk” gamblers have the potential to become disordered gamblers when circumstances change. Grief and loss can be one cause, especially when that person was someone they used to gamble with. People can actually gamble more as they grieve their loved one, in an effort to remember them and feel closer to them. People can also experience loss related to their health, or stages of their lives. When people’s bodies start to fail them, when they feel adrift after retiring from the workforce; these are high risk times for gambling to become disordered. And what about job loss, or other financial insecurity? Sometimes people will see gambling as their solution. And, unfortunately, the odds are not in their favor. Gambling can often lead to greater financial concerns. These are just some of the things that can happen that should have people re-evaluating their plans.

Listen to Mike. Expect the unexpected. Be ready to adjust course as needed. And for some people, that might mean taking a break from gambling while you sort out life’s left hooks.

As this blog seeks to highlight, athletes have some serious risks, and therefore should be even more cautious about bringing gambling into their lives. As we near Responsible Gaming Education Week September 19-25, 2021, Nicasa is offering free workshops for individuals, groups or organizations who want to learn more. Click Here to register.

I heard that line in a song and it said a lot to me. Many athletes believe “if you’re not first, you’re last.” So, the idea of using competition as a growth experience, rather than an all or nothing success or failure can be foreign. I mentioned in an earlier post that I kind of tanked in this year’s CrossFit Open. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m working on finding the win in everything. Like, I got to educate other competitors about athletes and problem gambling just by participating in the event and wearing shirts and handing out giveaways that highlighted the topic or help for problem gambling. Social media posts helped spread the word further. So, can I swallow my pride and compete when I know I’ll be really low on the leaderboard, in part, to get out an important message? Yes, and I’ll count it as a win.
And on a related note, check out this article that talks about CrossFit as a viable support for those in addiction recovery. Anything with positive social connectedness can be a big asset in a recovery program. But for some recovering problem gamblers, it can also provide an outlet for a competitive streak that needs to be fed. Keep in mind, some gamblers need to find a way to quiet that part of themselves. Others will find a healthier alternative. Everyone’s path is different. If CrossFit sounds like an option for a gambler seeking recovery, my only caution is that workouts and competitions are, of course, sober events. That doesn’t mean some groups don’t hang out afterwards over a few beers. Just don’t be caught off guard, and know that many just choose not to participate in post-competition drinking. Also, if pain is a trigger for you (some people gamble in response to physical or emotional pain) have a plan in place to ease into the sport and soothe aches and pains in healthy ways.

I recently had a mediocre showing during the Crossfit Open (more on that in an upcoming post), a tournament open to Crossfitters across the globe. In the Open, participants complete standard competition workouts, submitting their scores online and seeing how they stack up on the “Leaderboard.” How does this apply to athletes and gambling? I’m getting there. If you’ve ever met a Crossfitter, you know we can’t go long without mentioning it. So humor me here. Anyway, sharing my less than impressive results with my sister, she went into full-on cheerleader mode, saying how awesome I did, how she brags about me still, and so on. I told her that she’s a great cheerleader, and she said “you know I’ve always been in your corner.” And that’s true. She used to braid my hair before every match (she was super fast and good at it, having learned out of necessity while in the U.S. Marine Corps), scream loudly and with much vulgarity from the crowd (also picked up in the Marines), and took care of me after rough matches or sparring sessions.

It leads to the question, who’s in the corner of the gamblers? When people start gambling, hoping for some recreation, for a quick getaway from personal stressors, to replace the excitement and sense of importance they experienced when training and competing in sports, who’s helping them to prepare? Coaches and training team members make sure athletes have the skills necessary to participate well in their sport. They teach the fundamentals. I remember one of my coaches making me throw nothing but a jab for hours on end, until I couldn’t life my arm any longer. But my jab was ON FIRE my next match! But, where is the training course for someone who is deciding to bring gambling into their life? With the stakes being so high, it’s a recipe for disaster to go into an activity like gambling without learning about responsible gambling strategies. Responsible gambling isn’t something that everyone is equipped to achieve. Some people just aren’t designed to participate minimally or safely. But if you don’t even know how? I don’t like those odds.

Next question: where are the safeguards for gamblers? Think about the gear that is provided to athletes to keep them as safe as possible from injury. In boxing, we wear bigger gloves in training than we do in matches, to protect our hands (and each other’s heads!), Vaseline on our skin to prevent our skin from tearing when hit, groin and kidney protection, mouthpiece, hand wraps…So what gear does a gambler get handed? In some cases, there is literally nothing. But there are some safeguards out there most people don’t know about. From online sportsbooks that offer pre-determined betting limits, time-out options, or other safety features, through self-exclusion and programs that block betting sites on electronic devices, there are some protections available. If a vendor of a gambling product has none of these, maybe beware, and go elsewhere. This would be like taking an unsanctioned fight, a backyard brawl, with no rules, no weight classes, no referee, no pre-fight physicals or post-fight exams. And anyone who puts together such an event has to be questioned as to why they think it’s okay to make money off of fighters with no concern for their short or long-term well-being.

If you choose to gamble, consider learning responsible gambling strategies before you start, looking into safeguards that might be available, and steering clear of any venues or products that have none. At Nicasa, we have a free workshop for Illinois residents over the age of 21 called Safer Sports Betting. This workshop doesn’t tell people HOW to sports bet. It won’t tell people TO sports bet. And it won’t tell people NOT to sports bet. It WILL advise of the risks involved, share safer sports betting (responsible gambling) strategies, discuss the kinds of safeguards available from some vendors of sports wagering products, and will first and foremost stress “Don’t let sports betting get in the way of the game.” If you are interested in attending, complete the form at this link: https://forms.gle/ghevZwmkwAGWr4RF6 Just want to learn more? Email me at info@nicasa.org. Messages come straight to my Inbox.

Lastly, who’s there to help a gambler if their original plan didn’t work out so well? If they end up getting hurt by gambling? In a boxer’s corner, there’s always someone there with an endswell, to reduce swelling in an eye that is swelling shut. There’s a cut man to quickly stop the bleeding if you get cut. There is always someone to help a fighter out of the ring after a match, win or lose. Your legs get really wobbly and more than one fighter has taken a tumble just getting out of the ring, forget what happened in the ring. And there’s a fight doctor on hand in case someone appears concussed or worse; to make that call on whether or not the match should be stopped for the safety of the fighter. Again, there is a great deal of variability in help being advertised, when you look at the different forms, and forums for gambling. Some casinos actually have trained counselors on hand to talk to players who might be in distress. Helpline information can be displayed prominently in some gambling establishments, and some employees might be trained to know the signs a player might be struggling, and how to intervene. (If you do choose to gamble, and you see no information about where to turn for help, you might reconsider that establishment or product. Just saying.) Help IS available in many states, but players don’t always know about it. In Illinois, there is a 24/7 hotline available by phone (1-800-GAMBLER) text (text ilgamb to 53342) or live chat (https://weknowthefeeling.org/). Don’t know where to turn for help in your state? Contact the National Hotline: Call 1-800-522-4700
Chat ncpgambling.org/chat
Text 1-800-522-4700

Is it possible that we’re already coming up on March again?! Maybe I’m a little punchy, but it seems like just a few months ago I encouraged all of you to get involved in raising awareness during Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM). But my calendar tells me March is just around the corner again!

What can you do, as someone who cares about athletes and their risk for problem gambling? Well, I’ve got some ideas for you!

Register for our free Safer Sports Betting Workshop to learn more. The video below summarizes some of what we cover. Attend, and you’ll receive a free download of the featured song, “Don’t Look Down” by Ivan B.

Join our virtual book club and watch a live interview with the authors. –Spoiler Alert- One of our authors is a former professional athlete who is recovering from problem gambling and runs an incredible podcast and blog about his insights and experiences.

Add the PGAM graphic to your email signature.

Use social media to share Nicasa posts during PGAM.

Get screened as part of National Gambling Disorder Screening Day, at one of Nicasa’s confidential and virtual screening events.

Click Here to get more information about one or more of the above options.

If nothing else, just talk about this issue. People are suffering in silence. You never know who might be given hope just by hearing that there is help for problem gambling.

Whether or not to gamble is a personal decision for all of us to make. Many “choose not to lose” for a variety of reasons. They may be risk averse; the thought of risking their money is just not appealing to them. Some choose not to gamble because they, or someone they care about, are recovering from gambling disorder or another addictive disorder. There could be religious reasons, health reasons (yes, gambling can impact our health!), or any number of factors that lead to a person’s decision not to gamble. Whatever the rationale, we hope that anyone considering gambling will weigh their own unique risks, consider what affect sports betting could have on their love of sports and their teams and players, and make a plan to keep their gambling safe and fun (and revisit this, if things don’t go as planned!). Do you “choose not to lose? If so, feel free to comment, use the contact button, or email gamblingservices@nicasa.org to share your words and/or pictures. If you want us to post them for you, please indicate that in your message. Looking forward to your thoughts!  

Another trait competitive athletes have in common with problem gamblers is magical thinking. How many athletes believe rituals, talismans, facial hair or even lucky socks (they don’t change very often), can ensure a win? Likewise, problem gamblers believe they can influence outcomes by repeating specific actions, carrying lucky charms, betting on certain numbers… The fact is, no one truly believes that the cards in their hand will change because they knocked on their chips a specific number of times, or that the reels of a slot machine will land on triple 7’s if they utter a mantra before pulling the handle. At least, they don’t believe it on a conscious level. However, they often feel it. Luck seems to be something tangible, that can be influenced by our actions or even our needs. (How many times have you heard “mama needs a new pair of shoes”?!) Often, this belief is initiated or reinforced by an actual pairing of an object or action with a win (whether it be a sporting event or gambling episode). The person wore those socks and had a win. There. Connection made. This superstitious mindset, independent of mathematical odds or laws of physics, is very compelling. It makes sense, then, that someone who comes by that mindset naturally, that being a superstitious competitive athlete, has the potential to transfer these beliefs if they choose to gamble. Add to that, athletes don’t rely solely on luck. Without the skills required for their sport, they wouldn’t be achieving high levels of competition to begin with. This is why many athletes and former athletes are often drawn to forms of gambling that include a degree of skill. That strongly held identity of being a “winner” we already discussed, paired with a superstitious mindset, might further predispose a competitive athlete to gamble in a disordered way. It would be safer, then, for an athlete choosing to gamble to remember this mantra: “the house always wins.”

This poem was shared with me, and it goes so much to the positive mindset many athletes pursue and achieve, that I thought I would share it. So much of what this blog focuses on is how athlete’s traits and behaviors can go awry outside of a sports setting. Here, an athlete’s internal struggle is highlighted in a positive and hopeful way. We all need a little of that right now, don’t we?!

“Thinking” -by Walter D. Wintle:

If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don’t,
If you like to win, but you think you can’t
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!

When an athlete has a career-ending injury, a good deal of emotional and psychological distress can result. Years and even decades later, the athlete imagines what titles they could have won, if only they hadn’t gotten hurt. If only the doctors had just cleared them to play. If only… So what can a competitive athlete do to feel on top of the world again? We’ve already established that so much of an athlete’s identity is wrapped up in their career. If they are no longer an athlete, then what are they? All of the adrenaline and excitement that came with training and competing comes to an abrupt end. How can that be replaced or replicated? So many aspects of their lives had been put on hold: attending to their families and other important relationships, developing alternate career opportunities or job skills; etc. How are they supposed to immediately take on the responsibilities they were exempt from as they focused on training? After a career-ending injury, we have someone who’s identity and confidence has been stripped, who went from a level of intense sensations and gratification to none, and who suddenly has a great deal of unexpected stress. All of this, without their usual way of coping (training and competing) being available to them. This can be a recipe for disaster, should the athlete turn to gambling as a means of coping, of reaching previously enjoyed levels of excitement, of feeling like they’re still important. It isn’t easy, but all athletic careers come to an end. Whether this be expected and over time, or swiftly with a career-ending injury, it is important for the athlete to be cautious about engaging in gambling, substance use, or other potentially risky behaviors at this time. Adding gambling problems onto an already challenging period is just not worth the risk.

It’s not uncommon for athletes to “lace up the gloves” long after they’ve past their prime. I’m middle-aged. But if I’m 100% honest, I think I’ve still got one last fight in me. And I truly think I could win. Gambling like an athlete means you can stay away for years, but decide you’ve got one more left in you. You attempt to relive the glory days, remembering your past wins. Research has shown that memories that are salient, or meaningful, are remembered for longer and more clearly than those that aren’t. Guess what? Wins have been found to be more salient than losses. So, if someone looks back on their gambling career, they think they did much better than they probably did. The wins stand out. The losses? Not so much. Unfortunately, like some athletes who left the safety and nostalgia of retirement, a return to gambling for some can be a spectacular fail. Athletes often have a “go big or go home” mentality. Gambling like an athlete could mean damage and destruction in just one night of play.