Why Labeling Poker a Skill-Only Game Is Harmful for Problem Gamblers

“This is a Game of Skill but It’s Not For Everyone”

The title for this section is taken from the title of the post of YaBoyRustyTrombone on Reddit where he shared a brief story of his lifetime self-exclusion because of gambling addiction related to poker:

He also appealed to everyone reading his post to check on themselves by asking: how much does poker actually occupy your mind? The answer can help you to clarify if you have a gambling addiction because:

“If you get bored from everything else since you started playing poker, you might be an addict.

If you keep chasing losses and can’t take a break until you’ve made it all back or lost it all, you might be an addict.

If you’ve sought help before, but got a really big win and decided against it, you might be an addict.”

By the way, due to the permanent self-banning, if YaBoyRustyTrombone shows up at any casino in his state, the police will be called immediately and he will be reported as a trespasser.

Winners Can Be Gamble Addicts Too

While the general consensus is that gamblers are these chronic losers who end up in financial trouble, in reality, even highly successful players could be secretly addicted to the gambling aspect of poker.

In the discussion on Reddit, players remembered at least one example of this situation — Phil Ivey, who himself confessed to being addicted to poker for years. A couple of them even shared their stories of the not-so-tremendous mix of success and gambling.

For instance, HoangTr16 stated that his success was literally a by-product of constant grind due to addiction:

“Good on you for recognizing this issue and acting on it. That alone is more “winning” than a lot of other players.

I was crushing 50nl online for awhile (>12bb/100 for 100k hands) but it took so much of my physical health and mental health grinding all the time. I was constantly tired, sleep schedule was up side down, and having no interest in doing anything else. Poker is fun but also play responsibly and take care of yourself.”

YaBoyRustyTrombone thanked him and shared that the decision to self-exclude wasn’t easy one for him because of his ego:

“It was really tough to do this, i admit it was a hit to my ego, but I thought about it and if I had been a winning player I’d likely be where you were. I have to try and live a life of balance.”

Some players shared, as diickhed did, that good results could cloud your judgement of what addiction actually looks like:

When you’re addicted to a game that has a solid excuse like mastering your skills or making a profit, you can’t see the situation clearly when your physical or mental health declines. 

Winning Poker Addicts Must Be Open About Their Problem

When people like YaBoyRustyTrombone share their stories about being a gambling addict who’s simultaneously successful at poker, others take this as a sign to see if they spot similar patterns in their own behavior before it’s too late.

A few players thanked the topic-starter in the comments of the original post for giving them food for thought. The first was Pure-Operation2571 who said:

Original_Sonmoney added to this as well:

“I’m definitely an addict and this might be the post I needed to push me to ban myself from my local casinos…. Something I know I should have done a long time ago.”

How to Manage an Addictive Personality After Quitting Poker

If you’re struggling with a poker addiction or any other type of gambling-related games, Reddit dwellers have good recommendations for you.

Visit a Doctor to Check Your Mental State

Some mental issues make people more vulnerable to developing a gambling addiction, as SCastleRelics described in his comment:

“Do you have bipolar disorder? The gambling industry makes its bread and butter off of people with mental health problems, I relate.

I was diagnosed with something called bipolar spectrum or something. Basically like lite bipolar lmao. I don’t have extreme ups and downs. Just 4-5 times a year things get a little goofy and I need to degen it up and sleep around. It’s never come with like suicidal depression or hallucinations and paranoia during the manic phase. It was never enough to need meds. I think they used to call it bipolar 4.”

To manage yourself properly, you firstly must go to the specialist to clarify what methods are the most effective for your situation — and stick to them.

Focus Energy on Meaningful Things

Parting ways with the subject of addiction frees a lot of energy that you then have to channel correctly to save yourself from harmful impulses.

For example, radargunbullets shared what he found out to be a healthy replacements for poker:

“Speaking from experience here are some things that I’ve put energy into in the last 15 years — saving money/ budgeting (not investing, it can be too much like gambling), working out, crafting, and board gaming (don’t do ccg/tcg card games, again too close to gambling). On the last one, there are some fantastic and supportive gaming communities that are better than video game communities. Try an in person game store/ meetup or website like board game arena.”

Your main goal is to care about yourself and protect your mind from returning to the game without choosing something equally bad for your addictive personality.

Join the Gambling Anon Group

According to alcohol addict in recovery, ex-dealer and pit manager teddy_bear_territory, seeing other people who understand your problems is really helpful to maintaining your sanity and sobriety:

Finding a support group for yourself in the 21st century is easy — just go to the Gambling Anon website and choose the most convenient option for you.

Remember: being a gambling addict isn’t shameful — it is a condition that should be treated properly with great compassion and care.