And my answer is absolutely NO! So, if you have any inbuilt bias, I’ll kindly ask you to leave them at the door. My personal story is the perfect evidence that gambling is so much more than a modern addiction which leads to troubles only. In fact, betting has cast all my demons out and has provided me with a fresh new start. For that reason, I felt like I needed to at least try and switch the perspective of those of you believing that there is nothing but negativity in gambling. So, before starting with the in-depth casino related topics here is my most dedicated attempt to make you see how everything has a positive and a negative side and it’s totally up to us which one we’ll acknowledge or how we will find the perfect balance between good and bad.

All skill-based casino games require a heavy mental activity, or to say it simpler – you have to think in order to allow your intellect to win against the unpredictable dynamic of chance. It’s a well-known fact that it’s wrong and almost a sure disaster to put your trust in fortune alone. I’d like to think that gambling trains our brain to handle risk as no other activity out there. And life is full of risks, every day and everywhere! Making important decisions quickly and effectively is not something that we all do well, so if gambling really trains us to get better at lowering the risk, why do we never state the benefits and always rather emphasize how dangerous it is.

I know what you’re going to say now! What about games like slots and roulette which have nothing to do with your skills but with odds only? And in fact, they have quite the opposite effect on your brain. Not only will they make you think less but can also trick you into believing that randomness follows some kind of a pattern which might be absolutely mind-blurring. This is the risk, though, and as I said above, risks can never be avoided, they should be balanced instead. We all know that moderation is the key and to train moderation, chance-based games are the perfect exercise. They challenge us to develop self-discipline, to make clear judgments or to put it in other words – to play only as long as we can afford it. Managing your bankroll includes knowing when to walk away from a game, never going in with all your hopes or savings – all things that are a valuable lesson not only in gambling but in life in general. The power of self-control is a habit and the secret of our success depends on how well we have instilled that habit into our lives.

So, I can easily conclude that gambling mimics life and is our most fun training playground!