Family Gambling – Why Australians prefer this type of rest
Annually the Australian Institute of Family Studies interviews thousands of people from around the country to try and establish better social cohesions, moral and health decay rates by indexing various behavioural activities and contributing habits. One of the key research reports compiled by AIFS is the gambling report. In a section for family gambling, the researchers discovered that 58% of the population in various families described hours and hours of quality time being spent in the gambling houses with individuals completely engrossed in the games that they played. Many families in Australia use family time for leisure integrations to solidify better the societal understandings and practices. Observe for yourself the reason why Australians choose this form of family time over everything else that is available.
Definition of Family Gambling
The term ‘family gambling’ refers to a situation where multiple family members gather together to play games with high money stakes. The team that wins the gambling game is known to walk away with the money put forth by all the players. Traditional gambling is different from family gambling in various ways. In traditional gambling, family members do not mix money and their bonds, emotions, etc. This is most common when gambling is mixed with amusing games. Quite common in Australian families, it is rising into a norm that is universally accepted even by the young crowds there. It is believed that the presence of gambling in family brings down its negativity in children’s minds. This gradually lightens the aggressive approach that they tend to show while gambling. Furthermore, regular meetings and discussions are known to clear off the unnecessary clutters within the family. Owing to this fact, gambling is now preferred as the ultimate way of enjoying the rest.
Importance of Family Time
It is widely known that spending time with your family is extremely important for the mental and psychological growth of both children and adults. This is made difficult when parents work multiple jobs and children spend more time in front of screens than they do with their family. During the few hours available, parents want to spend time with their children. However, it is impossible to do this without developing a mutual activity that will be attractive enough for every member. Some families go to the movies, some families play board games, and a growing number of families attend online casinos in Australia which are more frequently allowing children to either observe or participate in gambling-like activities. It is hard to see this as a benefit, but some parents argue that it is a unique situation that can develop family unity in ways that traditional family outings do not accomplish.
Overview of Australian Gambling Culture
Australia has a gambling problem. The Bureau of Statistics in 1998 revealed that Australians spent about 11 billion dollars on gambling during that year. In a country with a population of 18 million, this amount translated to $621 per adult per year, “more than half the annual salary of a full-time employee working for the federal award minimum wags.” As much as these statistics are alarming, it is possible that the problem has worsened. Laurie Brereton, state industry and consumer services Minister in the New Township of South Wales, has expressed his concern specifically with the booming gambling industry. Brereton considers the size and influence of the companies involved in the gambling industry to be a stumbling stoke to legislative reform. It is understood that gambling addiction has increased dramatically and that it is a generally accepted practice in Australia for citizens to gamble. OZ, a program broadcast on channel nine in 1998, undertook asurvey onpeople’s opinions on the gambling industry. The survey results were forward-planning: 66% of those interviewed considered the government was not doing enough to promote responsible gambling and that 68-3% believed that the gambling industry was introducing people to gambling. Moreover, 55.7% of surveyed gamblers, excluding instant lottery, said television advertising was significantly influential in promoting gambling. This prejudice ispe rsuasive in determining that the Australian Gambling culture is facilitating the addiction. Who is to blame? The government should be transferring money to Clubs like those involved i-n the national classified game, rather than providing money to them through gambling. Thus, the government is promoting the gambling. The Gambling industry offer’s free social events for the people promoting gambling-he government is ayou and the Gambling Industry are betting on you!
Benefits of Family Gambling
Strengthening Family Bonds Spending time together is a vital fuel for developing healthy and productive relationships within the family. However, finding suitable activities that can be shared among people whose interests, values and age groups may differ is usually not so straight-forward. Family gambling can bridge that gap and provide a common denominating ground upon which diverse preferences and ages can converge. This convergence is spurred by the fact that gambling can either be done at home or it can be done in public centers. The ability to choose between these channels makes gambling flexible enough to accommodate those from either group, consequently bringing them together. At home, for example, family members can play games like poker, matching pairs, checkers, Rocket Casino games such as slot machines and lotteries – all games that do not require the participants to have any prior experience or training. Each family member can engage in these games without feeling like he or she is being dragged along to meet another person’s preference. In addition to this gambling provides a relaxed atmosphere that is conducive to children who grow up with the given activity. Hosts can offer light alcohol and snacks provided the children are already introduced to gambling at an age when they can acknowledge the limits they cannot cross. In public centers, families can sanctify the event of gambling by coming up with different teams among themselves and compete against one another. The camaraderie experienced when pitted against one another can help family members familiarize with needing to be civilised competitors and hence give birth to healthy rivalries or better yet, alliances.
Strengthening Family Bonds
In order for the family gambling to work, everyone should be all in together, meaning all members should contribute and participate. When families gamble together it becomes a habit such that everyone in the family considers it a norm to do an event or activity a certain way, with each person even knowing their roles to play. Bettors are seen to reflect the same by doing a common practice at the same time where winning and losing simply becomes secondary. It is by working towards the common objective that family bonds are seen to be strengthened and become more durable. In return, gamblers are proud of their families, they boast of the honesty and integrity of their teamwork, and they are content with the fact they’re part of a team where every single member is vitally important to make a small win, a great family victory. (nb characters: 1255)
Enhancing Communication and Collaboration
Reaching a mutual decision while gambling increases the family bond and the pleasure of gaming together. Siblings and their parents have shown a past distribution of duties and decisions in the program and also the process has done well to serve with two purposes. Children have been given roles of equal importance to those of adults and in some special cases even more important. As an average for the entire occurrence of gambling, this may be relatively different. However, the case studies are that these results were not uniformly low across continents and not across different countries. Rather, they are diversified and some of them peak at very high numbers.
Developing Life Skills and Values
Learning to graciously win and lose, while other benefits occur incorporate other values like discipline, critical thinking, and personal assessment. The games can up themselves as a self-assessment support, revealing aspects of the player’s personality through their behavior choices while playing. Common values and skills taught at home include responsibility, honesty, loyalty, confidence, courtesy, patience, cooperation, good manners, sportsmanship, tact and empathy.
Promoting Healthy Competition
In this context, it is crucial to highlight benefits associated with a healthy dose of competition, as well. Firstly, it is valid to state that people can spend time getting to know their favorite games and activities nothing about each others’ preferences, strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge can serve as an orientation when acquiring new games, playing the games and even developing skills in real life. Researchers have also concluded that companions who actively participate in these games tend to have happier relationships. This happiness is a direct result of what they call the “Power of Play”. Last and not least, it is of utmost importance to say that being in a competitive environment helps players deal with anticipation and release of adrenaline. This ultimately contributes to a natural stress release and fear management.
Popular Forms of Family Gambling
One popular form of family gambling is the playing of card and board games. This particular form of gambling has existed for hundreds of years and has managed to bring families together. From the playing of poker to the traditional game of Monopoly, many adults and children participate in these often friendly games. Sports betting also features amongst the most popular forms of family gambling and Australians have a huge Love for sport, so betting on big games increases annually. Newspapers report on who is winning and stand to make profits through advertising bookmaker affiliations. Entering sweepstakes is popular among both teenagers and adults. Many TV shows offer large prizes to those who are lucky enough to win free to enter competitions and radio stations are amongst many companies offering good prizes to those willing to take part. With a seemingly never ending list of other ways to gamble and it is no mystery as to why Australians find gambling such a popular form of leisure.
Card and Board Games
The card and board game industry has exploded in recent years and can be very profitable for family gambling enthusiasts. The range of games to choose from continues to grow, and stores up and down the country now stock games to suit every kind of family. Euro Games like Carcassonne and Settlers of Catan have large followings in Australia and their weekly competitions attract players from all over the country. They are also a staple for many who flock towards the board games and consoles. Poker has been popular for many years now, and the opportunity to gamble vast amounts of money has attracted many Australians. Youth gambling specialists have noticed a rise in young adults and teens taking up poker and other gambling games, as they try and replicate the thrill they see on television programs and advertisements involving several professional poker players and celebrities. Games like 500, Bridge and Euchre continue to make their way around as family favorites. The friendly competition and opportunity to win make them ideal for jolly family nights. Scratch cards are often sold at the same locations as lottery tickets and at times for the same price. This simple game intrigues many because it’s inexpensive and quick to win or lose. Bingo has also remained popular within the elderly population, with many regularly buying and hosting bingo nights at their local homes. This game can now be played at bingo halls around Australia, having been re-vamped with a DJ and a faster, more modern pace. The age requirement for gamblers of these games is 16, as bingo is classed under the gambling legislation.
Sports Betting and Fantasy Leagues
However the rise in popularity and acceptance of gambling in Australia had come from a much more innocuous yet prevalent form: lotteries. Lotteries, a form of gambling with a low base cost that had seen government involvement for the express purpose of contributing to community projects such as sport and art for years, saw consistent increases in participation for over a decade, before finally being somewhat overshadowed by both the positive media and advertising surrounding poker machines and the significant growth in alternative forms of gambling such as sports betting and online gaming. Essentially, Australians were introduced to gambling as nothing more than an effort to contribute to the very society many gamble against, rarely understanding the potential harm full-blown addiction to gambling could cause. Further, although they have a centralised regulatory system, gambling in the United States varies by state. According to the market research firm Technavio, the sports betting market is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, only predicted to grow due to the popularity of both social gambling and fantasy football leagues.
Lottery and Scratch Cards
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Responsible Family Gambling
Businesses involved in family gambling encourage a policy of responsible gambling, which is committed to minimize the potential harm of money gambling, based on three major aspects: setting limits and budgeting, promoting responsible gambling habits, and recognizing signs of problem gambling. If your family is struggling with a gambling problem, it is important to be able to recognize the signs of a problem gambler as soon as possible and, later, have professional assistance. Motives for gambling can be varied freely, including reasons like socializing and having fun, resting, improving mental health, and much more.
Setting Limits and Budgeting
This is a very important step in teaching adults and children that gambling should not be taking over their lives, and it is possible to only gamble with what you can afford. The same way you have to live within your means in all other leisure activities and hobbies, gambling is no exception. Also worth noting is that many gambling systems that involve increasing the stake or bet do not work because the only outcome that is predictable in gambling is that there will be a loss. Setting limits applies to time spend gambling as well time, and responsibility makes for a tiny minority of adult Australians who are at risk when gambling. The vast majority do not have such risk factors.
Promoting Responsible Gambling Habits
Finding the balance between promoting responsible gambling habits and getting caught up in the pure excitement of playing games is very important. It is crucial to remember the cause of why you are there. Have fun, but know when to stop. Just like creating limits for spending or budgeting, enforcing breaks is another way to promote responsible gambling habits. This is suitable for both adults and children to remind them of healthy gambling and healthy practices overall. It is evident that the RSG starts at home and in the family.
Recognizing Signs of Problem Gambling
Secrets Keeping the addiction a secret can create an environment where further problems will develop. When seeking assistance the individual may not know the range of options available. There is help available as The National Gambling Helpline, your GP or the Gambling help services within the State.
Change in behavior Often a gambling addiction causes significant changes in personality. It is important to remember that this is a symptom that is hard to detect especially if an individual is a very private person. However significant changes may indicate that there is a deeper issue such as alcohol/drug abuse, gambling or a mental health condition.
Having knowledge about responsible gambling in a family-friendly environment will also involve being aware of what to look out for in case problem gambling is starting to emerge as a concern in the family or a close friend. Being able to identify the early warning signs will allow time to seek help and access the support services that are available in every state and territory. It is important to be aware of the intrusion has begun so that problem gambling can be promptly addressed and managed to limit the potential damage that may occur. A good way to do this is to have a good understanding of potential indicators, which will consist of the following topics:
