Thrill of winning woos gamblers: Psychologists
Published on: Friday, July 01, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: The Euro 2016 championship currently being held in France has stirred a football frenzy in the country, not only among football fans but bookies and punters as well.Bookies and illegal gambling syndicates have taken the opportunity to organise gambling activities in conjunction with the tournament which has reached the quarterfinal stage, thus adding on to the thrill and interest.Gambling and football tournaments seem to be inseparable, and it is like a 'disease' which mars an otherwise fantastic experience for fans.
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This is evident with many gamblers and bookies still persistently involved in illegal gambling and betting activities.Dr Meriam Omar Din, a psychologist and counsellor from Access Consultants said such activities are rampant because people are stimulated by the manifold returns on relatively small bets."It stimulates the human physiology in the process of taking risks, and the 'thrill' which comes with dreaming of huge winnings," she said.Meriam said winning a bet would lead to gambling addiction although players would eventually 'suffer' more losses than wins.
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"Gambling on football games is favoured among gamblers, as it is a sport loved by many around the world, and the result of a match can be predicted more easily, compared to casino gambling, which is deemed to be more random and difficult to predict," he said.She said it was difficult for gamblers to leave the habit, and what's worst, they may be listless or have no 'mood' to do other activities because of the addiction, despite facing financial difficulties.
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Meanwhile, psychologist and University Malaya Dean of Education Faculty Assoc Prof Dr Mariani Md Nor said individuals who liked to gamble are seen as those trying to earn money the fast and easy way."When passion and emotion overcomes rationality, they (gamblers) have no fear of God and the authorities, and are willing to gamble," she said, referring to gambling activities that is rampant in the holy month of Ramadan due to Euro 2016.In the meantime, Anti-vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) deputy director-general Datuk Roslee Chik said 324 raids had been carried out nationwide under 'Op Soga VI' from June 1 to 28, to curb gambling activities in light of the tournament.Roslee said 173 individuals linked to such activities were detained, comprising 167 men and six women, with nearly RM208,000 cash seized in the operation.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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