We all know that poker is a very hard to kick hobby, a lot of people give up there lives and there family to feed there addiction, but is it all doom and gloom, as some rtp live people have a happy life with poker, could we one day maybe call it a sport?
To firstly understand why people become addicted to poker we must not blame the game itself but look at the individual is playing. Most people who are addicted use poker as a sort of comfort or getaway and I believe this is when it goes wrong, not just in the poker world but in every sport. Let’s just give an example, if you had just had a big argument with your partner or you are having a lot of money problems, than you would not be able to perform at work and you would usually end up losing your job. It’s exactly the same situation that causes people to get addicted to poker itself, if you go in a state of mind that you are stuck in a dead end job with no prospects, of course you are going to get addicted and lose your money because your looking to improve your life and not just to play the game and have fun.
This is why I feel that poker should no longer be kept in the dark and it should be made into a sport that is recognised and appreciated globally. It definitely fits the category it’s competitive, only one person or team can win and its sensation problems racking, just the same as football or boxing. I also feel that if poker was made mainstream it would actually support saving the amount of people that get addicted and take the long detrimental road, I say this because if it was made into a sport then the workers would be regulated more and if they see the customers are wasting too much money they can tell them to stop or no longer allow them in the building.
My final thoughts would be that even if poker does not turn into a sport it should always be played safely and maturely, do not play if you are feeling stressed out as the professionals will always take advantage, and you will lose a lot of hard earned money. If you just approach the game in a strong state of mind you will have fun and who knows, you might even win a bit.