We know many celebrities from the world of entertainment and sports, among others, who particularly enjoy gambling. From roulette to blackjack , baccarat, and craps, many stars enjoy playing at the casino.
Unfortunately, some of them do not adopt a responsible gambling attitude and end up developing a real addiction.
This is the case, for example, of the famous American basketball player Charles Barkley of the NBA. He recently spoke out about his gambling addiction.
Strong emotions experienced after each of his victories
Among sports stars, basketball player Charles Barkley is known for his unhealthy relationship with the game. In many ways, he even served as an example for others to avoid following his path by turning a merely enjoyable hobby into a destructive addiction.
The former NBA player recently opened up about his struggle with addiction. He talked about the thrill he felt when he won, which drove him to spend more and more money on gambling.
Indeed, Charles Barkley admitted to having a great love for money. So, of course, he always hated losing. However, it gave him an extremely powerful feeling every time he managed to pocket a win.
The strong emotions he felt after each of his victories pushed him to continue playing while constantly betting more in an attempt to win more. The problem was that the more money he won, the more powerful the sensations he felt. In short, he was caught in a vicious cycle.
Fortunately, he eventually realized this. He then understood that he had become addicted to the feelings he felt after each victory. This gradually allowed him to change his perspective on his behavior and understand that he was suffering from an addiction.
Between 10 and 20 million dollars in losses
During the 1980s, Charles Barkley admits to losing a lot of money. He must have squandered between $10 and $20 million gambling. That’s when he started asking friends for help at first. They admitted they thought he was stupid for betting so much. This prompted him to try to quit gambling, which he gradually succeeded in doing.
Nowadays, he occasionally plays again. However, he doesn’t necessarily aim to win anymore, which he says makes his sessions even more exciting and his victories all the more enjoyable.
So, he now follows some important principles of responsible gambling. He didn’t say, however, whether he sets limits on winnings, losses, or time before starting to play, which definitely prevents any risk of addiction.
As a reminder: born on February 20, 1963, Charles Barkley played in the NBA as a power forward between 1984 and 2000 for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets.
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