Gambling/card games at school

[sprinks]

Hmm... at school gambling has become quite big. But I say gambling even though there's no money involved or anything. (At least not in the games I play in! :p) Like in one drama lesson our teacher was away so we had my maths teacher take us, and for the end 15 minutes or so, she played poker and blackjack with us. Ever since, you walk into the library and kids are playing card games like poker and blackjack... You walk into a class and kids are playing poker and blackjack...

What do you think about it? Do you think it's dangerous? Is it teaching us bad gambling habits? Or do you think it's okay because no money is involved?

Personally I really like playing those games. And watching them. I always watch the poker championships on television.

Also back in year 6, our teacher had a bit of a casino setup. With a roulette wheel and everything. We had times during the day where all we did was gamble, with fake money. Any thoughts on that? At the time I thought it was GREAT! But looking back now... perhaps that wasn't the best idea?

[pussnboots]

to me gambling can be addictive. you have to know when to stop and sometimes it is hard. I've only gambled a few times at the slot machines and for the most part I have been fairly lucky. I do not play the tables since those are more costly to play. my husband doesn't like to gamble but the first time we were in Vegas, I couldn't get him away from the slot machine. He was so convinced that he was going to get lucky but he never did. HAHAHA!!!
Even though you weren't playing with money, it can lead some people to play with the real thing I guess.

[kilted exile]

Gambling is like anything else in life. Perfectly fine if you are in control of what you are doing. When I was in my last year of high school(which in fact is 10yrs ago once this school year starts:eek:) we used to play poker all the time in the prefects room (nope I wasnt a prefect we just took over their room because it had comfier chairs). At college we used to get together for a game most Friday nights, buy in of $10 bucks each + whatever each of us was spending on alkyhol & pizza - much cheaper than a night at the bar and usually just as much fun.

No problem so long as you arent risking more than you can afford to lose.

[Pensive]

No problem so long as you arent risking more than you can afford to lose.

I agree. Gambling is not really my cup of tea (seeing I am not at all good with risks) but I don't see why I should put it in a list of 'bads' just because I have no inclination towards it personally.

[Virgil]

Gambling is like anything else in life. Perfectly fine if you are in control of what you are doing. When I was in my last year of high school(which in fact is 10yrs ago once this school year starts:eek:) we used to play poker all the time in the prefects room (nope I wasnt a prefect we just took over their room because it had comfier chairs). At college we used to get together for a game most Friday nights, buy in of $10 bucks each + whatever each of us was spending on alkyhol & pizza - much cheaper than a night at the bar and usually just as much fun.

No problem so long as you arent risking more than you can afford to lose.

Hey that sounds just like my friends and I play. We probably only play poker once in a blue moon now, but we only play for nickles, dimes, and quarters. At most one might lose ten to twenty dollars. It's a social thing with the guys, moore an excuse for beer and pizza. :D

Real gambling is not my thing. If you play long enough you will lose. The odds are against you. That's why the casinos make a mint. Sure you might win one night, but in time you will lose it and more.

As to Sprinks's question, I don't think it's the end of the world if kids are just having a little fun, but frankly at school it shouldn't be allowed. In principle gambling is an adult activity and should not interfere with learning.

[Bakiryu]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. We used to gamble in my school back home with money. I loved it, it was so fun. Card games and sports' bets, bring them on!

[Oniw17]

I really like gambling. Mostly because most people are idiots and will bet on anything you bet on without thinking about whether they win or lose. I'd not go to a place where there's people who gamble a lot and be as confident though. Those guys know what they're doing. I learned most of what I know about gambling from my grandpa, who's pretty much addicted to it and from poker after dark(through which I discovered online poker), so I'm not very experienced. Gambling with the normal people who I see everyday is easy money though...except craps, which is something I don't fully understand the strategy for winning of. I've never played roulette or any of those other games though, I'm mostly into cards.

[Bakiryu]

I really like gambling. Mostly because most people are idiots and will bet on anything you bet on without thinking about whether they win or lose. I'd not go to a place where there's people who gamble a lot and be as confident though. Those guys know what they're doing. I learned most of what I know about gambling from my grandpa, who's pretty much addicted to it and from poker after dark(through which I discovered online poker), so I'm not very experienced. Gambling with the normal people who I see everyday is easy money though...except craps, which is something I don't fully understand the strategy for winning of. I've never played roulette or any of those other games though, I'm mostly into cards.

completely agree. I'm not so good at poker or things like that, but oh I kill at cards.

[aabbcc]

What do you think about it? Do you think it's dangerous? Is it teaching us bad gambling habits? Or do you think it's okay because no money is involved?
What you described as your school experience is not something I would consider gambling at all - I would name it "playing cards" instead. :D As such, I tend to group it with a plethora of other activities schoolchildren do in pauses or classes (reading comics, drawing, daydreaming or sleeping in a class, etc), and I do not see any drastic difference between those.

Cards at school were personally never my thing, though a lot of people did that. I preferred reading during really boring lessons, or at most playing pocket chess with the person I sat next to. I did not note any more "gambling tendencies" amongst people who played cards at school as children than amongst those who did not, I think it was all irrelevant as playing cards was in no way serious gambling and money was never involved.
And even if some small, insignificant amounts of money were involved amongst older students, I would still see no problem, though I would think that it would be more appropriate if those were left for free time at somebody's place and not school.

Regarding "actual" gambling, it is as most other things around... If you know your limits, I see no problem. It is not my thing, though. :)

[kasie]

I expect a hail of abuse for this unashamedly old-fashioned response: is this what school is for??? I thought it was for learning something useful. Gambling is a mug's game - in the long run, you can't win. It can be as addictive and destructive as drink and drugs - you may think you are in control and know when to stop but how can you know that? Are you prepared to ride that tiger? Yes, that's an exaggeration but for some, gambling can be huge problem - how do you know you are not one of those people? Everyone starts in a small way.

As my pragmatic grandpa used to say: 'What I have will be what I've earned.'

Sorry to sound so Old Fogey and Kill-joy - I've just never been able to see the attraction. (And before anyone asks, no, I don't play cards, except patience, I don't put money on horses and I don't buy Lottery tickets though my husband and I used to belong to a Lottery syndicate in work because we didn't want to be the only people turning up for work the Monday after they had won the big prize....:D)

[Big Al]

I don't think that gambling is inherently good or inherently bad -- it is an entity subject to individual ethical decisions. So if you and your friends have no problem with it, by all means. I for one enjoy cards, but would never gamble with my own money; I don't have that kind of trust in chance.

[JBI]

I'm against it inside schools, but have nothing against all illegal gambling outside of schools. In schools you get a more master-slave relationship going on, where people will gang up on the weaker players, and rob them of all they have (such as 4 friends cheating to rip off a fifth person, or one person peer pressuring another to play, when that person is lousy, and is in need of his lunch money). The results are always bad for the loser, and great for the winner, who wins not only money, but respect from the spectators if there are none.

Outside of schools, I don't care, since outside of schools, one has more of a free choice than inside of schools. Either way though, gambling is always stupid unless you are extremely good at it - in which case it is rigged in your favor.

[wilbur lim]

I am intimidated of gambling if I were to lose money.My lovely money would be vanished.By no means I shall gamble unless I am a millionaire.Ah,that would be suitable and great perfection.

[kasie]

I am intimidated of gambling if I were to lose money.My lovely money would be vanished.By no means I shall gamble unless I am a millionaire.Ah,that would be suitable and great perfection.

WL - by the time you have earned your first million you will have such a respect for the hard work involved in earning it you won't want to gamble it away! :D

[wilbur lim]

Nice perspective you had,Kasie.Yeah,I wouldn't gamble although if I am a billionaire.
Money is inevitably the greed of life.

[Sweets America]

I see no problem with gambling, but it's true that it can be addictive. That reminds me of how I was addicted to games involving money when I was younger. You know, these tickets you buy and you have to scratch them and you see what you win (and most of the time, you win nothing! :p). Well, I bought so many of these when I was young :blush:, it happened that I spent afternoons in bars buying ticket after ticket and scratching them and my money vanished and I was always tempted to buy one last ticket... Glad I stopped!

But no, to answer your question, I see nothing wrong with gambling, it's just that every person must manage with the possible addiction.