[thefactor]

In my personal experience, gambling is more addictive than booze. My friends who gamble obsess over it. It gives them a high during games they otherwise have no interest in. I have no experience with drugs so I can't say.

I have seen many fights between friends and their wives over gambling away the rent money. I like playing blackjack but I can't bet on sports. Too difficult.

[fuzzylogic]

That’s exactly what it is. I had a friend that couldn’t do anything without asking “wanna bet?”. It would be a round of golf, watching Monday Night Football, anything...

I could see it made everything more intense for him - but it also made everything a constant high/low experience. One moment he wins and is on a high, the next he’s in a really bad mood because of a loss.

It was obvious to me that this is really unhealthy and something to stay away from.