Poker, an absorbing mix of skill and chance, has enjoyed worldwide popularity in recent years. Yet its rise comes with its own set of risks: from cheating and poor etiquette to addiction; some players sacrifice relationships and reputation in pursuit of playing this popular card game.
Although it has long been acknowledged that gambling behaviors are affected by contextual factors, less research has focused on how such influences play out within poker.
Envy
While it can be tempting to envy what others have, jealousy can be harmful to both relationships and mental health. When feeling jealousy surface, take steps immediately to address it before it spirals out of control.
Participants reported feeling stigmatized by non-players’ inaccurate and alarmist perceptions about gambling and poker, contributing to their disapproval of existing prevention messaging (Dufour et al. 2012).
Many poker players find the time required for this activity is taking a toll on their quality of life and leading them down an insular path, often only seeing friends twice each week and spending long sessions at the table, which has an adverse impact on family relationships. Furthermore, inability to stop during bad luck or long run of losses can result in family arguments or strained friendships as well as increased stress levels which in turn deteriorate mental health.
Disrespect
Poker can easily lead to becoming consumed with ego and neglecting friendships, so if you find yourself canceling social plans or rushing straight to the tables it may be time for changes. Nurturing healthy relationships outside of poker can also improve discipline at the tables while decreasing tilt.
Understanding how poker players perceive risk and help-seeking behaviors is paramount, as this impacts their receptivity to existing prevention messaging. One way of accomplishing this goal is involving a poker community representative in developing targeted prevention strategies.
As researchers have advocated, it is also essential to take the differences between poker and other forms of gambling into account when creating intervention strategies. Many researchers have suggested the use of tailored prevention programs aimed at this at-risk group – which would include including poker-specific language to promote greater receptivity to prevention messaging (Morvannou 2017). Such as terminology like “skilled”, “regular”, and “controlled” gambling behavior to counter any misperceptions about what poker truly entails as a game of chance (Morvannou 2017).
Misconceptions
The poker community has its own set of terms and jargon, but also often relies on myths to dissuade people from joining or discourage newcomers from entering the fray. When newcomers believe these myths as truths they can cause irreparable damage to both their game and relationships.
New players to poker may assume that games are rigged in favour of certain participants, while also believing that the best players always win, which is not true at all. While these misconceptions can be harmless in small doses, when taken too far they can create real issues for those taking part in them.
Recent qualitative research asked poker players to reflect upon existing institutional and personal prevention strategies. Many were critical of the format and content of such initiatives; many also felt like they weren’t being directed toward them directly. Furthermore, these individuals saw poker as distinct from other forms of gambling activities and wanted to distinguish themselves from people who use electronic gaming/gambling machines for gambling purposes.
Addiction
Problem gambling has long been linked with casino and sports betting, yet another form of gambling – card games – are just as likely to cause issues among their players. According to research conducted by the Australian Gambling Research Centre, nearly one in two poker players experience some form of problem gambling at least once during their poker careers.
Findings indicate that poker is relatively low-risk compared to slots which tend to correlate more strongly with harmful indicators like bonus page visits, RG changes and declined transactions. It remains unclear if this result can be attributed solely to poker’s element of skill or other contributing factors that differentiate it from other forms of gambling.
Warning signs of poker addiction can include an intense preoccupation with the game, imbalance between other activities and financial obligations and failure to address them effectively. People exhibiting such symptoms may use unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol and drug consumption – leading to physical health issues including poor nutrition, muscle pains, sleep disruptions and digestive disorders.