WHY DO WE OR DON'T WE GAMBLE?
by Ha3ry Giusto

Well, last month I promised you a survey and here it is. Some of my questions fell on deaf ears but most of them were answered in more depth than I had anticipated. Generally I found that most people were interested in the subject and the questions and eager to supply answers. To avoid any bias in these results I carefully avoided questioning anyone I saw gambling and did not include in my survey anyone I knew in advance to be a gambler. So, let's take the apron off the table and get answers to some questions. Here are the surprising results.

1. Do you gamble?
   "Yes" was the answer given by 80% of the women and 76% of the men.
   
   
2. What is your favorite gambling activity?
   The replies I got over the years stayed consistent in rank and numbers.
   (1) card playing;
   (2) lotteries, raffles, numbers and bingo;
   (3) horse racing;
   (4) betting on sports events;
   (5) dice games;
   (6) carnival games;
   (7) slot machines and consoles;
   (8) punchboards and sales cards.
   
   
3. Why do you gamble?
   Here the answers were in the majority, "To win money". Only 20% said they gambled for pleasure, and, of this group, one fifth of them put it in stronger terms by saying that they had found nothing more exciting or thrilling. Interestingly, there were a few people, only about 5% according to my notes, who gamble for reasons that have nothing to do with the nature of gambling itself. They are the gamblers who indulge while accompanying a family member, or the ones who play bingo just to get away from spouses.
   
   
4. If you don't gamble, why not?
   Half of this group said that they couldn't afford it. One-third said that didn't believe that it was possible to beat the game. One-tenth said that they used to gamble but stopped because they usually went broke. Five percent said that they knew nothing about gambling. Only two percent believe that gambling is sinful. Only one person was adamant in her answer. "Why, my husband would leave me if he ever caught me gambling!"
   
   
5. Are you in favor of legalized casinos?
   Two to one believe in legalized casinos, which are enough to keep a town such as mine, Las Vegas, going.
   
   
6. What is your favorite, private card game?
   70% play cards regularly and Poker wins hands down. The proportion of men to women in this survey is 50-50. Rummy is the second runner up, and Bridge comes in as the third favorite.

Why is this country now experiencing the greatest gambling boom in its history? Those reasons make for another article so I'll put the apron back onto the table and we'll talk again next month. Meanwhile good luck to you, whatever your preference in gambling.