What part of the Old Dart are you from partypooper? I'm from up North originally myself, where men are men and the sheep... etc etc. Been many years since I was back there though.

Walking past a TAB on your way to pay the rent and some bills , and choosing to enter the TAB and gamble and try to double the rent money is NOT irresponsible.
I would call that an Addiction.
Irresponsible might be purchasing a New Flat Screen with the money.

We are all going to have different ideas on this subject, because it's somewhat touchy.
Either we know of someone who has caused problems for others, or maybe someone feels it hits home. I'm not casting judgements, but you'll find that the general public's perception of gamblers as "losers" is that they know or have experienced the fallout from someone with an addiction.

Addicts are not by nature irresponsible, because for the most part they are devasted by what has happened in the cold light of day, they feel remorse and chastise themselves vowing never to do it again.
Unfortunately they have no control.

Even the greatest experts are only starting to unveil some of the intricasies of addiction and new evidence is coming to light about signals to the brain and seratonin.

Why is it that some alcoholics aren't addicted to drugs?
Why is it that some gambler's aren't addicted to alcohol?

Of course there are some unfortunate people who are addicted to all three and addicted to eating and addicted to shopping and addicted to sex.

But the above questions have experts baffled at this point.

It is a very grey area and unfortunately the public has little understanding or time for addicts, because all they see are the actions and not the disease.

In the example of irresponsibility, I know of a woman who is addicted to shopping and will come home with a widescreen tv and not pay her rent.
That is her addiction.
I couldn't class her as irresponsible, she feels great remorse.
She thinks about shopping constantly, it consumes her day.
As soon as money comes in, it's like she won lotto, not got wages she worked for.
There is something malfunctioning in her brain making her view money in a different way.
And she cannot control it.

Years ago I was a sales rep on the road using my own car, we had just rented a house and had a new baby.
My exwife would rush to the bank on pay day and buy up big, leaving us no money for two weeks and no petrol for the car.
She would borrow off her parents and the cycle would continue every month.
We are no longer together for other reasons, but I see her regularly and in 20 years, she hasn't changed a bit.
In fact her new husband rang me up distraught, and I tried to give him some advice.

Drugs alcohol and gambling are just a few of the more renowned addictions, there are a great deal many more that people manage to hide better.

Irresponsible, are those that do things and just don't care.

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Think I might suffer from this myself, every time I look around my money seems to be gone lol.

Seriously though this whole thing is not something everyone is ever going to see eye to eye on, as many as there are that think people dont have a full understanding of addiction there would be as many who think the powers that be are too soft and quick to excuse bad social behaviour as addiction.

End of the day there should be a campaign to promote the healthy use of horse racing as a past time and a hobby that doesnt neccessarily mean the player is addicted or is someone to question, i bet every single one of us here has had the looks or the silence when they reveal they like horse racing.

Cheers

If you asked 100 people whats the difference between these 3 professions and what one would be the safest option, i know what over 50% would say.

Professional Punter (horse racing)
Professional Sports Handicapper
Professional Stock Market Trader

Far too easy to judge isn't it Chrome Prince. We all do it unfortunately, some to a lesser degree than others ..... great posts.

As to the difference between stock market trader, sports handicapper and professional horse punter

I would categorically say the SAFEST IN ORDER;

Pro Horse Punter
Sports Handicapper
Stock Market Trader

....... my reason for having the stock market trader at the bottom of the list is that the enormous sums of money involved bring about the most elaborate ways of thieving money and involve the "smartest" minds in the world.

The difference is simply the amount of money involved and horse racing doesn't start Global WARS !!! Stock markets do !!!!! Stock market manipulation, oil shortages - WARS ...... Did you know that ALL THE GOLD EVER MINED IN HISTORY WOULD FIT IN AN AVERAGE 3 BEDROOM HOUSE !!!!!

Believe it or not, I think both points are valid.
The Justice system is flawed at it's very foundation.
Why are drug baron's getting light sentences when they are pushing the problem?
Accused are making it very difficult for genuine addicts, because they are using the addict defence and it has worn thin with magistrates.
Addicts who refuse help, should be jailed.

__________________
RaceCensus - powerful system testing software.
Now with over 420,000 Metropolitan, Provincial and Country races!
http://www.propun.com.au/horse_raci...ng_systems.html
*RaceCensus now updated to 30/06/2025
Video overview of RaceCensus here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W821YP_b0Pg