Gambling & Crime

[ian]

I often wonder what comes first...someone who's a problem gambler stealing to feed their habit, or a thief who can find nothing better to do with the money they pilfer other than to use it for gambling ?


It's perhaps mostly the former but I'm sure the people who run or work for the wide array of gambling related helplines and counselling services around the world will have a more precise opinion and statistics to back it up.


What do you think ?


On the subject of gambling and crime here is a recent case from Scotland where a 26 year old living at home with his parents stole £936,425 and apparently blew the lot punting on the Internet.


Finance controller who stole nearly £1m to feed gambling habit is jailed
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Art...04786?UserKey=


Ian

[ian]

Hello Skyvision,

You are very welcome to give your thoughts on this forum.
I would prefer however if you stay on topic so please start your own threads if you wish to discuss something different.

This thread is about gambling and whether or not problem gambling, addiction etc.. and committing acts of criminality (usually stealing) are related. By going off topic you confuse the issue and the Forum starts looks like a dogs breakfast.


Also there aren't 50,000 employees in UK casino industry. If there were then every unit would have around 350 staff. A 15,000 total would be much nearer the mark.


Ian

[saintpeter]

Or the "get out of jail free" defence; I stole the money because I'm hooked on gambling. It's not my fault, the casino made me do it.
It works a treat in Australia.

[ian]

Two unlikely locations have made the news this weekend in relation to gambling and crime - Exeter in Devon and Waunfawr located near Snowdonia in North Wales.


Gwynedd man stole to feed gaming addiction
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nort...5578-23197090/


"A SALESMAN swindled a Gwynedd company out of £40,000 after becoming addicted to internet gambling. Ceirion Rhys Williams, 31, of Waunfawr, near Caernarfon, built up debts of £110,000 after getting hooked on gambling on his laptop."



Woman stole £150,000 for gambling
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7955873.stm

"A woman has been jailed for two and a half years for stealing £150,000 from her employers to feed her online gambling habit. Eileen Evis, 61, from Colaton Raleigh, Devon, took the money from building firm TAG in Sidmouth where she worked as a £50-a-week book-keeper."


It would seem that in these two cases the Internet gambling addiction came first and thefts followed.

I agree though with saintpeter that a gambling addiction seems to be often given as an excuse when committing such crimes. Perhaps it's the truth, or is it sometimes a ploy by defence lawyers to get a lighter sentence ?


It seems unlikely that someone who's been found guilty of theft and who also admits to having a gambling addiction will find themselves in a position of responsibility again for many years to come. A double dose of career ending mistakes if ever there were ones.


Ian

[formula 1]

These stories seem so outrageous, it's incredible that they got away with it for so long. Not only that but why gamble it away, think what you could have done with that amount of money!!!
I think that the majority of people are addicted to gambling and they start stealing to pay for it, read this one it's just as unbelievable...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/ja...crime.gambling

how about a competition?... Who can find the largest sum of money stolen to feed a gambling addiction.

[Redragon]

No matter what the excuse the plain simple fact is a thief is a thief and it is in their nature and has nothing to do with the reasons.
There are people in the human race would prefer to starve than steal. Those who steal rather than starve I have all sympathy for but the rest should suffer the full wraith of the law without consideration for the reason for the theft . . . Mitigating circumstances be damned. Addicted to Gambling, Drugs or simply "The Good Life" is no reason to take what is not yours to take. How the hell can anyone have any sympathy for a bloody THIEF.
A THIEF IS A THIEF.
Before any says it . . YES . . I am a firm believer in Capital punishment as well.

[funtastic]

Originally Posted by Redragon

No matter what the excuse the plain simple fact is a thief is a thief and it is in their nature and has nothing to do with the reasons.
There are people in the human race would prefer to starve than steal. Those who steal rather than starve I have all sympathy for but the rest should suffer the full wraith of the law without consideration for the reason for the theft . . . Mitigating circumstances be damned. Addicted to Gambling, Drugs or simply "The Good Life" is no reason to take what is not yours to take. How the hell can anyone have any sympathy for a bloody THIEF.
A THIEF IS A THIEF.
Before any says it . . YES . . I am a firm believer in Capital punishment as well.

There are people who prefer to starve than steal...have you any evidence to back up this statement?...