Dear Dave,
My brother is 30-years old, and he just lost his job. He doesn’t have any debt, but he’s started gambling in order to make money. He’s won a few times, and when he does he’s very generous with the winnings. Still, how can I make him see this is a disaster waiting to happen?
- Emily
Dear Emily,
You say he’s “started” gambling. Is this new behavior? Is he an addict, or just desperate? That will affect how willing he’s going to be to listen to you. Either way, what he’s doing is really dumb. Sure, you can have a loving, heart-to-heart, sit-down conversation with him, and let him know how much you’re worried. In fact, this is something you should do very soon. But the question remains, is he mature enough and rational enough that it will make a difference?
The movies and cable networks have glamorized poker and the world of gambling. But there’s one sure way to tell whether the house will win or you will win in the long run. Look at your place, and then look at theirs. You may pick up a few dollars here and there by sheer luck, but they throw down millions just to re-decorate a lobby. Where do you think they got that money? From dummies who thought they could beat the system! Really, what he needs is a job!
- Dave
Dear Dave, Continued...