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Addiction By Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas is one of the wildest fucking reads y'all
Being able to sports bet on the phone has got to be just absolutely destroying so many lives
this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2026
97 points (100.0% liked)
Chapotraphouse
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yeah there's a statistically significant increase in bankruptcies and DV
Not just sports betting anymore
Diseased ass society
It gets worse
Tbf betting on whether or not [insert year] will be in the top 10 hottest years on record is basically free money.
Yeah on the one hand I fucking hate this but on the other I could really use the money 
january 2025 was especially hot and this year january has only 10 days to go. the odds are at 6% for a reason, despite longer term warming trends. i hope nobody starts thinking they can easily win $1500 from this nonsense. it's not free money. southern pacific sea surface temperatures are still on the cold side of the cycle and it's been a cold few weeks.
Just waiting for my cousins to start messaging me about all the money they've lost requesting a little loan
If I'm not much of a gambler, would you still recommend the book?
Yes absolutely. The analogies to social media are pretty remarkable although the scope is purely gambling machines. Its about an entire ecosystem that has been developed to ensnare people and destroy lives through addiction, and the total lack of regulatory oversight.
Rad, will download it!
The audiobook is good too thats how I consumed it
Had an argument with someone recently that they know someone who almost always wins in gambling and I called bs on it. They didn't like that and kept arguing against the house odds.
Just use the martingale system*
*
requires infinite money to guarantee winning
Variable Ratio schedule of reinforcement
If you start winning they bring in the authentic experience (men dressed as Feds shoot the fuck out of you)
tv was showing me a commercial to celebrate mlk's legacy by watching nba basketball all day 
I have a lot of cousins who married guys who like sports betting. Every family function I see them at they look increasingly miserable. My pet theory is that they are all losing a lot of money gambling. Just a theory, but it feels like this shit is just ruining people's lives.
Just me or does play to win free play not make sense? Here take this now to maybe win something later? Which might be more free play! Actually in light of everything going on right now it makes total sense.
People who are addicted to gambling on machines aren't interested in winning, they are interested in escapism. Time on machine for free is a dream for them
Makes sense given all the mobile slot machine commercials I see I tv, it's like boomers just love spinning the wheel and seeing numbers on screen.
How can we make this work for our ends 
"Read two more pages for 10 FREE SPINS on LENIN LUCKY!!!"
I hope i get catgirl Lenin