As people are trying their luck in the lotteries over the Lunar New Year holiday, a psychologist yesterday recommended setting a budget in advance to avoid developing a gambling addiction.
Buying scratch cards and lottery tickets is a favorite holiday activity, but sometimes players can get carried away.
An addiction is defined as repetitive and compulsive behavior, psychiatrist Yang Tsung-tsair (楊聰財) said.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
A person might be addicted to gambling if it disrupts their life to the point that they are unable to focus on other things or if they continue to gamble, even if it might bankrupt them, he said.
A sharp increase in the purchase of lottery tickets — for instance from one every week to 10 — paired with feelings of anxiety when not buying tickets could also be signs of addiction, he said.
Most people are able to exercise restraint, but some experience exhilaration bordering on euphoria when gambling, making them want to bet again, Yang said.
A little gambling does not necessarily lead to addiction, but indulging too much or too often could increase the risk, he said.
Stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and feelings of frustration could make people more susceptible to seeking solace in gambling, while others also feel pressured by friends or social circles, he added.
Setting budgets, and seeking other entertainment and psychological support are all ways to avoid the risks associated with gambling, Yang said.
Setting a stop-loss to quit betting within an affordable amount enables a gambler to have fun while insulating themselves from the threat of addiction, he said.
Yang also recommended pursuing other leisure activities such as travel or watching movies to direct one’s focus away from gambling, as well as seeking support from friends, family or a psychologist.
In related news, Taiwan Lottery data show that Taichung had the most scratch-off jackpot winners last year.
A total of 1,092 scratch-off tickets worth NT$1 million (US$31,890) or more were issued before the Lunar New Year last year, 1,087 of which were purchased.
Taichung had the most winners at 164, followed by New Taipei City with 157 and Kaohsiung with 138.
This year, the number of jackpot-winning tickets issued for the holiday reached a record 1,351, Taiwan Lottery said.
Of them, the “20 million Super Red Envelope” (2,000萬超級紅包) costing NT$2,000 per ticket has eight grand prizes of NT$20 million, 10 second-place prizes of NT$2 million plus a chance to win a 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLA180 sports utility vehicle, and 1,000 third-place prizes of NT$1 million.
As of Sunday, two grand prizes, four second prizes and 150 third prizes had been claimed.
Additional reporting by Cheng Chi-fang
Theaters and institutions in Taiwan have received 28 threatening e-mails, including bomb threats, since a documentary critical of China began being screened across the nation last month, the National Security Bureau said yesterday. The actions are part of China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, it said. State Organs (國有器官) documents allegations that Chinese government officials engage in organ harvesting and other illegal activities. From last month to Friday last week, 28 incidents have been reported of theaters or institutions receiving threats, including bomb and shooting threats, if they did not stop showing the documentary, the bureau said. Although the threats were not carried out,
‘GRAY ZONE’ TACTICS: China continues to build up its military capacity while regularly deploying jets and warships around Taiwan, with the latest balloon spotted on Sunday The US is drawing up contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in case of a Taiwan emergency, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. They would be incorporated in a first joint operation plan to be formulated in December, Kyodo reported late on Sunday, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations. A US Marine Corps regiment that possesses High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — a light multiple rocket launcher — would be deployed along the Nansei Island chain stretching from Kyushu to Yonaguni near Taiwan, Kyodo said. According to US military guidelines for dispatching marines in small formations to several locations,
As Taiwan celebrated its baseball team’s victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 on Sunday, how politicians referred to the team in their congratulatory messages reflected the nation’s political divide. Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei (中華台北隊), made history with its first-ever Premier12 championship after beating Japan 4-0 at the Tokyo Dome. Right after the game, President William Lai (賴清德) congratulated the team via a post on his Facebook page. Besides the players, Lai also lauded the team’s coaching and medical staff, and the fans cheering for them in Tokyo or watching the live broadcast, saying that “every
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday confirmed that Chinese students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation were almost all affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). During yesterday’s meeting convened by the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) asked whether the visit was a way to spread China’s so-called “united front” rhetoric, to which MAC Deputy Ministry Shen You-chung (沈有忠) responded with the CCP comment. The MAC noticed that the Chinese individuals visiting Taiwan, including those in sports, education, or religion, have had increasingly impressive backgrounds, demonstrating that the
RSS