Amid declining ticket sales, Camelot, the organiser of the National Lottery is said to be launching a £10,000 (tax-free) per month lifetime prize. It is said that this move has been made in order to sell more tickets, as well as make the lottery appealing to “modern Britain”. As enticing as this new game may appear, there is no denying that this is gambling. And as much as this game has the ability to make your life, it can also destroy you in a jiffy.
The game is being revamped as it is alleged that some previous winners of large sums have been struggling with depression, feeling isolated from friends, and some have even gone a step forward by saying that they wished they had never played the game in the first place. The CEO at Camelot, Nigel Railton said, “We want to get new people into the game and our research tells us that more people these days want financial security. The younger generation are finding it difficult to get on the housing ladder and they want prizes that help with this.”
As well as changing the reward for the game, Camelot are making plans to sell their lottery tickets at self-service checkouts at discounted supermarkets, such as Lidl and Aldi, and are said to be introducing a Tuesday Thunderball draw in 2018.
One might think that playing a line on the lottery is merely a game and won't cause any harm. However, excessiveness of any habit can become detrimental. Gambling can be as destructive as taking drugs. Of course, being addicted to drugs is more life-threatening and extremely dangerous to one's mental and general well-being. Yet, excessive gambling can lead to mental health issues and also cause chaos within your family life, ultimately making you feel alienated or isolated from your loved ones. They can also lead to physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach aches, irritability and anxiety, as well as stress-related symptoms. A mere game can become a habit, and before you know it, you've become an addict and the game that you so fondly played is now playing with your mind and soul.
Undeniably, the prospect of winning £10,000 per month until death seems like a fabulous deal. No doubt, if a young person wins this prize, they will not have to struggle getting on the property ladder and can live a very comfortable life in this expensive contemporary day and age. Yet, what are the chances of someone actually getting this prize? One in 45 million? Is it really worth the effort? Maybe it would be useful to save the money you would have used to play the lottery. It may seem measly initially, but when you calculate the amount at the end of every year, you would definitely see a good amount of money being saved which could be put to good use.
Symptoms of gambling addition:
- An obsession with gambling and the loss of interest in other hobbies or activities
- Increase the amount of gambles to repay lost bets, or to experience the same thrill
- Negative impact on relationships with near and dear ones
- Hiding the amount of money and time spent betting from family membership
- Stealing money to gamble
- Denying that there's a problem
- Can lead to physical symptoms such as, headaches, stomach aches and stress-related symptoms
