Untitled topic • Hacker News Board

#1

Post by nols » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 4:05 PM UTC

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#2

Post by komon » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 4:20 PM UTC

A really great short documentary on this subject is Louis Theroux's "Gambling in Las Vegas". His frank manner really cuts to the core of not only the length to which addicts will justify gambling but also to the lengths to which the casino employees justify their enabling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJRYUZbxwyA

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#3

Post by gambiting » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 4:59 PM UTC

"and lost all of a $110,000 personal loan he’d taken out from PNC Bank."

The man had no job, maxed out credit card, and a bank gave him a loan of 110k? Am I crazy to think this is insane on the bank's behalf?

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#4

Post by Kenji » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:04 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #3

"and lost all of a $110,000 personal loan he’d taken out from PNC Bank." The man had no job, maxed out credit card, and a bank gave him a loan of 110k? Am I crazy to think this is insane on the bank's behalf?

No. Any bank with sane procedures would never approve such a thing.

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#5

Post by kirykl » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:14 PM UTC

komon wrote: post #2

A really great short documentary on this subject is Louis Theroux's "Gambling in Las Vegas". His frank manner really cuts to the core of not only the length to which addicts will justify gambling but also to the lengths to which the casino employees justify their enabling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJRYUZbxwyA

That's a great documentary. I'd like to see a followup on some of the people he interviewed. Some research online will show that the "Mattress King" had lost his young son shortly before this was filmed

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#6

Post by Retric » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:34 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #3

"and lost all of a $110,000 personal loan he’d taken out from PNC Bank." The man had no job, maxed out credit card, and a bank gave him a loan of 110k? Am I crazy to think this is insane on the bank's behalf?

Depends on if they can sell the loan to someone else. PNC Bank may have actually made money from the deal.

Another consideration is the person making the loan at PNC can be better off even if PNC is worse off.

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#7

Post by zardo » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:37 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #3

"and lost all of a $110,000 personal loan he’d taken out from PNC Bank." The man had no job, maxed out credit card, and a bank gave him a loan of 110k? Am I crazy to think this is insane on the bank's behalf?

I'm guessing the bank doesn't keep the loan, they pass on the shit to get polished, repackaged, and resold.

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#8

Post by italian_donald » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:38 PM UTC

Casinos enable gambling Addicts in the same way that legalized weed enables drug addicts.

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#9

Post by kens » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:42 PM UTC

Here's an interesting academic paper that explains in detail the "virtual reel", "near miss" and other techniques that slot machines use to boost their appeal: http://stoppredatorygambling.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/...

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#10

Post by humbleMouse » Wed, Nov 16, 2016, 5:44 PM UTC

italian_donald wrote: post #8

Casinos enable gambling Addicts in the same way that legalized weed enables drug addicts.

I don't think that's a fair analogy at all. Care to expand on it?