Gambling addiction is among the worst addictions out there. Sure, alcohol and drugs are pretty bad, both of which can kill you, but gambling addiction, when it’s really bad and out of control, may ruin your entire life and the lives of your family and close ones. There’s a very good reason why most, if not all legitimate online casinos have links to charity organizations which can help those suffering from gambling addiction, and it’s not just because the government requests it. It’s because gambling has been specifically engineered to be addictive. It runs on the Skinner Box model, which, to keep a long story short, is essentially an experiment where rats got addicted to an activity which provided them with rewards, even when they didn’t need the rewards. Even if you know about this and think you’re safe, it’s important to know that anyone can be susceptible to gambling addiction, even when you have a million dollars in your bank account.
This fate befell the creator of numerous popular shows such as NYPD Blue and Luck, as well as a writer on Hill Street Blues, David Milch, who had to file for bankruptcy after spending his fortune of over $100 million on gambling, both offline and online. The case became public when his wife Rita filed a $25 million lawsuit against the companies managing their finances for misappropriation of funds and failure to notify the couple of their quickly draining resources. As People reports, the former millionaire is now living on a $40 a week allowance from his wife, which was a necessary measure in order to curb his destructive gambling habit. Even so, the couple had to downsize by selling off their $8.95 million estate and $4.8 million mansion and move to a rental properly in Santa Monica.
According to an attorney representing NKSFB, one of the companies that Milch had hired previously to organize his finances, the case “has [no] merits at all factually or legally”, but thus far the press has been unable to get their side of the story. Winning the lawsuit has been a priority for the family, as Milch is $17 million in debt following a streak of failed bets on horse racing made between 2000 and 2011, and as such most of what the family will receive following a success in court will be used to settle these debts. It is currently unknown what will happen to Milch if he loses the case and is unable to pay his debts, but jail time seems like a good possibility for the once successful creator. News stories like this are just as important as those depicting ordinary people winning jackpots worth millions. Gambling addiction is serious and can – and probably will – ruin your life regardless of how successful you are. If you think you may be affected, please contact the proper organizations in your country as soon as possible.