Gambling addiction seems to be a 21st-century problem that has appeared due to the quick development of the digital casino sector. However, it’s a completely false opinion. Risky entertainment has been around for many centuries, and people of different eras enjoyed its various forms. Compulsive behaviours were common among casino lovers, and even famous authors couldn’t avoid these problems. While modern users can take advantage of GamStop self-exclusion and other support initiatives to recover from their disorders, gamblers in the past didn’t have this opportunity.
Modern casino lovers are free in their choices when it comes to gambling activities. Users can explore thousands of gaming and betting platforms with multiple opportunities hidden inside. Currently, many users prefer to avoid mandatory self-exclusion and select reputable non-GamStop sites with more freedom and fewer limitations. On the other hand, this blocker is efficient for coping with addictive habits, and we bet that some authors passionate about risky activities would have been happy to use it. Have a look at five famous people of the past who suffered from problem gambling.
Ernest Hemingway
One of the most popular 20th-century writers is known for his passion for horse racing betting. Hemingway spent a lot of time in Paris, where such events were frequently held. The author regularly attended the racetrack and made predictions on the competition’s outcomes, and his bets weren’t always successful. In addition to wagering, Ernest Hemingway never missed the chance to have a poker session, which was highlighted in his publications. In “The Gambler, the Nun, and the Radio,” the protagonist is really obsessed with playing casino games.
We don’t know whether Hemingway would have used GamStop or sought ways to get around the ban and still enjoy his favourite entertainment. However, it’s worth noting that some of the author’s gaming sessions were beneficial for him. He once bet $6 on a roulette game and won $59, which allowed him not to search for income opportunities and concentrate on writing.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
The author is famous globally thanks to his works like “Crime and Punishments,” but writing novels with complicated plots wasn’t the only activity Dostoevsky was known for. The Russian writer was a compulsive gambler, and this pastime almost bankrupted him. Dostoevsky couldn’t control himself when he joined the poker table, and he was also passionate about betting. His harmful habits resulted in significant debts and one of the best novels about gambling in history, which is called, naturally, “The Gambler.” He would definitely have been banned from casinos and bookmakers if he lived in 2024.
Miguel de Cervantes
The 15-16th century Spanish writer is famous globally due to the amazing works he created – but have you ever heard of his gambling interests? Don Quixote is the most renowned author’s novel, bringing modern people the first mention of the blackjack game. Cervantes was passionate about this entertainment, but it’s still unclear whether this hobby negatively affected his lifestyle. The author’s fans know that many characters in his stories are connected to gambling, which highlights his own preferences. Luckily for Miguel de Cervantes, there were no mandatory self-exclusions in the 1500s, so he could enjoy this pastime without limitations.
Charles Bukowski
The American author is known for his provocative stories that always include drugs, alcohol, and other harmful habits, at the same time showing the routines of many people. Bukowski considered gambling a way to escape from reality for at least some time and enjoy drinking and adrenaline. The author is famous for his love of betting activities, which hardly benefited him. Failures didn’t prevent Bukowski from trying his luck in casinos and bookmaker offices again and again – and the characters of his books actually suffered from gambling addiction and other similar problems.
Hunter S. Thompson
Gambling is a common theme highlighted in Hunter S. Thompson’s stories that engage readers with immersive effects and complicated plots. The secret is that the author was a betting enthusiast himself and spent a lot of cash on sports and political wagering. His attempts to win money from this risky entertainment weren’t always successful, which therefore motivated him to gamble even more.
If the writer lived in the 21st century and enjoyed online casinos, regulatory authorities would have definitely alerted him. Chasing losses and the inability to stop are the common compulsive gaming symptoms that Hunter S. Thompson suffered from, so he could have become a perfect customer for GamStop self-exclusion.
Gambling has been widespread for centuries, and for many famous authors this risky entertainment was a part of their lifestyle. Unfortunately, many suffered from the negative consequences of uncontrolled betting, resulting in debt and mental health issues. Risk seekers of the previous centuries didn’t have as many opportunities as modern gamblers: they lacked information on safer gaming and additional tools like self-exclusion. GamStop could have become an efficient tool for Bukowski, Dostoevsky, and others and may have positively affected their lifestyles and career successes.
