In light of this experience, I learned that we should not be quick to shame and blame problem gamblers for gambling. Before this project, I always thought of problem gamblers as selfish and greedy. This is because they do not want to stop gambling even when it is affecting their personal lives and the lives of the people around them. But, through this experience, I began to see problem gamblers in a different light. Even though problem gamblers chose to start gambling, they are not entirely responsible that they got hooked on gambling. It is likely because of the nature of gambling that keeps them gambling. As gambling uses VR, the behaviours maintained by this behavioural strategy are difficult to extinct. Knowing this helped me to look from the perspective of a problem gambler and understand why they do not want to stop gambling.

 

In Singapore, problem gamblers are reluctant to seek help due to the stigma and feelings of shame (Lim, 2018). When advocating for anti-gambling, we avoid portraying gamblers in a negative light. Instead, focus on educating people about problem gambling like what makes gambling so hard to quit. This helps minimise the negative portrayal of problem gamblers and helps the public to understand why problem gamblers do what they do. By reducing negative portrayal and understanding, it will help remove the stigma around problem gambling and encourage more problem gamblers to seek help.