Gambling:

Information & advice by Sporting Chance

There is no single, clear cut definition of what gambling is but it is widely agreed that:

Two or more people agree to take part in the activity (usually an operator and the person who wishes to gamble).

• Normally money (the ‘stake’) is paid by the loser to the winner.
• The outcome is uncertain.
• The result is determined (partly) by chance.
• Participation is an active experience but can be avoided by not taking part.

Approximately 68% of the population gambled in the past year. The most popular gambling activities were: the National lottery (57%), Scratch cards (20%), Horse racing (17%) and slot machines (14%) (2007 Gambling Commission Prevalence report)

The gambling industry turns over £42billion – which is £115million per day. The government receives £1.5billion in tax revenue. IT IS BIG BUSINESS!

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport recognises that this needs regulation and have passed laws to ensure that gambling should remain crime free, should allow players to not be exploited and should protect children and other vulnerable people.

The fact is that there is ‘problem gambling’. We see it sports people that we treat and it exists in the wider society. 2007 Gambling Prevalence report suggests that there are 284000 problem gamblers. The highest percentages of Problem gamblers participated in spread betting (14.7%), fixed odds betting terminals (11.2%) and betting exchanges (9.8%).

Gambling and the brain:

Dopamine is neurotransmitter in the brain that plays vital roles in a variety of different behaviours. The major behaviours dopamine affects are movement, cognition, pleasure, and motivation. In certain areas of the brain when dopamine is released it gives one the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. These feelings of satisfaction become desired, and the person will grow a desire for the satisfaction. To satisfy that desire the person will repeat behaviours that cause the release of dopamine. For example food and sex release dopamine.

That is why people want food even though their body does not need it and why people sometimes need sex. These two behaviours scientifically make sense since the body needs food to survive, and humans need to have sex to allow the race to survive. However, other, less natural behaviours (i.e. drug taking and gambling) have the same effect on one’s dopamine levels, and at times can even be more powerful.

Because the outcome is based on chance, one does not know prior if he or she will win. Therefore, if the person wins, dopamine levels increase. One study concluded that pathological gamblers most often experienced traumatizing experiences when they were younger and that their dopamine levels were lower than average.

The process of becoming a pathological gambler is where one insists on gambling even though he or she knows that the odds are against them. This is the case in all casino games, where the games are structured for the house to win. Probability and reason no longer are the most important factors in decision making. The unconscious need for the release of dopamine becomes most important.

This mental process causes addiction in approximately 4% of participants.

The 3 stages of Problem gambling:

If you choose to gamble you do not automatically become a compulsive gambler the first time you start gambling, the change happens over time. For some, it happens faster than others, but typically there are three stages that you will travel through before you become a compulsive gambler.

Winning -The first stage is the winning stage, this is where you are just discovering gambling and how it feels to gamble and WIN!! The feelings produced by winning are great. You feel happy and everything seems right with the world. You are making money and feeling great at the same time, what could be better? This stage sometimes lasts a day or two, or sometimes it will last longer depending on your luck. During this stage, you might start feeling confident about gambling, and you may think that you have the system beat, and therefore may place larger and larger bets.

Losing – The second stage of gambling is when reality hits and you begin losing your bets. This is where you will feel the ‘high’ of gambling less and less, until you rarely experience it at all. Typically, you will start to gamble alone, and may begin hiding your gambling habits from friends and family. As you lose more and more money, you may begin borrowing or stealing money to pay for your habit.

Desperation – The third stage of gambling is the most serious. During the desperation stage, you increase the amount of time and money that you spend gambling until you are in serious trouble. During this stage, you will start to experience serious debt problems, your family life may begin to suffer leading to divorce or separation. You may lose your job and find yourself in a dangerous cycle without much hope to escape. It is in this phase that some compulsive gamblers will resort to desperate measures to fix their problems including illegal acts or even attempting suicide.

The progression through these stages of gambling will vary depending on the personality type of the individual and the type of gambling that they engage in. It has been found that people, who play instant gratification games such as the slot machines, video slots or video poker, including online gambling, will experience these three stages faster than other gamblers.
Gambling, the footballer’s body and performance:

It is difficult at first to recognise the parallels between using alcohol or other drugs and gambling. However those who develop gambling problems experience very similar effects on their physical well being. The problem gambler will suffer the negative consequences of a lack of quality sleep, loss of appetite, dehydration, poor diet and nutrition. How this then causes decreased concentration and affects physical strength, endurance and performance is common. Higher levels of stress and anxiety occur with increasing debts or pressure from those who seek to bribe players will again affect the body and performance.

Having learned about alcohol, drugs and gambling, please link to www.sportingchanceclinic.com and answer the questions on our page; do you have a problem?

Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. There are 3 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 850,000 people who have the condition, but don’t know it.

What happens when you have diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because your pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin, or not enough insulin, to help glucose enter your body’s cells or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).

Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so we can work, play and generally live our lives. It is vital for life. Glucose comes from digesting carbohydrate and is also produced by the liver.

If you have diabetes, your body cannot make proper use of this glucose so it builds up in the blood and can’t be used as fuel. There are two main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 Diabetes CLICK HERE
• Type 2 Diabetes CLICK HERE

Diabetes develops when glucose can’t enter the body’s cells to be used as fuel. This happens when either: There is no insulin to unlock the cells (Type 1) There is not enough insulin or the insulin is there but not working properly (Type 2).

• Are you at risk, take the simple test CLICK HERE
• Talk to someone Diabetes support and information CLICK HERE
• Get a FREE Diabetes Test at Lloyds Pharmacy CLICK HERE

MEN UNITED v PROSTATE CANCER:

Speak To Specialist Nurses on 0800 074 8383
YOU CAN HELP US WIN

Take The Test Now CLICK HERE:

Prostate cancer kills one man every hour. Men United v Prostate Cancer aims to challenge this strike rate. It is time for men to come together, as Men United, against the common enemy of prostate cancer, one of the UK’s biggest man killers. We are building Men United, a growing team across the UK, to get the message out there about one of the UK’s biggest man killers, support men affected by it, and raise funds to find more reliable tests and treatments for the future.

For Prostate Cancer Information CLICK HERE

Joining MEN UNITED is about men standing together, from the terraces to the pub and beyond, to say, quite simply, that men deserve better.

Men United v Prostate Cancer. We can win this.

We can win this! That was the message from Bill Bailey on Friday morning as he was unveiled as manager of Men United – a unique team launched by Britain’s foremost male health charity Prostate Cancer UK at The Football League HQ.

While football clubs up and down the country entered the final week of the January transfer window, the new funnyman team boss immediately revealed two marquee signings – England international duo Gladstone Small and Luther Blissett – in a bid to propel the new movement of men to the very top.

“We need men to sign for the team in their thousands” said Bailey whose father-in-law is one of 250,000 men in the UK living with prostate cancer. “Clubs, pubs, individuals – let’s get everyone on the team. It’s easy – just search Men United online and you’re in! We’re determined to make this as massive for blokes as the breast cancer campaign has been for women.”

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK had this challenge to men. “Put bluntly, it’s time for men in the UK to man up and take control of their own health. We’re asking men to sign up to Men United and check their knowledge of prostate cancer in our short online test. Make sure every man you know – family, friends, colleagues – takes this test. When it comes to prostate cancer, information is power.”

Sharp also addressed speculation regarding the make-up of the Men United super-team, confirming a host of other high-profile sign-ups. Homeland star Damian Lewis, Game of Thrones hard man Charles Dance, Sir Michael Parkinson, and rugby legend Will Carling will all link up with Bailey as the squad takes shape ahead of the campaign.

Parkinson, himself diagnosed with the disease last year, was among the first recruits, stating: “I’m signing up to Men United because I know what it is to confront prostate cancer. You definitely don’t want to do it alone. However tough you are, you need all the support you can get.”

Damian Lewis was also quick to put his name to the campaign. A father in his 40s, the actor said: “I’m not yet 50 but one day I will be and that’s when a man’s risk of prostate cancer spikes. I’m joining Men United because it’s about hammering a disease which kills 10,000 men in the UK each year. Men United aims to tackle that.”

Each year almost as many men are diagnosed with prostate cancer as women are diagnosed with breast cancer. But research into prostate cancer is badly underfunded, leaving tests and treatments trailing behind other common cancers. And the quality and availability of treatment can vary across the UK.

Owen Sharp has this to say on the current state of the nation “A man in the UK dies each hour from prostate cancer and another is diagnosed every fifteen minutes, yet in one year, England spent seven times more money on burning over-prescribed medicines than it did on prostate cancer research. That’s obscene and our men deserve better.

“Here, prostate cancer survival rates are below the European average, research into the disease lags a decade behind that for other cancers, and quality of care depends on where you live. It’s a scandal and we are not going to accept it. Men United is a powerful way for men, and the women in their lives, to mobilise against this common enemy. By signing up, you have a place and a voice in a growing movement that’s taking action for men’s health.”

As part of the 2016 darts season:

‘The PDPA’ will be looking into health particularly those issues for of our members, please take a few minutes of your time to look at some Information from ‘Prostate Cancer UK’ To link through to the Website: CLICK HERE

To Add

The PDPA’s official charity for 2017/2018 is Crohn’s and Colitis UK

Yet it is largely a hidden disease, and one that causes stigma, fear and isolation – it’s thought that many people with the condition go undiagnosed and suffer in silence. It doesn’t have to be like this.

We are the UK’s leading charity in the battle against Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis and we have dozens of free information sheets, booklets and guides that demystify Crohn’s and Colitis for anyone affected by them, including friends, family, medical professionals and even employers.

Browse the links below to find out about the conditions, their symptoms and treatment – and how you can get a diagnosis if you think you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

If you have any queries about the conditions, contact our dedicated Information Service.

– See more at: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/about-inflammatory-bowel-disease#sthash.a5l1EHtQ.dpuf

We will be over this period be involved in arranging many sports related events. To look on their website CLICK HERE

Re: Other Charitable Donations:

We always thank everyone for sending in any enquiries requesting donations for any upcoming charity events in aid of your chosen cause.

The PDPA do take all charitable requests seriously. However, due to increased correspondence requesting donations, etc, the PDPA Board have decided that support shall be limited to our offical national charity only.

We regret that we cannot help everyone and appreciate that your cause does still require help. The PDPA wish you every success with your fundraising efforts.

Yours sincerely

The PDPA

Parkinsons UK is the official PDC Charity of 2016.

DAVE CLARK is to undertake the biggest physical challenge of his life with a 200 mile coast-to-coast walk in September 2016 to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK, the PDC’s official charity.

Sky Sports presenter Clark is a proud supporter of Parkinson’s UK, having been diagnosed himself with Parkinson’s five years ago.

To coincide with Parkinson’s UK’s partnership with the PDC during 2016, Clark will lead a special charity two-week walk in September as he traverses England from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in his native Yorkshire.

The 200-mile walk will begin on September 11 and cross the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors before concluding 13 days later.

Fans are encouraged to join Dave Clark along the way, and can register in advance to take part in the walk by emailing [email protected]

To donate for Clarky’s Coast To Coast Walk, visit www.justgiving.com/ClarkysC2C.

PDPA Chairman Peter Manley presents Dave Clark with a cheque for £2,000 as a donation from the association on behalf of its members in support of Parkinson’s UK at the start of the walk.

Clarky’s Coast To Coast Walk

• Day One – September 10: Arrive St Bees
• Day Two – September 11: St Bees-Ennerdale Bridge (15m)
• Day Three – September 12: Ennerdale Bridge-Rosthwaite (16m)
• Day Four – September 13: Rosthwaite-Grasmere (9.5m)
• Day Five – September 14: Grasmere-Patterdale (7.5m)
• Day Six – September 15: Patterdale-Shap (16m)
• Day Seven – September 16: Shap-Kirkby Stephen (20.5m)
• Day Eight – September 17: Kirkby Stephen-Keld (14.5m)
• Day Nine – September 18: Keld-Reeth (12.5m)
• Day Ten – September 19: Reeth-Richmond (14m)
• Day 11 – September 20: Richmond-Ingleby Cross (23m)
• Day 12 – September 21: Ingleby Cross-Great Broughton (12m)
• Day 13 – September 22: Great Broughton-Glaisdale (18.5m)
• Day 14 – September 23: Glaisdale-Robin Hood’s Bay (19.5m)

For more information about Parkinson’s UK, visit www.parkinsons.uk.org