During the month of July, before and after the Independence Day celebration, I visited Choctaw Casino for the first time in quite a long time. The casino was very lively; folks were hitting jackpots left and right, and excitement was in the air. I spent hours and hours of my time there playing high dollar slots, which I had never done before--I was always too cautious, knowing that the house always has the advantage... However, the high-stakes area was the only place where the real excitement seemed to be, and before I knew it I had hit a bigger jackpot (the only jackpot) I had hit in 7 years! This went on for about 5-7 days or so; Myself and many others were hitting $1250 to $4000 jackpots--often in one day! The feeling was an adrenaline rush! Looking back, I realize... that adrenaline rush is exactly what keeps us gamblers coming back, over and over again.... Sucking the life out of us and any chance at happiness.... "Bait and Switch"..............
Over the course of about 6 weeks even during the "winning" phase and after it abruptly ended, I used all the cash I had in checking AND savings, and once that was gone I began using credit cards for cash advances... chasing that exhilarating jackpot adrenaline rush feeling that I had around the Fourth of July.... After all the cash I could get from anywhere I could possibly get it, and I mean anywhere....... I hit rock bottom... I was so ashamed. I had never done anything like that before. Prior to this experience I had a ZERO balance on all FIVE of my credit cards. I simply didn't believe in carrying debt; I strongly believed that if I could not pay for something with real money then that meant I could not afford it. The casino at Choctaw in Durant now has granted me their " "Royal" member status. I'm granted incredible luxuries such as the option to stay two nights a week at their extravagant luxury hotel at absolutely no cost to me.... (Hmmm, wonder why they would offer me that??? Seems very kind, doesn't it?) Oh, and each and every single week I am given free money to play with, $65.00!! Just free money, "No strings attached...." Right? Ironically, Every single time I have been back to Choctaw Casino in Durant since July-August, 2016, AFTER LOSING $16,500 OR MORE (which I still owe to the credit card companies, by the way), I have lost every single time I have put money into any machine, no matter which one I choose, even though I see several others around me winning up to thousands of dollars....... I assure you, this is NOT a coincidence, and this is NOT the typical rant of a scorned gambler, crying "Woe is me, the casino took my money and that's not fair ". NO, folks. I take FULL responsibility for my actions.
However, I stand firmly in my opinion in that the Choctaw Casino and so many other casinos--if not ALL of them-- are ruthless, selfish, thieves. I am not knowledgeable in legal processes at all, but perhaps a forensic audit might be in order? Amazing, folks.... seriously. We put people in PRISON for smoking weed, a natural herb which comes from Mother Nature; In spite of the facts that it is harmless and even helpful in many ways to those who are ill, cancer patients, epileptics, and even regular people who just want to relax, but don't like the effect that alcohol has on them--which is much more harmful. But we have made it perfectly legal for the IndianTribes in states like Oklahoma to reel people in, with every intention of getting them hooked--and I mean LITERALLY ADDICTED-- on the exhilarating feeling--the adrenaline rush of a big win--and monitoring the activity of each player via their players card and other methods by which I can only speculate, and thereby ensuring that every dollar that can be squeezed out of every one of their customers gets squeezed INTO the casino's pockets... and just when they think they might lose you for good if they don't "throw you a bone", surely enough, you'll win something..... and then you'll be back... time and time again... The Indian Tribes are protected against retaliation for pushing the laws to the limits; after all, we took their lands away from their ancestors.... (What the H***?!?!?)
Gambling is an addiction for most all of those who visit regularly. And there are so many more people than you think who suffer silently from this addiction. We would all be shocked at the number if we really knew... You can see the desperation in their faces, those who are addicted.... those who are not you will see smiling and goofing around with their friends. The addicts are usually alone. We don't want our family or friends to seek us as we know how desperate we look and feel as we are trying so hard to find just the right strategy or just the right machine... I'm telling you from first hand experience, guys. We have to stop them. They are committing a crime of selling a source of addiction, that they conceal and they do so very convincingly, I might add. (So much so that only those who have a "gambling problem " as the Tribal Authority likes to refer to it, rather than call it exactly what it is, an ADDICTION...) What I mean is, only those like myself who actually are addicts--thanks to the Tribal Authority (and Choctaw Casino for me in particular), only we know exactly what I am telling you is.... the ABSOLUTE truth.