Military Gambling More Popular Than Ever, According to Study

Last updated on November 23rd, 2022

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The life of a soldier is a hard one. Long hours, physically demanding conditions, not knowing whether or not you’re going to make it home each day. So it’s no wonder that so many of them look for some form of escape. Gambling is one of the most popular ways for soldiers to relax while on base.

I Can Dodge Bullets, Baby

Poker and the military have a long history; as far back as the American Civil War, there are stories of soldiers playing cards to distract themselves from the brutalities of war. While some online grinders might disagree, playing games like poker is a good way to keep yourself sane, especially when the world around you is unpleasant.

That connection between the military in poker has remained strong throughout the years. It’s just as prevalent today as it was then. Notable poker players such as Phil Hellmuth Jr. have even visited the troops to help raise morale. Hopefully, Phil controlled his temper when he visited!

The House Always Wins

Poker isn’t the only form of gambling popular in the military; slot machines are also a favorite among the troops. One of the primary reasons for this is that the Department of Justice operates over 3000 slot machines in US military bases around the world, which bring in over $100 million in revenue for the government every year! Few people would have guessed that the US government moonlights as a casino operator.

Recently, the Department of Defence has come under fire for providing slot machines to its troops. The main concern is how lax its gambling regulations are. In fact, the Key Risk Indicator found that the Department of Defence ranks last amongst the 36 US jurisdictions with regulated gambling, requiring only one of the ten recommended responsible gambling policies put forward by the American Gaming Association.

Keeping Our Troops Safe

While there’s no inherent problem with soldiers gambling, the fact that the US Government facilitates–and profits–from such activities is eye-opening. When this news came to light, many people took to the web to express their shock and disgust.

I’m sorry, but unless that money is going DIRECTLY back into those service members families, this is wrong. 😠 U.S. military-run slot machines earn $100 million a year from service members overseas https://t.co/fqjXEYMDdI
— EstablishmentClause (@joeycorvid) August 2, 2022