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Many Lebanese no longer have anything to lose and wasting what is left no longer means anything. In light of the crisis and unemployment, many found in gambling and gambling a way to “win”. Betting on luck has become for some a “full-time job”, to which they dedicate their time with “Overtime”, looking for a ray of hope that improves their living conditions.
The Al-Akhbar newspaper indicated that the percentage of those who come to the Casino du Liban in light of the economic crisis has increased by 30% during the normal periods that Lebanon was going through.
The newspaper mentioned that there are loyal players and said: “The Lebanon Casino has its ‘loyal’ pioneers in both periods of ease and difficulty. In the halls, “according to Roland Khoury, chairman of the casino’s board of directors, noting that it is” historically “that the casino has become more popular in times of crisis. Therefore, in light of the monetary collapse, the spread of the epidemic and the disaster of the port explosion, the demand for casinos increased by 30% compared to last year. Taking into account the conditions of social distancing, which had not been met, the percentage would have jumped to 50% ” “Corona” casino opening hours affected the number of players. According to Khoury, “Business decreased significantly due to the closure. It returned to an acceptable increase when we opened the casino in June.” Until ten o’clock at night, but After extending closing hours to 4 am, starting in July, turnout was excellent.
But who caused this increase: those who are not in the condition of those looking for a penny “from the cloud” or “spins” of roulette, or more affluent social groups? A question for which Khoury does not have a definitive answer. Despite his statement that “the large increase in visitors leads us to think that people with limited economic resources are visiting the casino in a notable way, but the investigation takes on whether one of the causes of this outbreak is people spending dollars they receive from abroad or those who are hiding in their homes. “
150 thousand dollars is not enough!
In a related context, Al-Akhbar reported: “The decrease in the demand for lottery in general since last October 17. This decrease may be related not only to the decrease in purchasing power and therefore the difficulty of dispensing with of 2000 pounds as the price of the lottery card, but also for psychological and practical reasons, of which the banks have a share. “
The newspaper added: “The CEO of the” Lebanese Gaming Company “, George Gharib, explained that” lottery sales decreased by 50% after the popular uprising in mid-October, and then due to Corona and the comprehensive closure of the country for long periods. “But the collapse of the lira exchange rate also plays a role. In reducing the appeal of the lottery, as many prefer not to waste their luck” at a low price, “says one of currently retired lottery players, or “open license” as he likes to describe his current situation. To him, “the grand prize was worth a million dollars.” Now it is only worth 150,000 dollars.
According to Gharib, the seizure of people’s deposits by banks affected the enthusiasm of lottery players, “because we give out prizes through banks that allow limited withdrawals even in Lebanese pounds.” However, about 3 weeks ago, “and to avoid this obstacle, we gave the cash to the winners.” This led to an increase in lottery demand, and after the company recorded a 50% decrease in its business after October 17, this decrease has now become 20%.
Delivery bets
In a related context, the story indicated that the stakes are sweeping in the southern suburbs of Beirut, where unemployment is plaguing large numbers of young people. An ALCAR worker reveals that “online gambling was mainly based on sports and football matches, but things have expanded more now and it has become more of a casino in every sense of the word, as the sites of games have increased the number of games they offer, so the number has grown to more than one hundred. In short, the bet is on everything you can imagine ”.
Adding: “The collapse that toppled the banking sector significantly increased the business of illegal bookmakers. In the past, those who wanted to gamble could use their bank cards and the winnings would go directly to their bank account. Something that has become impossible. for many now, they are now dealing with illegal gambling houses, which “receive and receive money via delivery out of respect for social distancing and to prevent Corona.
There are currently 6 exchange rates approved at illegal bookmakers: either betting in pounds or dollars on the basis of 1,500 pounds, 3,000 pounds or 5,000 pounds (which means that the win is doubled one and a half times, three times or 5 times, as well as loss), and finally bet in cash. I mean, you pay a dollar and you take a dollar. “
In an interview with the news, Ali refuses to consider himself a player. What he does “is a job that requires investigation and investigative efforts and close monitoring of the press 24 hours a day. Each news can make a difference. There are precise calculations and the matter is not far from the mouth. I challenge if any sports journalist has a quarter of my sports culture. “
“Because losses are successive, they no longer have value for the meaning of loss,” says psychotherapist Martin Zogby Abu Zaid, since “the Lebanese have lost everything: their deposits in banks, their homes and their relatives in the port explosion, the losses continue and the loss of additional money due to gambling no longer means anything. ” ». Not to mention that with “the deterioration in the price of the pound, the player began to think that 100,000 pounds are no longer worth anything.” Furthermore, according to Abu Zeid, “The existence of a basic reason for playing is fun and entertainment due to the pressures from Corona, economic conditions and its psychological repercussions on them. Not everyone is necessarily looking for a material benefit, but rather the feeling of joy that the benefit generates, even for a limited period. “
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