Gambling is fast becoming a popular hobby for football players. Most players do it for fun at luxurious casinos like Platin, although there is also a group of them that choose to use it to show off their skills. Gambling has for a long time been known to cause trouble for the big names in the industry. Competing gambling companies often pick top-performing footballers as their representatives.
Regardless of the reason behind a player engaging in gambling, it is a sure way to enjoy free time. Most players prefer online casinos as this preserves their privacy and anonymity. However, some players are known to come out and even boast of their gaming skills openly. This can only be attributed to the growing popularity of the practice, which is making it seem more acceptable.
Neymar
Even though he does not have many titles to his name, Neymar is a high ranking Brazilian striker. He enjoys poker games with friends during his spare time. Surprising to many, he is not shy of confessing his love for gambling and even often talks of it on social media. Neymar is so good at poker that he even took part in the European Poker Tour.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo is well known for his exemplary scoring skills and many awards. He is known on the gambling scene for his love of poker. This comes as no surprise as both poker and football require sharp focus and extreme determination, both of which Ronaldo excels at. He has done several poker commercials and also played against well known and seasoned poker professionals like Patrick Antonius.
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon has built a successful career as an accomplished goalkeeper with respected football teams. He is also known for his exploits in the game of poker and is even an ambassador of PokerStars. Gianluigi Buffon has found himself in trouble in relation to gambling. On two instances, in 2006 and 2012, he was interrogated by the police for illegal gambling activities – but the charges were dropped.
Wayne Rooney
He is a longtime top scorer of outstanding reputation and has won countless titles. His struggles with gambling came to light when he lost a whopping £500,000 at a casino in Manchester. Many suspect that he was driven to this practice by the pressure of early age success and wealth. His move to Cocu’s side was controversial as the club is linked to betting firm 32Red.
Andros Townsend
Andros Townsend currently plays for Crystal Palace and has a history of landing himself in trouble with FA betting rules. His gambling was out of control while playing for Birmingham City. In 2013, he received a four-month ban forcing him to drop out of England’s under-21 squad during 2013 European Championship. This ban also affected his football career, both with his country and Spurs, his parent club.
Even though all the players mentioned above are extremely successful in their careers, their struggles show that gambling addiction knows no boundaries. It is known to ruin both promising careers and stable families without discrimination. Experts have even gone as far as calling gambling a psychological disease, with some even going on to declare it a brain disease. It ruins the player both mentally and professionally.
The roads leading to gambling addiction are limitless. From injuries sustained in the field, boredom and peer pressure, many players often find themselves deeply entangled in this dangerous addiction. Luckily, all is not lost as there are sure ways of recovering and walking out of this trap. The surest way though is avoiding the habit altogether or playing very responsibly while following all the professional guidelines.
