“Runner Runner” portrays both the dark side of gambling and the idea of getting easy money. Since it’s a movie, the hero wins at the end but it could have easily gone sideways. This movie inadvertently shows the problems that might happen due to being addicted to gambling or practicing problem gambling.
It is reported that almost 10 million US citizens suffer from gambling addiction and among this at least 21% considered their gambling to be problematic and wanted to recover.
The story follows Richie Furst who is doing his master’s degree at Princeton. His connection to Wall Street prevents him from being eligible for tuition assistance. To meet his needs, he starts to advise students to gamble online and receives money from them. Unfortunately, he is caught by the Dean and almost gets expelled. So, he decides to win his tuition money by gambling in a poker match. Richie’s bad luck continues as he loses all his money to a cheat. To confront the loss of his money, Richie flies to Costa Rica to meet Ivan Block who runs the world’s biggest online gambling empire. Richie and Ivan meet each other and decide to improve a malfunctioning site.
Ivan begins to use Richie in many other ways such as sending him to close deals that are illegal. Richie brushes up with FBI agent Shavers who is desperate to arrest Ivan. Shavers is unable to arrest Ivan as he has no jurisdiction in Costa Rica. Rebecca, who is the romantic interest Richie and also the ex-girlfriend of Ivan, decides to betray Ivan by spilling all the secret plans. Richie becomes aware that Ivan’s plan had all along been to make Richie the “fall guy”, that is, he will be charged with all Ivan’s crimes.
But at the end of the movie, the corrupt are punished and the hero wins. Ivan finds out that the bribed pilot has flown into Puerto Rico instead of where he wanted to go. As soon as he lands, Shavers arrests him. Richie and Rebecca leave behind a flash drive with all the evidence of Ivan’s misdealing and Shavers does not arrest them anymore.
| Director | Brad Furman |
| Written By | Brian Koppelman and David Levien |
| Starring | Justin Timberlake |
| Gemma Arterton | |
| Anthony Mackie | |
| Ben Affleck | |
| Run Time | 91 minutes |
| Release date | 2013 |
Tying Up Your Life with Gambling is Dangerous
Gambling comes with many risks. It is extremely crucial to practice Responsible Gambling and know the organizations which promote it. Gamble for the sake of fun but not as a source of income.
Gambling becomes a problem when one starts to Problem Gambling. Ask yourself certain questions to ascertain if you are addicted or not:
- Do you think about gambling at all times?
- Are you troubled with feelings of guilt or shame when you are gambling?
- You are regularly going over the betting budget and you simply cannot control yourself
- You are always anxious and irritated
If these questions are affirmative, you have been affected by Gambling. Gambling can be very dangerous if not limited. Like Richie, one can lose everything. One must never gamble in order to make money. It is a recreation activity, not a source of income. The moment you depend on gambling for your day-to-day life, you will face a lot of problems. Finally, Richie ends up with Rebecca and wins but this is merely a movie where viewers usually expect a happy ending. Think about all the unnecessary complications he faced. Gambling can be easy money but at some point, you are meant to lose. You might win a lot of money but once you are addicted, you will continue to play. And who knows for sure that you will win in the next round and not lose everything? Why bet at all?
Other than financial loss, gambling will lead to many problems such as:
- Your loved ones will suffer and might end up abandoning you.
- Mental problems are self-destructive. Excessive Gambling leads to increased anxiety, depression, and irritation. You might always be angry or frustrated.
But if you seek recovery, this addiction can also be cured. All one would need is courage, patience, and persistence. It has been now proved that Compulsive gambling can be treated with a therapy known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Websites such as GamStop, GamCare, BetBlocker, and GamBlock will help you limit online gambling. On the other hand, if you enjoy playing on non-GamStop casinos, you can visit CasinoGap and find the best offers that will suit your needs.
Ending Thoughts
It is better if one does not get into the habit of gambling. Gambling can be exciting and luring but can lead to increased problems. Practice Responsible Gambling and if you need help, do seek out. It has been reported that only 5.4% of gamblers out of 60% seek out addiction treatment.
