Football betting at the workplace isn't a foreign concept to any of us, especially when it's peak season for a particular championship or league. It's become a relatively normal procedure for office co-workers to engage in betting pools for one reason or other, even if it is just to predict the due date of a pregnant colleague. So betting on a hot football match isn't that much of a stretch to do.
The question is whether this is appropriate workplace behaviour. Some official establishments would probably advise against it because it encourages time-wasting and addiction to gambling. In certain offices, it is out-rightly prohibited. That said, we all know that football betting isn't going to be stopping anytime soon. But is football betting at the office really all that bad? Can it be addictive?
It's true that there are many facets to modern gambling in general that facilitate addiction. According to this guide on the psychology of gambling, the convenience of online casinos has greatly increased the number of gamblers in the world, especially the Western world. Certain features like accessibility, affordability and anonymity all play into what makes gambling so exciting for players. While it is undeniable that online gambling is far more inviting than going to a physical casino, it doesn't necessarily mean that all gamblers are addicted to their game.
More and more people are now engaging in casual sports betting via the internet. It's normal to have a conversation with someone who mentions that they're members of reputable sportsbook casinos like Guts or SuperLenny, or a number of others. These platforms allow players to bet safely and securely on the sports they care about, like football, instead of relying on other more obscure ways – like using unknown bookies. It's nothing something that burns a hole through your pocket, it's just a bit of fun and excitement added to an already fun and exciting sport.
And when it comes to football betting at the workplace, it's contrary to online gambling in one specific aspect: its purpose is communal, not anonymous. While betting with sportsbook casinos is entirely individual, when it comes to office-pool, there's always social interaction involved. Having co-workers bet in a pool is an ideal way of getting an entire company involved in a common activity. Some companies feel like it even builds camaraderie and team spirit because of the harmless competitiveness football betting encourages.
In fact, a 2013 survey conducted by The Vault of a number of office-workers in the U.S would speak against the idea that it can be addictive. 70% of people interviewed in the survey said that they have at one point or other participated in office gambling (especially during the March Madness season), even if it was just a daily fantasy sports (DFS) match. One of the interviewees even went as far as to say that “March Madness is a great team builder, engaging folks from the office, plant floor, shipping/warehouse, remote sales offices, and even a few customers and vendors.” 81% of these said it was ‘about fun', and that they didn't really care about winning at all. 55% of those interviewed held that betting actually had a positive effect on the office.
Following these statistics, it seems that football betting isn't ‘addictive' at all. Even playing on sportsbook casinos is now an accepted casual hobby – let alone a communal activity like an office-pool. Many of those interviewed are not regular gamblers, only participating in the office betting because it is more of a competition among co-workers than it is a gambling experience. After all, what could be more fun than having the rights to lord your victory over the rest of your colleagues when you win and they lose?
