To speak about the origins of gambling it is necessary to use an apt allegory. And this gambling allegory goes as follows. The Goddess of Fortune, once sporting near the shady pool of Olympus, was met by the gay and captivating God of War, who soon allured her to his arms. They were united; but the matrimony was not holy, and the result of the union was a child named Gambling. From the moment of her birth this wayward thing, gambling, could only be pleased by cards, dice, or counters. Gambling was not without fascinations, and many were her admirers. As she grew up Gambling was courted by all the gay and extravagant of both sexes, for Gambling was of neither sex, and yet combining the attractions of each. At length, however, being mostly beset by men of the sword, Gambling formed an unnatural union with one of them, and gave birth to twins: Dueling and Suicide - a grim and hideous monster. These two twins became their mother\'s (Gambling) darlings. They were nursed by Gambling with constant care and tenderness, and gambling made them her perpetual companions. The Goddess Fortune ever had an eye on her promising daughter, Gambling; and endowed Gambling with splendid residences, in the most conspicuous streets, near the palaces of kings. They were magnificently designed and elegantly furnished for Gambling. Lamps, always burning at the portals, were a sign and a perpetual invitation unto all to enter the house of Gambling. And like the gates of the Inferno, the gates of Gambling were ever open; but, unlike the latter, they permitted people to leave after gambling some with golden spoils, others with empty pockets, some led by the half-witted son of Gambling, Dueling and others escorted by the malignant monster son of Gambling, Suicide, and his mate, the demon Despair. But think not that Gambling and the Greeks parted ways here. It is said repeatedly that not only did the gods take part in gambling on Olympus, but they continued gambling with mortals. According to Plutarch, the priest of the temple of Hercules amused himself with gambling at dice with the god, the stake or conditions of their gambling being that if he won gambling he should obtain some signal favor, but if he lost this gambling game he would procure a beautiful courtesan for Hercules.

My father is an addicted gambler and I can\'t get him to want to stop gambling. No matter how many times I speak to him and no matter how much money he loses (he has gambled off his car and nearly lost his house if I hadn\'t stopped him in time.) he just won\'t stop. But I did manage to convince his best friend to quit and he is now helping me try to convince my dad to stop all kinds of gambling activities altogether. I now that there a lot of gamblers out there who want to stop but don\'t know how. I recommend have written this gambling portal especially for them. If you too face similar gambling problems, I strongly recommend you don\'t wait any longer! Enter the nearest Gamblers Anonymous and get help to overcome your gambling problem.