Khemset: A New Age for Conscious Gaming?
Recently there’s been a lot of discussion about sports betting and prediction markets as they’ve become more mainstream. Some have suggested that the tax provision reducing deductions for gambling to 90% of their previously allotted total in the BBB is catalyzed by this meteoric rise in betting, especially amongst the youth, and intended to curtail these habits, as well as this general societal push.
It begs the question, why are so many people so drawn to games of chance?
Khemset has taken form largely from this very question and seeks to clarify how and why we make the choices we do and how we relate to risk and uncertainty.
There’s clearly been a coordinated marketing effort from companies in the betting space to acquire customers and pay influential media figures to help them accomplish their goals. In a recent video, “Exposing the Gambling Epidemic”, from investigative YouTube reporter Coffeezilla, he explains the scale by which this is happening and delves into some of the more intricate details related to different companies and individuals.
A couple of friends brought this to my attention and we had some interesting discussions surrounding the topic. These discussions make me wonder, if this isn’t good for our society - and many seem to hint at or directly suggest that it isn’t - because people are getting themselves in all kinds of trouble, what should we do about it? And, perhaps more pertinently, why is this happening at scale?
Before I suggest what I think may be reasonable options to help overcome these challenges, I’d like to share a bit about some things that I’ve learned playing poker professionally for 20+ years.
As much time as I have spent in casinos and as much time as I have spent playing poker, I don’t really love gambling. I like games because I like tactical decision making. I like strategy and I consider poker more of a mind sport than a gambling endeavor. I like finding order in the chaos, and I like entering into states of coherence, being in flow, and trusting my inner voice to guide me in competition.
Naturally, this is not how everyone relates to games, gambling, or life. I understand that I’m an outlier in this respect. I also understand that while I am an outlier, nothing about any of the choices I’ve made are prohibitive for anyone else to consider or pursue.
With that being said, the rise of betting, especially amongst younger people, reflects something deeply human - the thrill of the chase and the excitement of not knowing what comes next. As humans we are deeply curious about many things and when we can bet on them, this shows.
This curiosity, even with an often well known negative expectation - as they say, Vegas wasn’t built on winners, is so compelling that people have, for thousands of years, found themselves betting on opportunities where they might win. The uncertainty is so riveting, but why?
Why is it that people are so deeply drawn to these activities? What is it about the throw of dice, the spinning of a roulette wheel, or the big flashy button on a slot machine that speaks to our human nature so deeply and calls us forth into action?
Is it just in our nature that the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest?
When we feel we’ve beaten the odds and done the impossible, it inspires us. We feel emboldened, perhaps too much so at times, and that feeling of invincibility when we’re on a hot streak is intoxicating and captivating.
It seems that the string of positive outcomes and the dopamine surge we experience when on a rush is really at the root of what drives us, whether in gambling or other life experiences.
We all simply want to feel good and enjoy our lives, and gambling can amplify this desire through the language of chance.
The thrill that gambling offers isn’t just about winning, it’s about feeling alive. Risk is such an intrinsic part of our reality. I know I can, and perhaps you can too, relate to the feeling of taking risk in life and the reward when it pays off.
People love gambling because it simulates life. All games, really, are microcosmic to the experience of life - because life itself is largely a game. We are a character in a collective and we have various experiences that cause us to learn, grow, evolve, change, and explore the rich tapestry of life.
As Mike Sexton wrote in his memoir, “Life’s a Gamble”, we “gamble” on many things. Making calculated choices in our lives is a daily affair.
Is it really any wonder that gambling is, has been, and continues to increase in its popularity?
I feel that any issue like this is solved, at least in part, by education. If one has a new perspective then they can choose to take different actions in their life. Maybe gambling isn’t the issue as much as it is the way people relate to it? Ease of access certainly exacerbates that issue, but the issue itself ultimately depends on the awareness & choices of those engaging with it.
Not every gambler even acknowledges let alone seeks to listen to their intuition but everyone has intuitive faculties and can, if they so choose, tap into and access them.
Perhaps the desire to get in touch with this inner knowingness is distorted and thus leads to overindulgence in gambling? Chasing losses, hope and despair, and torment when things don’t go our way never leads anywhere good as the experience itself is deeply unpleasant. If one lives in the moment, how is regular participation in this type of activity if it spawns these negative emotions part of a sustainable & enjoyable life?
Knowing when to quit or call it a day is probably what most people fail to execute. As Sun Tzu said in “The Art of War”, the hardest thing for any general to do, is to retreat.
Reckless gambling may be an attempt to do the thing we subconsciously know would bring us joy(being in touch with our true desires), but lack of clear intention and conscious recognition as to how, may leave us feeling led astray.
And so, when I consider all of this, I see that Khemset may be able to offer solutions to people who are interested in finding a more holistic relationship with gambling.
This is in large part why I created the Khemset app, though I didn’t realize it would have this distinct correlation to gambling in general. It’s just fun to feel we’ve beaten the odds, and perhaps at times we can - who really knows how much we are capable of? We will never know if we never consider it.
I don’t think gambling is inherently bad, in fact quite the opposite. I don’t approach poker as a gambling endeavor but gambling itself fulfills a need that people have to take chances, risk something in order to be rewarded, and adventure into the unknown.
I think this pervasive issue, highlighted by the growth of people gambling above their means and allowing apps & games to disrupt their lives, is not only solvable, but something which speaks to other larger issues in our society.
The need to feel purpose and meaning is integral to living a fulfilling life. When we don’t feel connected to our world and our individual purpose, whatever that may be, we naturally become withdrawn and fall into addictive habits and behaviors.
If Khemset can be a small part of helping people create a more sustainable relationship with gambling or with their lives in general, I’d be honored to know that I added a small positive ripple into the ocean of the collective consciousness.
Any unfulfilled or unresolved desire within can only be dealt with by accepting and then acting on things for their own sake.
If we can fully accept what it is we’re doing and allow ourselves to have fun with it, perhaps this is the healthiest relationship to have with games of chance - and perhaps, just maybe, these games are a clear and simple way that one can begin to get more deeply in touch with their own inner voice.
