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Honestly, I’m a bit shocked that we haven’t written this article yet. I mean, our entire site is based around the premise on gambling for peace and charity, and yet we still haven’t written the most basic and essential of all blog posts – the guide on how exactly you’re supposed to go about doing this. After all, “gambling for charity” is much easier said than done. How is one altruistic, yet gambling-inclined individual supposed to indulge in his or her beloved activity while helping out a cause? Honestly, it’s a lot simpler than you might think… If you’re lucky. Now, there’s two ways you can go about this – officially sanctioned charity events and individually taken endeavors. Because they’re so different from each other we’re going to be looking at each of them on their own.

Officially Sanctioned Events

These are all events that have been officially organized by a charity organization – bingo nights, casino nights, betting, etc; all in support of one cause or another. Usually, the way they work is that some kind of large benefactor (usually a corporation or a millionaire) is going to offer to sponsor the event. You can bet your own money on the games, with the implication that if you lose, you’ll be donating your amount to the charity organization, but if you win, the sponsor will pay out your winnings and you can keep on playing, with your final winnings being also donated. The question here isn’t on whether or not you’re going to donate – you will, no matter what you do you’ll be leaving the “casino” with less money than you entered, but it’s not about that. The point is to milk that sponsor for as much as possible so that you can ultimately donate the highest possible amount to the cause. The better you do at the casino, the more money you’ll be able to donate, and ultimately the better you’ll feel about yourself.

Now, the good thing about these officially sanctioned events is that they’re often legal in places where gambling is generally not legal. As you know, in the US, traditional gambling is legal in less states than there are fingers on my hand, but who wants to say no to charity, right? That’s the beauty of it – no one can outlaw gambling for charity without looking like a dick, which is why the majority of states actually allow it. So if you live in a country where gambling is typically illegal, gambling for charity may very well be your only hope. Unfortunately, since there’s a LOT of work that goes into them, that also means they’re shockingly rare, happening maybe once or twice a year in big cities at the very most. So if you want to enjoy them relatively frequently you may need to travel a lot.

Individually Taken Endeavors

There’s really not a whole lot to say about this method – basically, it means that you go to a casino (online or physical) of your choice, play for a while, and then donate your winnings to charity, all of your own accord. This is obviously not applicable for any countries where gambling is illegal, but on the other hand, you can do it on pretty much any day of the year. However, you also run a very slippery slope of falling in the trap of gambling addiction. After all, it’s very easy to justify frequent gambling when you claim that it’s for a good cause. “Oh, well, I lost everything, but that doesn’t matter, tomorrow I’ll try again because those orphans in Africa are counting on me!” You must be very careful not to fall into that trap. Manage your resources, and never spend more than you can afford! Not a lot of people really gamble for charity of their own accord, so your intentions are commendable – just be careful not to fall victim to them.

It’s no secret that I actually know several people who use gambling in order to help charity. It really is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved – the people get to enjoy some fun casino gaming a few nights a month, the casinos receive attendance, various amazing causes are aided and on top of it all my American friends also get a very nice tax write-off because their donations are tax-deductible. It seems like an ideal proposition, but as everything related to gambling, it’s got a certain amount of risk attached to it, but it’s not the kind that you’d think. No the risk here falls down to a single question – “How much is enough?”

Now, I’m not really talking about gambling addiction, even if that question is often associated with it (though I am absolutely going to point out that if you find yourself struggling with addiction there’s plenty of sources to help you out). I’m talking about the inherent risk which comes with gambling for charity, especially in high roller online casinos such as the ones listed at highstakecasinos.co.uk and, of course, in physical casinos on high roller tables. Imagine, if you will, the following situation – you’ve just earned 500 on your last blackjack hand. Now, 500 (be it dollars, quid, euro or whatever your currency is – the analogy works in most gambling countries) may seem like a huge sum to most gamblers, but it’s practically pocket change for high rollers, and it’s also a relatively small amount for most charity organizations. You can probably double that amount with another hand, thus ensuring that you’ll be able to seriously help out the charity organization that you’re supporting… But should you?

After all, if there was no or very little risk involved, then the answer would be undoubtedly yes – I mean, who wouldn’t want more money for a good cause, am I right? But there’s also the fact that you can always lose, and if you do, you’re not going to be giving ANY money to the charity. You won’t be losing any of your own personal finances, but whoever you’ve chosen to support is, sadly, going to remain very disappointed. And considering that, 500 is better than nothing, right? But at the same time 1000 is better than 500, but… UGH! Yeah, this circular logic is the bane of many gamblers, not just those who gamble for charity. And the interesting thing is that there isn’t a right way to solve the dilemma. Everyone has their own solution, and as far as I’ve noticed, the answers seem to be split right down the middle.

So what about you, dear reader? Which part of the fence are you on? If you could make that fateful decision, would you bet or quit while you’re ahead? And don’t say “I’d only bet part of the money”, because that’s cheating! Let me know by using the Contact option right above!

Being a kid is tough – you have to listen to your parents all the time (who may or may not have what’s best for you in mind, regardless of what they claim – and either way you may not like it), you have to deal with an outdated and honestly completely incomprehensible school system, and meanwhile your body is undergoing all sorts of changes, both physical and psychological. The only thing tougher than being a kid is being a kid who has cancer. Cancer is known as the worst disease for a reason, as it’s not only deadly (not all cases, but a good majority can be lethal if left untreated – and some are terminal even when treated), but makes sure that it’ll torture you and ravage your body and mind right up until you die in pain. The thought of a child having to fight for their life against something so monstrous is terrifying, doubly so for the child themselves. It’s as much of a mental battle as it is a physical battle, and while the doctors are doing their best to treat the body, the mind goes in the hands of charities such as One Step Camp.

For over 37 years, One Step Camp has organized hundreds of programs for children with cancer. They organize camps for them and try to make them feel included. For a few days, the kids are allowed to feel like, well, kids. They leave their battles behind and go to have fun alongside the camp counselors and various guests (usually entertainers such as Doug Walker, the man behind the incredibly popular online show The Nostalgia Critic) that try to take the children’s minds off of the struggle that they’re undergoing. For a few days, at least, they’re not allowed to be cancer patients – they’re ordinary boys and girls doing things that everyone else their age is also doing. 100% of all donations go towards organizing the camps, which are staffed entirely by volunteers, so One Step Camp is most certainly a worthy cause to donate to. If you’ve just won the jackpot, or if you haven’t, but would still like to help them out, you can do so at their website.