The gambling life can be full of ups and downs. The thrill of playing games to make money is almost up there with the risks involved with it. Gamblers who can balance their personal life and time at casinos are practically equal to those who often tend to get taken with the flow. The Canadian film, Owning Mahogany, is based on a real-life event that took place back in the 80s.

This film is based on a man who develops tunnel vision after he starts gambling. The cast of Owning Mahowny consists of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Maury Chaykin, John Hurt, and Sonja Smits. The movie explores the psyche and the life of Mahowny, who gambles without a thought to any of his actions. Like all other players who suffer from gambling addiction, Mahowny seeks more money as he loses and wishes to relive the thrill as he makes it again.

Falling prey to the loop, Mahowny loses grip of his life outside the casino, and eventually, it is his decisions that decide his fate. 

Owning Mahowny – The Plot

Owning Mahogany explores the complex nature of gambling addiction in Canada. The movie is based on a man named Dan Mahowny. He worked as an assistant branch manager at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce that gave him access to ample monetary resources within the reserve. As he is given promotions, he gets access to larger accounts gradually. Mahowny hid his impulsiveness when it came to gambling quite naturally. He would use money from the customer’s account and visit Atlantic City every week.

As time passed, Mahowny skimmed more significant amounts from the bank accounts and became a regular at the casino, where he was treated like a king. However, Mahowny’s routine falls face flat on the ground when the Toronto Police investigate a case related to Frank, Mahowny’s bookie. As Mahowny’s criminal acts are revealed, he faces the music as a consequence of his actions.

How Can One Gamble Responsibly?

The world of online gambling is ever-expanding. One can quickly get onto an online casino and gamble from the comfort of their home. However, this ease of access increases the risks of spending a significant amount of time on the wagering platforms, which often leads to becoming obsessed with money-making. The trickiest part of online wagering is to avoid paying more than one can afford to make up for the losses. Given below are a few tips and tricks that you can follow to gamble responsibly.

  • Before you start playing at any online casino reviewed by CasinoDeps.co.nz, read casino reviews and have a fixed budget in mind. This sets your boundaries with yourself, and that way, you can restrict overspending.
  • Set small bets when playing. You lose big when you bet big.
  • Keep a separate account that can be used for money spent at casinos.
  • Make sure to stay well-hydrated while gambling. Gambling and alcohol often make for a bad combination.
  • Gamble at a casino that is licensed and regulated. This ensures care for the players and responsible gambling practices on the platform.
  • If you are not too sure of yourself, inform a friend to remind you of your limits when gambling.
  • If the urge to gamble gets out of hand, use self-exclusion services that are readily available.
  • Do not hesitate to approach a professional. 

Forums and software such as Gamstop, Gamban, NetNanny, etc have been used across the UK to exercise self-exclusion when punters suffer from addictive gambling. Gamstop is a self-exclusion scheme that has been operating since November 2016 and is operated by the  National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited or NOSES. Gamcare, on the other hand, is a help-line that operates the National Gambling Helpline. These are, however, applicable only to Casinos registered under the UKGC.

Gambling Addiction through Owning Mahowny

Owning Mahowny is a film that accurately depicts the world of compulsive gambling. Gambling addiction is a phenomenon that the industry has been trying to combat for years. However, a minimum of two million people fall prey to addiction in the United States alone. Like Mahowny, most gambling addicts have a duality in their character – they pretend to be an average person around known people and immediately switch back to their usual selves when the circumstances are suitable.

Gambling addiction can lead to a series of poorly made choices one after the other. Mahowny relied on the bank’s customer’s wealth in order to fuel his addiction to gambling. Unfortunately, he had left his intention to stop far behind him once he went down the rabbit hole. Gamblers who are starting out at online casinos should make themselves acquainted with the risks of gambling addiction. This movie gives one a realistic view of the disorder.