Ethical concerns about asking the tarot about winning at gambling?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

yve	05 Mar 2005
I have an e-mail client that keeps coming back and asking the same question over and over...will she be lucky at the casino at that week...so far the cards and my intuition have indicated she wouldn't have any big wins in the weeks in question, and so far it has been accurate...but you don't really need tarot cards to know this....So far the advice i have given her were generally about her not finding any fortunes in gambling, but she doesn't seem to hear the message. Now after her coming back for the 4th time, I feel uncomfortable answering her question about her or her significant other winning at the casino in the upcoming week. How do I handle this? Any similar situations? I don't want to offend her, but I don't think I can use the cards to advise her about a habit I have strong negative feelings about...she doesn't seem to listen to the advice about her not expecting or dreaming about hitting it big....yet I do know other tarot advisors do give advice about upcoming luck etc...but I sense that this is a little more of an obsession and not curiosity....

jmd	05 Mar 2005
Personally, if I were to 'feel uncomfortable answering her question' in regards to a reading, I would simply state the same, and mention that a more general reading or readings on other areas you are willing to do, but not on this one. We each have our own areas of comfort and discomfort with reading. Personally, I do not feel comfortable reading for anyone under about 21 or 22, but I know others, including people I personally know here on Aeclectic, who are quite at ease with reading for younger people. With regards to reading for gambling, mention is also made that you 'sense that this is a little more of an obsession and not curiosity' - perhaps, even, virtually relying and depending on your advice as to judge how much to gamble, even possibly going beyond their own financial limits. Considering such, what I personally would probably do in the reading is address not so much whether they are likely to 'win or loose big', but on an overall financial picture and sense of responsibility they are taking or not taking. When I was a child, my father was a professional gambler, and we moved from casino to casino (Paris, Nice and Monte Carlo, mainly). The variety as to what it means to win and lose large amounts varies according to what kind of 'investment' is considered reasonable. One the one hand, advice for 'luck' to a professional gambler is in the same league as financial advice as to investment in stocks when dealing with a trader, whereas in the other more along the lines of desperate and perhaps vain hope seeking to be confirmed when dealing with either the addict or the irresponsible.

Moongold	05 Mar 2005
I strongly support JMD's advice. You have quite probably become part of her ritual now. Some gamblers have complicated rituals before they commence. These can include thought patterns, ceremonies and even rituals to do with the way you should approach a slot machine. Some of these border on obsessive/compulsive. The thinking that surrounds compulsive gambling can be quite obsessive and ritualistic as well. You may have been right so far but what happens when you are not? Will she then hold you responsible? If you feel uncomfortable, please feel all right in refusing the reading. JMD's suggestion about replacing such a reading with another more general reading is an excellent one.

SunChariot	05 Mar 2005
yve wrote: I have an e-mail client that keeps coming back and asking the same question over and over...will she be lucky at the casino at that week...so far the cards and my intuition have indicated she wouldn't have any big wins in the weeks in question, and so far it has been accurate...but you don't really need tarot cards to know this....So far the advice i have given her were generally about her not finding any fortunes in gambling, but she doesn't seem to hear the message. Now after her coming back for the 4th time, I feel uncomfortable answering her question about her or her significant other winning at the casino in the upcoming week. How do I handle this? Any similar situations? I don't want to offend her, but I don't think I can use the cards to advise her about a habit I have strong negative feelings about...she doesn't seem to listen to the advice about her not expecting or dreaming about hitting it big....yet I do know other tarot advisors do give advice about upcoming luck etc...but I sense that this is a little more of an obsession and not curiosity.... Well here is my opinion on it, and of course it is just my opinion: I would feel the same way. The Tarot is a spiritual tool, and it cheapens a spiritual tool to use it for a topic like gambling. And in my view of it, Tarot answers come from G-d (call it universal consciousness, the universe...it is all the same thing) and he does not like to give us all winning numbers and would rather we work towards and deserve what we achieve in life. If and when G-d wants her to win big it will happen on its own. For me, I would not do a reading on the topic. It is not in her best interest either to know. Since very very few people do win big (they say you are more likely to be hit by lightening), it would be more to her advantage for her to find out why she feels such a need to win big to be happy, and what she can do to live more in reality, and what other paths to happiness are open to her, and even what she can do to have trust in the beauty of her life as it is now. To me these topics would be much more productive. Bar

Phoenix Rising	06 Mar 2005
It's not that tarot is used for a Gambling tool that is wrong here, it's the fact that this woman has a serious gambling problem and obsession, and no matter what anyone says to her, she will continue to go to the casino everyweek. Even if you told her, she shall never win big, she will keep going! If it's uncomfortable for you, you only need to tell her that you cannot use tarot for this type of prediction as it goes against your code of ethics. For me personally, if I knew of a way to use it to find next weeks lottery numbers, I wouldn't have any guilt in giving it ago! I suppose that comes with struggling financially. But this is for my own personal gain, and I'm not infringing on anyone elses choices here. We have every right to be abundant, I'm quite sure God didn't intend for us to struggle all of our lives, we just make the wrong decisions and choices. But is it the wrong decision? No I don't think so either, everything is all as it should be. Experience is the greatest teacher, learn by mistakes! When we decide to make the change, aah what a great step. A great master said this about "Guilt" "Guilt is only 'not realising' that you wanted to do it"

tarotbear	06 Mar 2005
Interesting ... Some of you know that I work in a casino - not as a dealer ( I read the cards, I don't do blackjack!) but as a banker. Although many people have casually tried to ask me to predict their 'gambling outcome,' I don't think it would be ethical. First, it would be a conflict of interest - for me at least! Secondly, gambling is a disease, and giving someone hope for their addiction is a big no-no for me. Any time you advise someone on how to cheat the system you are dealing in unethical behavior. Many people have asked me if I can predict the lottery nimbers, or such topical stuff like that. My reply: "If I could predict the winning lottery numbers - why would I tell them to you?"

Solty Dog	06 Mar 2005
Its interesting that this thread happened along when it did. I told my neighbor yesterday that I work with the Tarot. One of the first questions he asked me is if he could get tommorows lottery numbers. I told him that there isnt a lottery prediction deck yet. Up until that point I had never even thought fo using the cards for gambling. B.S. Dog

Alta	06 Mar 2005
I would have to second every post so far. Moongold made a very interesting point about rituals. Gambling, at least on the slots, is largely luck. And not real luck but rigged luck since the house always wins over the long haul. Consequently a person seriously addicted to gambling starts to think almost in terms of divine intervention since s/he cannot understand how it works. Hence the rituals, almost propitiary in nature, and asking you is now a part of that ritual. What a charming thought, eh?

tarotbear	07 Mar 2005
Marion wrote: . Gambling, at least on the slots, is largely luck. And not real luck but rigged luck since the house always wins over the long haul. Consequently a person seriously addicted to gambling starts to think. Sorry - slot machines are not rigged. To rig your slot machines would have the gaming authorities close you down permanently. No legitimate casino would take the risk. The odds are against you in slot machines, and the revenues for the house are staggering. They don't have to be rigged. We actually give out millions in winnings every day. If people didn't win - no one would come to the casino! But big wins are not on slot machines (yes- there are big jackpots, too) but on table games. Divide three or four million a day by 6,000 slot machines in use 24/7 and the odds of winning big are very small. The odds of breaking even are better. Slot machines are mechanical and the astute can figure out when a machine may pay off. That is why people sit in front of them for hours! Table games where you can bet or hold provide you with better odds of winning.

yve	07 Mar 2005
Well, I e-mailed this lady, told her that since the cards didn't have any useful outlooks on the casino everytime I did a reading for her, that I couldn't take her money as the outlook of the cards hadn't changed. I said anytime she was wanting a reading on anything else, i'd be happy to oblige...but needless to say, didn't hear from her...she probably moved on to another reader who would give her the answers she is looking for...I may have lost a client, but I kept my self respect.

SunChariot	07 Mar 2005
yve wrote: Well, I e-mailed this lady, told her that since the cards didn't have any useful outlooks on the casino everytime I did a reading for her, that I couldn't take her money as the outlook of the cards hadn't changed. I said anytime she was wanting a reading on anything else, i'd be happy to oblige...but needless to say, didn't hear from her...she probably moved on to another reader who would give her the answers she is looking for...I may have lost a client, but I kept my self respect. Good for you, nothing is worth sacrificing your self respect for. My life just had the chance to teach me that too. I am sure you will find many more clients. When you're on the right path, all kinds of good things will happen.:-) Bar

MeeWah	08 Mar 2005
Yve: As one can only act as the conscience/higher understanding dictates, your honesty with the client of the best service provided. I do not see an ethical concern in consulting Tarot about nigh any topic as much as the intent more the crux of the matter. The concern I see is that of enabling someone obsessed with an objective or someone possessed with a problem. Whilst I have not consulted the cards for "winning" the lottery or any similar venue, this reminds me of experiences related to same. OTB (Off-Track Betting at the racetrack) was legalized decades ago in New York State. A friend's father knew I read the cards (at the time, regular playing cards & a non-Tarot deck). He asked if I could pick winning horses, just for the heck of it. Ignorant of such matters & intrigued by the request, I decided on the spur of the moment to forego the cards. Instead, asked for a list of horses slated to run on the conditions that I not be held responsible & to be informed if the results favourable. I did this on two or three separate occasions; chose at least two horses each time. Subsequently, he tried to give me some $ on the basis I entitled to part of the winnings (no idea what he won, what horses, etc). I refused. I did it to help him & his family. A good man, he worked two jobs to support his family which included a severely disabled son. A few years ago & on the spur of the moment on two occasions I gave two sets of numbers to someone else. Some time later he told me both numbers came in but each time dinna play them--!! I have not tried since & not interested.

psychic sue	09 Mar 2005
yve wrote: I have an e-mail client that keeps coming back and asking the same question over and over...will she be lucky at the casino at that week...so far the cards and my intuition have indicated she wouldn't have any big wins in the weeks in question, and so far it has been accurate...but you don't really need tarot cards to know this....So far the advice i have given her were generally about her not finding any fortunes in gambling, but she doesn't seem to hear the message. Now after her coming back for the 4th time, I feel uncomfortable answering her question about her or her significant other winning at the casino in the upcoming week. How do I handle this? Any similar situations? I don't want to offend her, but I don't think I can use the cards to advise her about a habit I have strong negative feelings about...she doesn't seem to listen to the advice about her not expecting or dreaming about hitting it big....yet I do know other tarot advisors do give advice about upcoming luck etc...but I sense that this is a little more of an obsession and not curiosity.... This person needs counselling, not a reading.

The Ethical concerns about asking the tarot about winning at gambling? thread was originally posted on 05 Mar 2005 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.