When does gambling become an addiction and is Batman vs Superman star Ben Affleck addicted to gambling? With all the tabloids each presenting a different side of the story, that’s a tough one to answer. However, we have gone in search of the truth and would like to present you with some of the facts as presented by Ben Affleck himself in several interviews.
The nature of the problem
Gambling addiction is defined as a situation where the player is unable to stop gambling, be it in brick-and-mortar casinos or online casinos. This can put the player in significant financial trouble as they bet more and more money, and sometimes it’s money they don’t have to continue playing with the hope of hitting big. So does Ben Affleck suffer from a gambling addiction? Based on the facts, the answer seems to be a resounding no. So what gave rise to the rumors that Affleck has a gambling problem? In this blog post we tell you the sequence of events that led to it. So stay tuned.
Affleck’s history with blackjack
It all started in 2014 when Affleck was playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas . He was so successful at the game that casino management eventually asked Affleck to quit the game. Note, however, that he was neither kicked nor banned from the casino. All he was asked to do was stop playing blackjack . You might be wondering why? The answer is because he got really good at it.
As Affleck himself admits, when he tries something new he wants to get really good at it, and that’s why he learned how to count cards. This made him such an excellent blackjack player that the casino realized they were losing money while Affleck pocketed it.
According to Vanity Fair, this experience seems to have taught Affleck something about the Vegas gambling system. “They don’t even want you to have a sporting opportunity,” he says. “There’s a lot of hospitality when they think you’re coming in and throwing money on your head, and when they realize you could go home with some money, it’s like, ‘You know what? Why don’t you try craps or roulette ?”
Big profits, but also lots of losses
The movie star reportedly has “a habit of disappearing around Vegas for days”. So what does he do when he’s there? He clears well in any case. For example, before being expelled from the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel for counting the game’s cardshe won nearly $1 million in two spins, according to the New York Times. The Oscar-winning actor won $140,000 in a single game in 2000 playing with pal Matt Damon, according to The Post. A year later, he won $800,000 playing three hands of $20,000 simultaneously. With a net worth of $75 million, the 41-year-old actor is more after adrenaline than money as he gave away all $140,000 worth of chips to casino staff on his 2000 trip, sources told The Post .
He didn’t have the same luck at poker. Affleck got into trouble for hosting a poker tournament for Hollywood celebrities at a posh cigar bar in Beverly Hills, Star magazine reported. “Ben’s Game” was a big event and drew celebrities like Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire to the Grand Havana Hotel. One night, Affleck bet too much on a bad hand and had to pay movie mogul Ron Meyer $400,000. The star was luckier in 2004 when he won the California State Poker Championship. He took home $356,000 and qualified for the finals of the 2004 World Poker Tour. He has competed in the tournament several times since, but despite top-notch training from poker superstars like Amir Vahedi, an Iranian-born poker expert,
Affleck’s divorce had nothing to do with gambling
In addition to rumors of an alleged gambling addiction, rumors also spread about the 42-year-old actor’s divorce from Daredevil actress Jennifer Garner. Unfortunately, these were correct. It seems that despite a 10-year marriage and three children together, the actors haven’t been able to pull things together. However, gambling does not appear to have been a major reason for this. Instead, the actor’s infidelity on the set of his new movie, Gone Girl, as well as a drinking problem are tied to the divorce. Multiple sources told the Daily Mail that Garner had no choice but to end the relationship after cheating on several occasions during their 10-year marriage. Affleck reportedly had several one-night stands, so Garner eventually had enough of them.
In addition, he appears to have had a drinking problem, to the point that he entered alcohol rehab in 2001, although he has remained sober for most of his marriage. However, his alcohol consumption has become more public in recent years and the actor reportedly drank during the filming of Gone Girl in order to better understand the role of Nick. According to the script, he was “bloated and hungover” and Affleck “was totally absorbed in it”. In 2014, Affleck’s drinking led to an embarrassing incident for his wife, when she “tried to drag him home from an Oscars party while he was heavily intoxicated.”
And so, after a decade of struggles, years of couples therapy and a recent 10-month trial separation, the former Alias star decided she’s had enough. After weeks of speculation, Affleck and Garner said in a joint statement on June 30, “After long and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. Parting in love and friendship, we commit to raising our children together, whose privacy we wish to have respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private family matter. Thank you for your understanding.”
According to the Daily Mail, Affleck and Garner, who are believed to be worth an estimated $150 million, are set to use a mediator and manager before the divorce and plan to share custody of their children, according to TMZ. According to a source, Garner takes special care of her children during this difficult time and is very open with them. “She’s such a good mom and is honest with them — she doesn’t sugarcoat that.” The two, meanwhile, continue to share their 9,000-square-foot mansion in Pacific Palisades, Calif. so Affleck can continue to be close to the kids.
