Source of Income, Distraction or Addiction?

ErnestoAhp · Jan 12, 2026

What brings you to the game? When is it time to take a break?
Personally, I have been through several processes, at the beginning and I imagine that is the reason for many players that it is a fairly simple source of income and that can give a lot of returns if you know where to move that money so that it multiplies, but in addition to knowing that I can earn money, the motivation is that it keeps me away from daily problems and I have fun playing cards, it's really fun since each round is a puzzle and you have to use your intelligence, strategy, patience and many others. The danger is when it can turn into an addiction and you don't enjoy the game, you get overwhelmed by losing, you go into debt to play and everything negative that comes with not knowing how to control it. That's not my case, but sadly I know people who go through that. It's a time to reflect and take a little time to think things through.

DiazPoker3101 · Jan 12, 2026

All three — but at least it’s fun, haha.

austral · Jan 12, 2026

Poker is primarily a source of income; it requires constant study, proper bankroll management, emotional control, and decision-making under pressure. At the same time, it is an intellectually enjoyable activity, almost like solving continuous puzzles. The problem arises when it stops being a controlled activity and turns into an addiction.

What draws people to the game is economic and schedule independence, intellectual challenge (strategy, logic, and reading opponents), escapism—disconnecting from everyday problems—as well as competition and personal improvement.

The danger lies in playing to recover losses, feeling constant anxiety or anger when losing, going into debt to keep playing, no longer enjoying the process and focusing only on results, and neglecting health, relationships, or responsibilities.

It is time to take a break when you play out of inertia or necessity rather than choice, when you make decisions outside your usual plan, and when your emotional state influences you more than strategy.

RagNar87 · Jan 12, 2026

For me when I was unemployed it was a source of income. Now I wanna play again for fun and extra cash. I was very good on cc freerolls , I was one of the best players on forum , had many 1st place wins 🏆 👏

csabika94 · Jan 14, 2026

It's mostly a hobby for me lately.

Baco · Jan 15, 2026

All three — but at least it’s fun, haha.

dompoker · Jan 15, 2026

For me it's a distraction, to gain something extra in my spare time, since I like to play poker, because I must take advantage of the tournament opportunity provided by Cardchat.

fernandofcp · Jan 15, 2026

Depending on the context and how it's played, poker can be a source of income, a distraction, or an addiction. For a minority, poker is a sustainable profession. For most, it's a social and recreational pastime. But poker can also become an addiction when control is lost.

yomyyomy · Jan 16, 2026

For some people, gambling can be just a distraction or a form of entertainment, and even a source of income if done with a lot of discipline and control. However, for others it can easily become an addiction that affects personal economy, family and mental health. I think the difference lies in the limits: knowing when to stop, not playing with money that cannot be lost and understanding that the casino always has an advantage. Without control, it ceases to be fun and becomes a problem.

Kasztor007 · Jan 16, 2026

For me it really depends on the phase. Sometimes it’s extra income, sometimes just a mental escape after a long day.
The line is crossed when you stop enjoying the game and start playing out of obligation — chasing losses, feeling stressed, focusing only on results. That’s when a break is needed.
As long as it’s fun, thoughtful, and under control, poker has its place.

Peteski84 · Jan 16, 2026

It passes time

wushibala · Jan 16, 2026

If a person keeps depositing money over and over again, that’s probably an addiction. If someone is withdrawing money, it means they’re earning their living that way. And there’s a third type of player — those who grind freerolls, make small money, and then try their luck in bigger tournaments. Simply put, they play for the enjoyment of the game. This is just my personal opinion on how to define what poker means to you.

veszmo · Jan 16, 2026

I agree. If you don't enjoy poker, stop playing, even if you make money from it. After a while, you'll lose money anyway.

Happy Bobi · Jan 16, 2026

For me, poker is entertainment. But for me, it is a useful pastime that, in addition to pleasure, can potentially bring money. Therefore, I take the game seriously and consider poker as a possible source of income.

michelaltair · Jan 16, 2026

its fun and my hobby and it starting to become more and more to a little bit of earning

Skot_Gy · Jan 17, 2026

an occasional distractive activity when schedule and mood allows it

pavel1111111 · Jan 17, 2026

I prefer to refer to my time playing poker as a relax time 😁...i stop chasing wins , now i just play the game 😄

rufininha14 · Jan 18, 2026

In my case, as a source of extra income and for distraction, I love playing poker.
Traduzir

chicbulls2 · Jan 18, 2026

All of the above, but we still love it

antonis32123 · Jan 23, 2026

It's not a sourse or income for me . So I play without anxiousness . I am relaxed . I don't have to lose a lot when I play . Constant losses can drive you on tilt , that could destroy the fun of the game . I guess if you expect many winnings from poker to win your everyday bread , yeah that would be very tilting , luckily for me it's just a hobby

Dushka · Jan 23, 2026

Controlling your emotions is another achievement

Poker Orifice · Jan 23, 2026

I enjoy playing and fortunately there are still plenty of bad players who are still playing. I have more fun when I'm winning so I don't mind putting in some work to get better at the game. In the past I liked studying almost as much as playing. That's not the case these days as I don't study nearly enough but do have plans to do so again in near future.

hardongear · Jan 23, 2026

Poker Orifice said:
I enjoy playing and fortunately there are still plenty of bad players who are still playing. I have more fun when I'm winning so I don't mind putting in some work to get better at the game. In the past I liked studying almost as much as playing. That's not the case these days as I don't study nearly enough but do have plans to do so again in near future.

Yeah I hear and feel you about the studying part I stopped long ago as you know other then just my hand histories to keep my game on track. Recently thou with my switch to 6 max I picked up Modern Poker Theory....haven't opened it yet I just like playing too much and haven't found the time. It looks nice on my shelf beside all my 2+2 books thou lmao.

Not really even sure how to go about getting started learning new stuff and incorporating it into my simple TAG/exploitive style. I do know one thing I maybe switching games from full-ring to 6 max but I'm certainly not completely switching my style/game from TAG/Exploitive to a mainly GTO style even thou I knew the book was mainly based on GTO when I purchased it.

It is probably good to know how the other side thinks/plays thou even if I don't use most or anything from what's in Modern Poker Theory.

Cheers!!!

RonanPERNA · Jan 23, 2026

Poker is a distraction for me, since I have my job. But any money I make from poker is still a source of income. It's just not my primary source, though.

flattershay · Jan 23, 2026

Distraction. Something to do when there's nothing else to do.

Source of Income, Distraction or Addiction?

ErnestoAhp

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DiazPoker3101

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austral

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RagNar87

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csabika94

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Baco

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dompoker

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fernandofcp

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yomyyomy

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Kasztor007

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Happy Bobi

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michelaltair

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Skot_Gy

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