The Gambler Psyche from a Malaysian Point of View
In Malaysia, we regularly read about people in gambling debts, harassed by loan sharks and even those who attempted suicide because of gambling.
To better understand the behavior of a gambler, one must first know the different categories of gamblers. The “social gambler” and the “serious social gambler” are relatively mild in their attitude towards gambling. Only the “problem gambler” and the “compulsive gambler” have serious issues related to gambling.
If one were to take gambling as a form of entertainment and not take it too seriously, it would be easy to curb gambling impulses. This is where education undoubtedly plays an important role in educating the general public about the dangers of gambling.
Read any newspaper, and a person will constantly find mention of a gambling-related piece of news. Recently, there is a huge surge of reported cases of loan shark harassment, largely due to an increasing trend of borrowing money to cover gambling debts. However, not all gamblers are faced with such problems or rather, not all gamblers have a problematic and compulsive behavior towards gambling. In Malaysia, the general gambling population can be divided into 4 major classifications, ranging from social to compulsive.
Among all the type of gamblers, the “social gambler” is the mildest of the lot. They gamble occasionally and have a fixed loss limit or a fixed winning amount ahead of time. These are the types who will say “ok, I’ve had enough for today” when the situation calls for it. They are not the ones who will go overboard and are relatively cautious in their approach in gambling. In the casinos, you will find these with the small amount of cash chips, placing bets only after careful considerations. They have a low profile and leaves quietly when they have had enough. In private games such as those private poker nights, these are the ones who place comparatively smaller bets and will fold when the odds are stacked against them.
Taking a notch up from the “social gambler”, the “serious social gambler” gambles more regularly. They are the ones who will suggest a game of poker or a quick trip up to Genting for casino games at the slightest opportunity. Although still cautious in their approach, they love the adrenaline rush and the excitement of a couple of wages on the table. You will find them frequently talking about their gambling experiences but in fact; they aren’t as aggressive as the more “serious” gamblers. A majority will also be found placing bets in 4-D lottery outlets in the weekend, as it is a relatively cheaper alternative for their gambling fix. At this stage, their gambling urges are still in control and they lead their lives without gambling putting a significant effect in their relationship with others.
For the “problem gambler”, theirs lives are largely influenced by gambling. This behavior would have affected their relationship with the people around them negatively. They admit that gambling is a problem in their lives, but is too addicted to it to do anything. Their finances are largely unmanageable and they have serious issues on the personal front. These are the ones who are regularly found at online casino sites or in illegal gambling “associations” secretly tucked away in a corner of the city, and can be there for hours on end, neglecting both their jobs and their families. Whatever income is spent gambled and is frequently either borrowing small sums from the people around them or delaying payments on their commitments, resulting in increasing debts.
The “compulsive gambler” is the most extreme and is one of the most dangerous forms of gambling addiction. They realize and know that gambling is a problem they face but yet puts no effort in curbing these impulses. These are the individuals who have gambled away a large portion of their money and being in dire consequences, turn to loan sharks to finance their ever-increasing gambling addiction. Unfortunately, many of them fall deeper into the gambling “hole” and resort to extreme measures to end the suffering, such as to prostitution or attempting suicide.
Many people do not realize that they have a gambling problem until it is too late. Education may be one of the most important tools to help people realize before things take a turn for the worse. For many people, gambling is a form of entertainment and a form of social activity, placing them in the “social gambler” category. Only when taken as a way to “make money” can it be detrimental to one’s life.
What is Sports Marketing?
Sports marketing focuses on the promotion of products and services at sporting events or major athletic competitions. It can also consist of advertising sports teams. Marketing, through sports, gained prominence in the 1980's, and this form of advertisement has steadily increased since that time. Price, Promotion, Place and Product are the four P's of marketing, and they're essential to sports sponsorship. Athletes often develop a rapport with companies, and they sponsor a variety of products. Brands develop visibility by their association with athletes who wear their shoes and clothing.
Tobacco companies were banned from the airwaves during the 1980's, and many of these firms began to sponsor sporting events. The advertising budgets, of these firms, was freed, as they could no longer promote their products on the television air waves. They circumvented this law by promoting their products through the sponsorship of large scale sporting events. This was one of the first large scale sponsorships of sporting events by corporations.
This form of marketing accelerated in the 1980's. The decade gained recognition for the large amounts of money that passed through various hands. Several athletes became famous during this time period, and many people are familiar with Michael Jordan and his relationship with Nike. This was one of the first major sponsorships, and it was fabulously successful. Since the 1980's, sports marketing has increased, and now there are scores of athletes who are sponsored by a variety of companies.
The shoe wars quickly gained prominence during the 80's as well. Most of the major tennis shoe manufacturers developed relationships with star athletes, and this was used in their quest for brand loyalty and recognition. There are many examples of this in sports advertising. Companies, at this time, also began to have their names on major stadiums. This was another first, and now nearly every stadium is named after the company that sponsors it.
Clothing is one of the main products that are advertised in this venue, but there are all types of goods and services that are promoted as well. Marketing is not relegated to clothing and health foods. All companies have realized the huge amount of visibility that sporting events offer their goods and services.
Sports sponsorship is a huge field for advertisers, and many of the world's top athletes have contracts with several companies. They promote everything, and many of them have contracts for a variety of products. One would think that these stars would limit themselves to athletic apparael or health products, but this is not the case. Stadiums are also named after the corporations that provide money to teams, and nearly every major sporting organization has taken advantage of the benefits that sponsorship offers their club.
Gambling Legally in Thailand
The decision of whether or not to legalize gambling has been a hot political topic for several years in Thailand because many people believe that it could boost the economy and taxable revenue, especially in the form of increased tourism. Those who oppose gambling claim that introducing legalized gambling and casinos will bring an increase in crime and gambling addiction. Many illegal gambling operations already exist in Thailand that include betting on various types of fights and sporting events. Although most forms of gambling are still illegal in Thailand, there are several outlets for tourists and locals alike looking to partake in legal gambling.
The advent of the online casino has allowed many people living in Thailand to experience the thrill of gambling while still abiding by the law. The majority of games people can play through online casinos are similar to popular slot machines found in major casinos. They offer gamblers a quick thrill, but most of these games are just for fun. Online poker is another popular gambling outlet, and players can make real bets.
For those without access to the internet, or for anyone looking for other gambling opportunities, the state runs a lottery that is drawn twice a month. Additionally, although most types of sports betting is illegal and run by underground operations, there is one place in Thailand where gamblers can make legal bets on a certain type of sporting event: horse racing. The Royal Turf Club in Bangkok holds horse races that can be legally bet upon.
Since there are so many illegal gambling operations in Thailand, it's always good for tourists to familiarize themselves with what is illegal. There are no legal casinos in Thailand, although several legal casinos exist in neighboring regions where gambling is legal, including Macau and Singapore. Football gambling is a huge business in Thailand, but visitors should be warned that it is strictly prohibited. It is also very important to realize that there are many illegal lotteries in Thailand, so people need to double-check that they are buying official state-run lottery tickets.
Although there are very few legal gambling opportunities in Thailand, it is possible to find exciting gambling outlets without breaking the law. From online casinos to betting on the horse races at the Royal Turf Club, tourists and locals alike can find great ways to gamble legally.
The Four Basic Accounting Principles
There are 4 basic principles in accounting that are enclosed in the GAAP. The GAAP is a set of accounting rules, created and implemented by the Financial Accounting Standards Board together with related government agencies, that business owners use when documenting, recording, and reporting their financial records during a particular accounting period.
These basic accounting principles, together with the basic assumptions and constraints, are being used as guidelines by accountants and accounting firms in following a specific set of standards to ensure and keep proper accounting. This is crucial for entrepreneurs who wish to pursue company registration and set up business. However, not all CPA follow these rules.
If you want to account, understand, and compare your accounting data for your business, then you should learn and follow these basic accounting principles.
The Cost Principle: As a business owner, you are required to record and report all your assets depending on the actual cost incurred to get them, as opposed to their free-market value. This type of reporting under this principle makes it more reliable and reduces the opportunity for factors that might interfere with accounting, such as biased market values.
The Accrual Principle: As a business owner, you are required to record and report your revenue at you earn it, as opposed to getting the actual cash from your business’ revenue. This helps in showing what actual work has been done and not what else needs to be done in the future.
The Matching Principle: This refers to the real-time or actual evaluation of your expenses and revenues for your business, helping you indentify whether your business is doing well financially or not. Similar to the Accrual Principle, you should only be recording and reporting your revenue with which related expenses were earned.
The Disclosure Principle: This states that you can disclose your accounting records for quick judgment about your business’ financial status. However, be wary that this disclosure should not cause your business to accrue insignificant expenses.
While you may not have taken any accounting courses or acquired a license for being a certified public accountant, it is still best to know, at least, that the basic principles of accounting that will help you get an idea how to record and report your financial data of your business.
Limousine Service Cost in Singapore: Travelling in Style for a Cost
Truly, comfort and convenience have its cost and if one desires to travel in style getting a limousine taxi is the best way to go in Singapore. Everybody knows how luxurious, comfortable and stylish a limousine can be but in Singapore one need not own one or rent the entire vehicle to get on it. All he needs to do is contact a reputable limousine service company such as Limousine Singapore any time he needs a fabulous ride.
Singapore has a wide range of taxi cab companies to choose from and locals and foreigners alike are fortunate to find an array of limousine taxi cabs able to meet their travelling needs. The rates of limo service would depend on many considerations. First, arriving passengers who wish to be picked up from the airport usually pay higher than those departing or simply transferring from one destination to another. Second, limousine cabs with taxi sign and those unmarked also differ in rates with those unmarked obviously higher. Third, seating capacity of the vehicles would also matter. Of course, cabs with greater seating capacity have higher rates than the others. However, this may not be true when it comes to vehicle models. Vehicles which are newer and unmarked tend to be more expensive compared to those which have older models even though they offer a greater seating capacity like a maxi cab.
The normal rates for limo service cost would be around 45 to SGD 180 Singaporean dollars per hour with a maximum disposal between 2 to 6 hours. While other taxi cab companies maintain the normal booking fee of 8 to 16 SGD, a boarding meter fee of 3.20 SGD and additional .20 SGD for every 320 or 385 meters thereafter or less up to 10 kilometers. However, one can also hire a limo taxi for other occasions like weddings, airport transfer and other special occasions or events like the Grand Prix, Singapore Airshow 2012 and Singapore Tour or even for land travels from Singapore to Malaysia but of course the cost would be a lot higher around 120 to 3000 SGD depending on the hours of disposal.
Other considerations also include waiting time, midnight transfer surcharge, additional pick-up or drop off point, out of the way areas, additional child car seat, amendment or cancellation of bookings and payment method. They all have additional cost over and above the normal fare charge which is usually around 10 to 12 SGD per hour per offense or occasion. Despite the cost one simply has to count on the advantages and benefits of hiring a limousine taxi cab service in Singapore not to mention the pleasure one experiences in travelling with style.