Would you say it's appropriate to gamble if you're collecting unemployment?

Well, it’s their life but with 16 weeks of bennies to get something going there isn’t much time to waste. Unemployment isn’t near enough to live on my design. You are supposed to be motivated to get off it asap. They have an addiction and with that comes all sorts of problems just like if it was drugs. Being out of work doesn’t change that with these people.

I guess it depends on what they are gambling on and how much each time. If they go to a casino and they are good at counting cards and play a single deck blackjack table it might pay off. Or if they bet the correct fields on a roulette table. If they are doing slots, scratchers, etc, I don’t think that very smart.

For me it wouldn’t happen, I might put a lottery ticket on or two but that would be it…….. This person has a bad habit, they have to realise themselves they need to break…… my advice to you, keep your wallet with you at all times :-/

It depends. If we’re talking about a lotto ticket, I wouldn’t be upset by it. Even spending a little money (I don’t really know what I mean by “a little money”... maybe 50 bucks?) at a casino one night would be just fine with me. I would equate that to entertainment, and even people on unemployment need to blow off a little steam now and again.

It sounds like the person you’re talking about is a gambling addict, and is spending considerably more. If they are truly an addict, it’s not like they are making a rational decision to gamble away their money. They feel compelled to. I’d want them to get help for their problem. Honestly, I probably would disapprove (in my head), but I’d know it’s not my place to judge them. I’ve got plenty of my own issues.

I would say that no it is not appropriate to gamble in that situation. With the possible exception of you being a professional gambler, but I dunno how you would collect unemployment in such a situation anyways.

If the person has limited funds, and they choose to spend their money on gambling, they may have an addiction. It may be offset by the person living with their parents or something that enables them to have more discretionary income.

However, it won’t pay for you to be upset over it, as there is no way you can control it. It’s no different than if a person is on unemployment and spends their money on cigarettes, drinking or anything else unnecessary. You can’t control it, nobody could. It’s not illegal so why let it bother you?

I thank everyone for their answers. I guess the real question is why do I even care? I was trying to pinpoint this and I’m not even sure. I personally am not a gambler. I just think it’s silly. I guess I only got mad when (as his employer) he asked for a pay advance. So in a sense I felt like he was pissing away my money when I was trying to help him. That is no longer our situation. Thanks again for all the great answers.

@JessicaRTBH: I don’t understand: He’s on unemployment but your his employer and he wants a pay advance? He’s unemployed or he’s employed?

I worded that incorrectly. I was paying him (fairly small amounts of cash) to help rip up carpet and paint. I only said employer because I’m not really friends with this person. I was just trying to help them while helping myself.

Nothing wrong with that.
At least he’s using his hard earned benefits to try and make a gain.

Good effort I say!

I could see the thought behind wanting to make more money and all but when I gave him $250 (amount of some bill he had) and he pissed it away gambling later asking for another $100 to pay said bill I responded in a pretty rude way.

@JessicaRTBH: don’t let it bother you, if you can. You can’t control what he does with his money.

@jca very good advice indeed. If I worried less about things I have no power over I’d be worry free :) I should try to focus on what’s important. Thank you

People are free to waste their lives the way they see fit, in a humane society that has a welfare program this also means people are free to waste the support that is offered them by the rest of us. You wouldn’t expect your boss to dictate how you spend your wages so you can’t expect to dictate to a welfare beneficiary how they spend your taxes. You can however dictate to a politician how they spend your taxes. Or at least attempt to, in my experience they rarely listen.