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Sports betting and Mental Health

The Funnel Gambling Experience

In this article, I describe what I call the funnel gambling experience. A funnel takes in much but releases very little. In the same way, in gambling, a lot of money is invested but only a few—often countable—ever win.

At the age of 15 years old, my mother sent me to the market to buy some Maize. When I reached Mayanja Market in Bungoma County, I found a group of people playing cards. Curiously, I stopped to watch. As I observed, I noticed that one of the bystanders won KSh. 300 simply by predicting the correct card. I felt encouraged by what I saw, I decided to try my luck.

After a tough reshuffle of the cards, I was ready to place a bet, but unfortunately, I did not have any cash. The gamblers then asked me to stake anything I had, so I decided to gamble by giving my Watch. While I was removing it to place the bet, they secretly changed the winning card. When I finally placed my watch, my prediction was wrong. Just like that—my watch was gone. I walked away immediately and went straight to buy the maize that my mother had sent me.

On my way home, I was haunted by one question: “How foolish was I to want to win money in exchange for my watch?”

I wondered what would have happened if I had gambled the money meant to buy Maize. How lucky I was, because if I dared to use it to Gamble, she would have punished me severely. On ther other hand, the man who was leading the gambling at the Market happens to come from the nearby Village, so One day, I met him wearing my Watch. This was not chance; it was strategy.

Albert Einstein once said, “You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it.” From Einstein’s time to today, gambling has existed, but winning remains a matter of pure luck, not a skill. No amount of strategy can change the odds that are already fixed against the gambler.

The Twisted Reality of Gambling

Gambling environments are designed to create the illusion that winning is just within a reach of everyone. In casinos, sports betting and other gambling platforms—especially radio promotions—presenters speak as if listeners are only inches away from a big win, but it is only to entice you to participate in gambling.

For example, I once heard a Kenyan radio presenter describing three boxes in the studio—one containing a large sum of money, while the other two were empty. Listeners, of course, could not see the boxes, but they were required to guess by sending a message. However, there was another listener who sent three messages to predict but he didn't win anything. In such a scenario, who is more likely to win? The presenter who sees the box with the money, or the listeners who cannot see anything but they are persuaded to believe the presenter’s words? This reinforces Einstein’s idea: You cannot win money from the roulette unless you steal money from it.

Hidden Losses in Gambling

Another reason gamblers rarely win but the company wins always is transaction fees. Whether you win or lose, you must pay to participate—sending messages, placing bets, or withdrawing winnings, therefore, it is the gambling company that wins. Even when someone wins, a portion of the money is deducted through transaction charges. Ultimately, the gambling company profits regardless of the outcome.

In fact, the few winners are paid using the money contributed by the many who had lost. The system is structured to benefit the operator, not the gambler.

Traditional vs. Modern Gambling

I personally prefer traditional betting. For example, when two people would bet on a football match outcome, the winner would receive what the other had committed to give. If there is a draw, both parties keep their stakes—no one loses unfairly.

Modern gambling is far away different. There is always a middleman in the name of the company as the Operator. This company earns money whether gamblers win or lose, mainly through fees Charges and other commissions. In this system, the gambler carries all mental health risks such as over borrowing, insomnia and stress, while the company gains financially.

Conclusion

Gambling responsibly is essential because many people invest, but only a handful could win. Gambling is not a skill-based activity; it depends entirely on luck and not the skills of the gambler The funnel gambling experience reminds us that much goes in terms of gambling, but very little comes out in terms of those who win.

Unless one is extremely lucky, gambling will always favor the system and not the player.

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The Sanctuary in the Chaos: Reading in Matatus and Mental Well-being

By Fred Wekesa, Counselling Psychologist

Introduction

This article is based on the discussions about the image posted in “AFRIKILI BOOK CLUB” WhatsApp group whereby a lady was spotted reading a book in a public transport in Nairobi Kenya.

Public Transport Matatus in Kenyan is more than just a vehicle; it is a cultural phenomenon defined by loud music, vibrant art, and often, chaotic sensory overload. In this environment, a quiet rebellion is taking place: the act of reading a physical book. A recent discourse within a social circle highlighted a peculiar societal stigma where public reading is dismissed by some as merely "attention-seeking" or an "association with bookmarks." However, a deeper psychological analysis suggests that reading in transit is not a performative act, but a critical tool for mental well-being, cognitive grounding, and stress reduction.

The Myth of Performativity vs. Psychological Projection

The conversation began with a critique labeling public readers as an "attention-seeking association." This reaction is a classic example of what psychologists identify as projection. As noted in the discussion, projection is a defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or motives to another person (Freud, 1936).

When an observer sees someone reading in a matatu, they may feel a subconscious pang of guilt regarding their own time usage or intellectual engagement. To protect their ego from this discomfort, they project the insecurity onto the reader, reframing the reader's genuine activity as "fake" or "performative." By labeling the reader a "snob" or "show-off," the observer validates their own choice to scroll through social media or stare blankly.

Four Core Mental Health Benefits of Transit Reading

Beyond the social stigma, it is essential to understand why the brain craves books in busy spaces. From a psychological perspective, reading in a matatu offers four distinct benefits to mental health:

1. Physiological Stress Reduction (The Biological Reset)

Participants in the conversation rightly identified that reading is used to "reduce stress." This aligns with Bibliotherapy, the use of literature to support mental health. Research indicates that deep reading places the brain in a pleasurable trance-like state, often called "flow." A study by the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%, slowing the heartbeat and easing muscle tension more effectively than listening to music or taking a walk (Lewis, 2009). In a loud matatu, the book acts as a physiological anchor, lowering cortisol levels spiked by traffic anxiety.

2. Restoration of Agency (Internal Locus of Control)

Commuting is often viewed as "dead time"—a space where one has little autonomy. Engaging in "doom-scrolling" creates a passive mental state that can increase anxiety and feelings of time scarcity (Sharma et al., 2016). Conversely, reading is an active cognitive choice. It shifts the commuter from a passive victim of traffic to an active agent of their own time. This fosters an Internal Locus of Control, a psychological concept linked to higher resilience and lower rates of depression.

3. Strengthening Selective Attention (Focus Training)

In an era of fragmented attention, the matatu environment—with its visual clutter and audio noise—challenges our ability to focus. Reading a book requires Selective Attention, the cognitive process of filtering out irrelevant sensory information to focus on a single stimulus. By practicing this in a high-distraction environment, the reader is essentially training their "attention muscle," combatting the cognitive fragmentation caused by modern digital multitasking.

4. Enhancing Empathy and Emotional Regulation

While the commute can often trigger frustration or "road rage" toward other drivers or touts, reading fiction activates the brain's networks responsible for Theory of Mind—the ability to understand others' mental states. Immersing oneself in a character's narrative increases empathy and emotional intelligence (Kidd & Castano, 2013). A commuter who reads is likely to arrive at their destination not only calmer but also more empathetic and emotionally regulated than one who has spent the journey fuming over the traffic.

Social Modeling and Cultural Shifts

Finally, the conversation touched on the social impact of public reading: "It informs others that to read a book is possible." According to Social Learning Theory, behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning (Bandura, 1977).

When commuters see others reading, it challenges the norm that the phone is the only tool for alleviating boredom. It serves as a visual reminder that deep focus is possible, even in public spaces. Far from seeking attention, the public reader inadvertently acts as a positive model, signaling that intellectual engagement is a valid alternative to the digital dopamine loop.

Conclusion

The "sweetness in books" described in the conversation is not a cry for attention, but a pursuit of mental clarity. While cynics may view the matatu reader with suspicion, the act itself is a robust defense against the stress of modern commuting. It is a declaration that one’s mind belongs to oneself, even when one’s body is stuck in traffic.

References

• Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall.

• Freud, A. (1936). The ego and the mechanisms of defense. Hogarth Press.

• Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1239918

• Lewis, D. (2009). Galaxy stress research. Mindlab International, Sussex University.

• Sharma, B., Lee, S. S., & Park, H. (2016). The impact of digital addiction on mental health. Journal of Mental Health and Well-being, 4(2), 112-125.