SuZir
Well-Known Member
First things first, how come you don't have an authentic word for this very basic human emotion? Schadenfreude seems quite a mouthful for those who do not speak German.
But to on topic, there is this guy in my neck of woods who is currently in troubles to his ears. And you seldom see someone so skilfully adding fuel to fire when it is their own behind that is in fire. It is extremely amusing to watch if you are not feeling too sympathetic. And I'm not.
He is a media/television, sports and even more social media personality who endorses (irresponsible and harmful) gambling. Huge brown-noser and is (or at least has been in favour of few big names and even operating their social media for them.) Very big talker, actual deeds are the different thing. Seems to live big though his taxable earnings are more typical to 15-year-old who just had his first part time summer job selling ice cream for two months.
To understand the situation you have to understand gambling in Europe is very different from USA. It is not a thing you do once a month or year when you have a free night and head to casino somewhere. It is very much part of our everyday life. For example in my country every sixth person gambles more often than three times a week. Slot machines are everywhere. For example the closest store to us, a walk-in kiosk that sells candy, packed sandwiches, frozen pizza, ice cream and some basic food you can survive over the night and has total store surface of 150 square feet has two slot machines, they also have lottery tickets and book sport bets for licensed operators. Gambling is over half of their revenue. Big grocery store we use has separate room with about 40 slot machines in it. Every gas station, most fast food joints etc. have slot machines. In top 10 tv program weekly there is hour of horse racing that 99% people who watch, watch for gambling. Sports betting is a huge thing. I can't remember when I was in the bar that did not have a blackjack table or few. We do have casinos too, but they make up about 0,5 % of gambling.
Legally betting can be divided to licensed operators that can legally operate in this country both physically and online and market for us. Marketing and allowed games are tightly regulated. Endorsing irresponsible gambling is forbidden, marketing for youngsters of course too, addictive components (like lights and sounds) of games are very strictly regulated and so on. Not licensed operators can not physically be here or market here, but they can allow people gamble online as they wish. Gambling to them is also legal. They usually operate from some lax gambling regulation EU country like Malta.
What this guy I'm talking about has done, is to work as affiliate marketer to those un-licensed operators. He gets them customers and gets about third of the profit those customers produce. This is grey area legally. Operators make most of their profit from problem gamblers, so creating new problem gamblers is something that is in their best interest. It is also in best interest of an affiliate. This guy has understood that well.
He is close to forty, but dresses like he was 20. He tries to portray a lifestyle that would be a dream to many teen boys (fast cars, beautiful woman, having money, travelling a lot, one night in Super Bowl next week a tennis atp somewhere, a week in California in between, then El Classico and so on), he talks young (especially in Twitter, instagram and Facebook), has an other Instagram account that is targeted to even younger audience (but doesn't admit it is his, but affiliate code is still the same.) He speaks about freedom to do as you please a lot, those regulations around gambling are so lame according to him. He endorses people to make very large bets (like thousands to one bet), making sports bets that have many matches in one bet (if one of them has 50 % chance to be correct, having five in same bet makes a probability of winning 3 %. That one he doesn't mention, just an awesome win you can get) and other sure to lose (and addict) strategies. He gives raffles where you can win trips and tickets to those awesome games abroad to lure new customers. And tells how if you do not bet, you don't love sports. And only cowards do not take big risks. And how other people do (as in: bet) and others whine, because they are not daring enough. And he knowingly targets minors because the younger one starts, the much bigger risk for addiction and so more for him to gain.
Marketing for kids like that is not even grey area, it is pitch black. A crime. And now police is interested of him and others doing same. But that wouldn't slow him much, white collar cops and prosecutors are so busy that this could be too small case for them, but now he has tax authorities after him. He will have fun time in tax audit trying to explain how he finances his lifestyle with that ice cream seller's income. There are others who are in same situation with him, but have enough sense to keep their mouth shut and lay low. They are as much in trouble with tax officials and police, but at least they are not ridiculed by everyone and their business is not crashing down.
But this guy does not do that. First when one tv show started this whole thing, he tried to steer attention. Made an big time announcement in the name of one of those big names, whose social media he keeps up. It wasn't true. Huge deal and you can bet people started to take their distance. Her started huge flame war against media that relieved a lie. People started to ridicule like crazy. He makes another posting in the name of other of those big names to defend himself (or maybe this time got a permission from the big name, who knows), interrogation change to 'lunch meetings with high up police officers to ask my advice' when he reports from them and so on.
My personal beef with him: He was first and loudest to ridicule my kid when word about his gambling addiction started to get around. How stupid someone can be to get addicted to gambling, how lacking personal responsibility, how anyone with any smarts would never let that happened to them. How totally my son's own fault it was and had nothing to do with operators practises. And so on. My son had just turned eighteen a month before then and this guy knew it well. Hadn't gambled in half a year (that too was known.) It is strictly forbidden for operator to let anyone gamble, if they are not 100 % sure they are over 18. All kinds of marketing to minors is also totally against the laws even the laxest countries. Most operators my kid used had basically asked, if he was over 18, when he lied he was, it was enough for them.
This guy of course was not responsible for my kid's addiction. but he is basically a crack dealer making business out side of High School. And knows full well what he is doing. And tries to portray himself a martyr for freedom. Even if I try I can't muster sympathy for his fall.
But to on topic, there is this guy in my neck of woods who is currently in troubles to his ears. And you seldom see someone so skilfully adding fuel to fire when it is their own behind that is in fire. It is extremely amusing to watch if you are not feeling too sympathetic. And I'm not.
He is a media/television, sports and even more social media personality who endorses (irresponsible and harmful) gambling. Huge brown-noser and is (or at least has been in favour of few big names and even operating their social media for them.) Very big talker, actual deeds are the different thing. Seems to live big though his taxable earnings are more typical to 15-year-old who just had his first part time summer job selling ice cream for two months.
To understand the situation you have to understand gambling in Europe is very different from USA. It is not a thing you do once a month or year when you have a free night and head to casino somewhere. It is very much part of our everyday life. For example in my country every sixth person gambles more often than three times a week. Slot machines are everywhere. For example the closest store to us, a walk-in kiosk that sells candy, packed sandwiches, frozen pizza, ice cream and some basic food you can survive over the night and has total store surface of 150 square feet has two slot machines, they also have lottery tickets and book sport bets for licensed operators. Gambling is over half of their revenue. Big grocery store we use has separate room with about 40 slot machines in it. Every gas station, most fast food joints etc. have slot machines. In top 10 tv program weekly there is hour of horse racing that 99% people who watch, watch for gambling. Sports betting is a huge thing. I can't remember when I was in the bar that did not have a blackjack table or few. We do have casinos too, but they make up about 0,5 % of gambling.
Legally betting can be divided to licensed operators that can legally operate in this country both physically and online and market for us. Marketing and allowed games are tightly regulated. Endorsing irresponsible gambling is forbidden, marketing for youngsters of course too, addictive components (like lights and sounds) of games are very strictly regulated and so on. Not licensed operators can not physically be here or market here, but they can allow people gamble online as they wish. Gambling to them is also legal. They usually operate from some lax gambling regulation EU country like Malta.
What this guy I'm talking about has done, is to work as affiliate marketer to those un-licensed operators. He gets them customers and gets about third of the profit those customers produce. This is grey area legally. Operators make most of their profit from problem gamblers, so creating new problem gamblers is something that is in their best interest. It is also in best interest of an affiliate. This guy has understood that well.
He is close to forty, but dresses like he was 20. He tries to portray a lifestyle that would be a dream to many teen boys (fast cars, beautiful woman, having money, travelling a lot, one night in Super Bowl next week a tennis atp somewhere, a week in California in between, then El Classico and so on), he talks young (especially in Twitter, instagram and Facebook), has an other Instagram account that is targeted to even younger audience (but doesn't admit it is his, but affiliate code is still the same.) He speaks about freedom to do as you please a lot, those regulations around gambling are so lame according to him. He endorses people to make very large bets (like thousands to one bet), making sports bets that have many matches in one bet (if one of them has 50 % chance to be correct, having five in same bet makes a probability of winning 3 %. That one he doesn't mention, just an awesome win you can get) and other sure to lose (and addict) strategies. He gives raffles where you can win trips and tickets to those awesome games abroad to lure new customers. And tells how if you do not bet, you don't love sports. And only cowards do not take big risks. And how other people do (as in: bet) and others whine, because they are not daring enough. And he knowingly targets minors because the younger one starts, the much bigger risk for addiction and so more for him to gain.
Marketing for kids like that is not even grey area, it is pitch black. A crime. And now police is interested of him and others doing same. But that wouldn't slow him much, white collar cops and prosecutors are so busy that this could be too small case for them, but now he has tax authorities after him. He will have fun time in tax audit trying to explain how he finances his lifestyle with that ice cream seller's income. There are others who are in same situation with him, but have enough sense to keep their mouth shut and lay low. They are as much in trouble with tax officials and police, but at least they are not ridiculed by everyone and their business is not crashing down.
But this guy does not do that. First when one tv show started this whole thing, he tried to steer attention. Made an big time announcement in the name of one of those big names, whose social media he keeps up. It wasn't true. Huge deal and you can bet people started to take their distance. Her started huge flame war against media that relieved a lie. People started to ridicule like crazy. He makes another posting in the name of other of those big names to defend himself (or maybe this time got a permission from the big name, who knows), interrogation change to 'lunch meetings with high up police officers to ask my advice' when he reports from them and so on.
My personal beef with him: He was first and loudest to ridicule my kid when word about his gambling addiction started to get around. How stupid someone can be to get addicted to gambling, how lacking personal responsibility, how anyone with any smarts would never let that happened to them. How totally my son's own fault it was and had nothing to do with operators practises. And so on. My son had just turned eighteen a month before then and this guy knew it well. Hadn't gambled in half a year (that too was known.) It is strictly forbidden for operator to let anyone gamble, if they are not 100 % sure they are over 18. All kinds of marketing to minors is also totally against the laws even the laxest countries. Most operators my kid used had basically asked, if he was over 18, when he lied he was, it was enough for them.
This guy of course was not responsible for my kid's addiction. but he is basically a crack dealer making business out side of High School. And knows full well what he is doing. And tries to portray himself a martyr for freedom. Even if I try I can't muster sympathy for his fall.