Horses are a huge part of Irish culture, It is a history that stretches across centuries, a tale of friendships and working partners.
Gambling is a well-spread issue that affects pretty much every society in the world.
Punchestown is the single biggest horse race event in Ireland. Under a mostly grey sky and next to a muddy race-track full of rainwater, more than 30,000 people every year attend the event. People from all classes dress up to witness a challenging sporting event as well as, consume alcohol, socialize, gamble, and get entertained.
There are two definitions of gambling.
One is: “play games of chance for money; bet” and the other one: “take risky action in the hope of a desired result”. Risk is a part of life that we “need” so we can move forward.
What happens though, when some people abuse it? Where is the limit between entertainment and addiction? What if people ruin their lives based on a profit-making logic or false hope that money will bring fulfillment and happiness?