[HPforGrownups] Re: The Case Against Ludo Bagman/blackmail and gambling

[Margaret Dean]

No: HPFGUIDX 25622

cynthiaanncoe at home.com wrote:

> I'm not completely on board that the "blackmail" risk is just the
> gambling debt, though, because gambling appears to be perfectly
> acceptable in the wizarding world, even for minors and even among
> junior vs senior members of MoM.  When Bagman first mentions
> gambling, Arthur immediately wagers a small amount.  When the twins
> wish to join in, he frowns on this, but only because their mom
> wouldn't like it and they shouldn't spend their money that way.  No
> one seems alarmed that underage wizards are gambling. The only
> disapproval of underage gambling is when Bagman uses this as an
> excuse not to pay the debt, but he obviously says this just to brush
> them off.

It's precisely in a culture (or subculture) where gambling is an
accepted activity that you can really ruin your reputation by
welshing on a bet.  It's obvious that Bagman depends on his
reputation a lot; if it got about that he was a welsher, he'd be,
if you'll pardon the expression, up sh*t creek without a paddle.


--Margaret Dean
  <margdean at erols.com>