World of Psychology

Online Gambling Problems

By Sandra Kiume
August 2, 2007

Online Gambling: Is addiction one click away? is a great article from the Canadian Health Network describing problem gambling and how it’s spreading online with easy, unlimited access to gambling sites. They warn that youth are developing online gambling problems and are especially vulnerable if they have a big win at an early age, if there is gambling in the family, and if they are lonely and bored (like so many teens). Some signs of a problem:

· spending large amounts of time gambling
· beginning to place larger bets and betting more often
· growing debts
· trying to cut back on gambling but can’t seem to do it
· lying about or hiding gambling habits, or refusing to talk about it
· frequent, obsessive thoughts about gambling
· preferring gambling to family occasions or other social activities
· pinning hopes on the big win that will solve financial or other problems

Take a self-assessment quiz called BetCheck.

Virtual money is still real money, and players can be lured in by free sites that lead to unregulated pay-to-play sites. One typical feature of problem gambling is the belief that you can beat the odds, but you can’t know who’s stacked them in an offshore virtual casino.

The article links to another well-written piece on counselling for the problem; what’s involved and how it helps. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health writes from an Ontario, Canada perspective where they offer abundant free counselling for gamblers and their families, with hotlines, groups, rehab facilities, etc. If you don’t live in Ontario, try finding a treatment option near you using the extensive Psych Central resources page.


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10 Comments to
“Online Gambling Problems”

This is a sad reality. It could even be the start of their gambling life.
Influence plays a big role in this issue and we don’t want that our children will be gamblers for life.

What’s sad is that there are still no solutions to those internet problems. Another example of it is internet pornography. Most of those site are doing it on purpose.

The problem is that governments gave up from gambling regulations, especially because of online gambling and betting, which are hard to enforce.

The U.S. doing the hardest effort but the real punters can overcome this regulations.

I saw an article yesterday named: “how to become the owner of an online casino” and it’s unbelievable how easy it is to open and operate online casino in some countries.

Thats the link if someone intersted: http://www.wwwpd.org/?p=37

Gambling addictions is becoming a major problem, yet gambling addiction is not an unfamiliar problem in our society. While some people are blaming gambling casinos for leading to addictions, the fact is at one time cards were the only source of entertainment for people, and this entertainment leads to addictions.

Addicts of gambling will often strive to take hold of money, yet this is not the only element that makes them an addict. Gamblers have impulsive, compulsive and obsessive disorders that enforce them to use gambling as an escape mechanism. Gambling addictions go back a long way, and targets all areas of the world.

Great comments, thanks everyone. SHZ, I am glad you pointed that out. Addiction isn’t all about the substance or activity, it’s the compulsiveness and mechanisms behind the behavior.

These online gambling sites have and use every single known physiological technique in their arsenal to hook the youngest and most vulnerable in our society. Our government does not share in the billions of revenue generated by these sites however, we pick up the tab for the limited treatment options available to the victims. The effects of this type of addiction have many other social consequences to numerous to mention here. I strongly believe the proliferation of these online sites will lead to an epidemic of gambling addiction in this country in the years to come unless our government dedicates the resources to stop it.

All these thing people come up with to make millions, you would think someone out there be it government or someone else would look into the future and put a stop to it before it starts. I am addicted to gambling, I use it to get away from the awfulness in this world, and of corse it makes it worse because then I really feel like a loser. When I’m there nothing else matters, my problems all go away until I walk out the door a loser.

Of course, what a great site and informative posts, I will add backlink - bookmark this site? Regards, Reader.

Can I take part of your post to my blog?

As long as you link back and give credit, sure. :-)

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 2 Aug 2007

 


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