Online gambling addiction continues to grow among the most vulnerable members of society, and still, some experts claim that neither the Government nor the gambling regulators are fully aware of its actual scale.
The latest data about gambling addiction rates have shown that over 1.5 million British residents gamble through web-based platforms, with football currently being one of the most popular sports to bet on. This figure represents approximately 3.5% of the population and is considered a rate that has been constantly on the rise since it has been registered.
However, some analysts believe that it is only the tip of the iceberg and many problem gamblers are actually left unincluded in the statistics. Apart from that, online gambling addiction also includes the obsessive use of video games and other gambling products offered on the Internet. According to reports, young people are the ones who are most exposed to the problem, especially considering the fact they prefer staying at the computer and play games than other forms of engagement.
However, addiction to online gambling does not only have an economic impact. Many underage individuals are losing time and money and take a risk of becoming socially isolated, by staying hooked on the activity. Analysts have further noted that gaming and gambling habits could also expose them to greater failure at school, eating disorders and a range of other physical and mental health issues both in the short and long term.
Problem Gamblers Could Circumvent Self-Exclusion Pretty Easily
UK anti-gambling campaigners have called for the Government and local regulatory bodies to take further measures in order to deal with the aforementioned social phenomenon that has turned into a public health issue. They have been urging the authorities to guarantee stricter control on advertising and access to gambling activities online so that young people are better protected against possible gambling-related harm.
Furthermore, there have been petitions asking the authorities to ban gambling operators from becoming sponsors of professional sports teams, especially when it comes to football.
For several years now, the UK Government and the major regulatory body of the country – the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – have been trying to impose stricter regulations regarding gambling. The competent authorities have even unveiled a special option allowing people to ban themselves from all forms of gambling available in the country by registering themselves with the GAMSTOP programme.
As Casino Guardian has previously reported, GAMSTOP is a free and independent self-exclusion scheme allowing people, who feel over-engaged with gambling, to suspend themselves from all forms of gambling offered in the UK, including online gambling. It is up to individuals to register themselves and determine how long they are banned from logging into any online gambling site.
Soon after the GAMSTOP scheme was unveiled, however, a new problem occurred, because it became clear that gambling addicts are actually able to circumvent the ban by changing some small details about themselves, such as their last name, or address. It is pretty easy for them to create a new account even though they have included the old one in the GAMSTOP list, so the self-exclusion seems not to be working properly. Apart from that, many casinos are not included in the GAMSTOP programme, so players could register with them.
The difficulties in controlling online gambling behaviour escalating to addiction are serious, according to experts. It is much more challenging to keep track of the individuals who may circumvent the self-exclusion.
- Author
Daniel Williams
