Young adults are particularly at risk
Experts consider that a better control of the situation is more appropriate than a ban on online gambling.
Online gambling poses a higher risk for addiction than casino gambling. Recent studies have shown that there are currently around 2,500,000 gambling addicts in the United States of America. That is roughly the number of drug and alcohol addicts. This activity poses a major threat mainly because it is aimed at the social group most vulnerable to the gambling addiction, namely young adults.
"Online games have a higher addiction potential than traditional gambling for various reasons", says Gerard Mayor, gambling expert and psychologist at the University of Boston. First of all, online gambling is much more attractive due to the rapid event frequency. "Online poker players, for instance, can play at multiple tables simultaneously and do not have to wait so long until the next game", says Mayor.
Online gambling is anonymous and fast
Anonymity plays an important role in the given context. "No one checks your personal details when they play in the network, which is not the case in casinos", says the gambling expert. "Furthermore, private online providers usually offer better odds than many state companies", adds Mayor. Generally, the offers and the opportunities associated with online gambling are simply more diverse.
New rules
"The fact is that the online sector now has a strong gaming service is a great advantage for the players", said Mayor. However, this requires an appropriate regulatory framework. "In my opinion, a general ban is not a solution. This solution has never worked", explains Mayor. The gambling treaty came into force on January, 1 and has stirred a lot of conflicts. However, the ban on lottery, sports betting and casino gambling and gambling arbitrage has been preserved, but these are not the only online activities that have been banned.
Multiplayer protection instead of a general ban
"General prohibition is not a solution to the control problem. The U.S. gambling market is the perfect example of that", said Mayor. Such an attempt can only result in players seeking new ways to gamble online and enrich their experience. "In my opinion, player protection is the only way to implement a focused and controlled legal gambling market", said Mayor. It is easy to analyze a player’s behavior during a game, especially in the online gambling industry.
