The 1990s were a hot time for online gambling. It seemed like an end run around government control: online gambling operators could set up shop in an offshore jurisdiction and allow anyone with a web browser to place bets. However, the Department of Justice and Congress began exploring how to regulate online gambling. However, it appears that the debate is far from over. A new report from the National Institute on Problem Gambling aims to provide a unified framework for online gambling regulations.
Longitudinal research on online gambling
While the risks of excessive gambling in online casinos have been well-documented, little is known about the impact of Internet gambling on the mental health of players. The high rate of addiction to gambling may be related to the fact that the activity is conducted in an environment that allows large wagers, rapid feedback, and continual gaming. Longitudinal research on online gambling could help to mitigate this risk. The research objectives include estimating the impact of wagering inducements on gambling behavior and describing the temporal relationship under naturalistic conditions.
One such longitudinal study, conducted in Denmark, investigated gambling behavior in young people. The study was structured as a panel, with three waves of interviews conducted in 2011 and 2014. A total of 51 young Danes were interviewed three times, from first to second wave. For each of the 48 participants, 149 individual interviews were conducted, lasting from 30 minutes to an hour. This longitudinal study provides an opportunity for tracing the gambling trajectory of each participant and can be complemented by quantitative surveys.
Impact of Internet gambling on gambling disorders
Pathological gambling has become a major public health concern in recent years. The growth of Internet gambling has given rise to a wide range of different games and design options, making it potentially more addictive than terrestrial gambling. However, the contribution of the Internet to the rise of problem gambling has not been sufficiently investigated. This study used a representative sample of 15,023 individuals from Germany to address this issue. We believe that internet gambling is one of the major contributors to the emergence of problematic gambling.
The research has also revealed a connection between the amount of time spent on Internet gambling and the risk of developing a gambling disorder. The prevalence of problem gambling was higher among non-Internet gamblers who engaged in electronic gambling. Non-Internet gamblers were also more likely to report gambling-related health effects and seek assistance for their disorder. Regardless of the reasons behind these differences, it is evident that problem gambling and Internet gambling are not indistinguishable from each other.
Impact of Internet gambling on young gamblers
While there are several risks associated with gambling, primarily the possibility of addiction, children are usually not exposed to high levels of risk until they reach adolescence. Even casual gambling is harmful to their developing brains, and research has shown that children who are introduced to online gambling before they are 12 are four times more likely to become problem gamblers later in life. The reason for this is that young brains lack the appropriate logic centers to weigh the risks associated with different gambling activities. Even if they win small sums of money on an online casino, the possibility of developing gambling addiction is high.
The latest survey conducted by the Gambling Commission suggests that online gambling is increasing the incidence of gambling among young people. According to this research, almost half of the adults surveyed had used a mobile phone in the last year to gamble. In fact, more young people than ever before are using smart televisions to gamble online. And, as smartphones continue to become more popular, this trend appears to be continuing to increase. This is especially true among 18-24 year olds, who tend to spend more time on their mobile phones.
Impact of Internet gambling on sports betting
The impact of Internet gambling on sports betting is significant in many ways. It encourages problem gamblers to repeat gambling sessions. However, the advertising and marketing for online gambling can lead to impulsive behavior. Internet-based sports betting is similar to in-venue gambling, but it is different. People who have a problem with gambling often engage in multiple significant sessions per day. Increasingly, young men are seeking treatment for their problem behaviors related to online sports betting.
A systematic grounded theory study of 19 online sports bettors was conducted using behavioural data and in-depth interviews. The participants’ qualitative and quantitative data were used to identify salient sources of harmful participation. The research team identified three salient categories involving structural features of modern online sports betting: live betting, instant depositing, and micro-event betting. Among the factors contributing to problem gambling, participants indicated the availability of instant accessibility and ubiquity of online sports betting marketing.