Addiction To Online Gambling Soars

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/addiction-soars-as-online-gambling-hits-2bn-mark-8468376.html

We've seen the government get involved in the smoking of tobacco, the buying of cheap booze, and recent concerns over obesity.

Isn't it now time for them to step in and reverse the lax on-line gambling laws, that Tony Blair' government relaxed?

/// Key to the strategy which has led to some of the companies enjoying massive growth since online gambling was freed up by Tony Blair's government in 2005 is recruiting new consumers from middle-class professions and among women. ///

[Svejk]

Should we all stop drinking because a lot of people become alchoholics.

[chrissa1]

Apart from the Grand National, I've never gambled.

What I can't understand is how people put their trust and money into something over which they have no control, because it's electronic.
I can understand going to a Bingo Hall because you can see the balls being physically chosen. The thought of trusting a computer and not luck to make you a load of money, is quite ridiculous.

You can just imagine the computer programme registering a big win is about to happen and acting accordingly, to make sure it doesn't happen.

[ummmm]

//Are you sure they weren't just people who liked betting, ummm//

What a ridiculous thing to say! Of course they liked betting, how do you think they got into it in the first place?

It also cannot be compared to alcohol. We are not talking bets on the gee gees here. It's on-line, lured into it, bombarded by it. You don't get adverts for betting on the horses popping up when Jeremy Kyle is on. You get adverts for bingo...aimed at the people who are at home watching Jeremy Kyle. They are targeting a certain audience!! which is wrong.

[Svejk]

Not ridiculous ummm. There's a world of difference between, even, heavy gamblers & gamblerholics.
The latter would borrow that £150 of Mick & be skint 5 minutes later.

[FredPuli43]

The "weak-willed" argument ? How weak a will do you need to lose your job, your home, your family, your friends, or to steal, in favour of another bet or another drink? Do you think the addict doesn't know or see the consequences all around him? Of course he does, but he gives up caring because the addiction takes over; he just lives for the addiction..

[anotheoldgit]

Mick-Talbot

/// It only destroys weak people ///

And surely it is these 'weak people' that society must protect from themselves.

In periods of shortages of money, such as the recession we are now experiencing, there are some who will spend what little money they have in the vain attempt to improve their meagre lifestyle.

It is with this in mind that certain type of advertising is becoming more popular on our TVs, ie on-line betting, money lenders, credit firms and the modern equivalents to the old pawnbrokers.

No in times of shortages no matter how certain companies try and and wrap their 'product sell' up, it is the rich trying to get even richer on the backs of those with very little money.

[bazwillrun]

@craft1948

they are in the minority of minorities, gambling is a mugs game, always has been and always will be, but like everything there are a relatively miniscule few few who come out on tops, the vast majority lose and thats how its weighted so they lose and the house wins.

[chrissa1]

You're all talking about gambling per se. Can someone tell me why the players give their money to an electronic, easily manipulated programme?

It doesn't make sense. There is no gamble!!

[Mick-Talbot]

And surely it is these 'weak people' that society must protect from themselves.



By banning adverts?


So no adverts about food .....to help save fat people from themselves then?
no adverts about alcoholic beverages like whiskey ...to save alcoholics from themselves ?


Some people are addicted to online shopping channels ....ban them?

[ummmm]

thetaliesin - They were gambling addicts. I know the difference. My uncle lost his business, his home, his wife & kids...and then he had his hands broken by the heavies. Finally he had a nervous breakdown and had to be sectioned. Is that enough of an addict for you?

I'm not going into my dads story but it's not too dissimilar.

[boxtops]

On-line's dangerous, and so is too easy access to the bookies. Yet another pub has turned into a William Hill in our small town - the place is heaving with charity shops and bookies. People are beguiled into thinking that a win might solve all their money problems.

[ummmm]

Boxy - and then they chase that adrenaline rush...

[anotheoldgit]

Mick-Talbot

/// By banning adverts? ///

Are you not aware yet that tobacco product advertising has been banned for years?

Regarding the banning of gambling adverts, yes that would be a start, if they are not made aware of all the various venues, they are less likely to seek them out.

/// So no adverts about food .....to help save fat people from themselves then? ///

To ban food per-se that is an absolutely ridiculous suggestion to make, but maybe a ban on advertising certain 'foods' maybe not a bad idea.

/// no adverts about alcoholic beverages like whiskey ...to save alcoholics from themselves ? ///

Although it would be unwise to ban alcoholic beverages, since in moderation they do no harm, perhaps you may not have noticed that they do carry a warning on their use, on all adverts shown.

/// Some people are addicted to online shopping channels ....ban them? ///

I am not aware that shopping is a national problem, only the lack of it, so much so that in this present day economic climate, they do try to encourage it.

[Mick-Talbot]

Although it would be unwise to ban alcoholic beverages, since in moderation they do no harm





What harm does moderate gambling do?

[andy-hughes]

the arguments here could be slotted into any of the age-old debates we enjoy on this site - tobacco, heroin, alcohol, dope, the list goes on.

I am not surprised at the massive jump in addicition, only that anyone would be, given the obvious systems in place which the then-government decided to assist - and was only mareginally prevented from sending into the stratosphere by the avoidance of making Blackpool the 'gambling capital' of the country.

What possesses these people? Gambling is addictive - but plenty enjoy it socially and with little harm - but that argument applies to heroin just as much - but as a socially uacceptable drug, the government declares 'war' on that particular social activity.

Gambling should be far less freely avaialble, and properly controlled - liscended premises only, no on-line gamling at all.

[ludwig]

Chrissa // You're all talking about gambling per se. Can someone tell me why the players give their money to an electronic, easily manipulated programme? //

This is a fair point. It's something I've wondered myself. A ball falls where it falls in a roulette wheel, but software can be made to do anything (except be truly random) How is it regulated? How do they prove it's playing fair?

[starone]

It is definitely addictive, especially if you win a little bit (even a few pounds makes you feel good). I started off some time ago with a one pound ticket which gradually grew to six pounds per week. When the credit crunch came I had to cut down somewhere and so it had to go. I still kept on one pound on the Health Lottery, which has now gone to two pounds as they do it twice a week. I dare not let it go any higher than that, but the temptation is great. It is the same as any addiction, once you are hooked it is difficult to get back out of it.

[AidanTheKnight]

I don't think anything to do with tax is the answer. The answer is about educating people on how to gamble responsibly. If done sensibly, it can be very fun and safe.