Online Casinos

Gambling in Australia has always been an issue. It is not illegal to gamble online in Australia, although some officials argue that this issue needs to be addressed due to increased popularity of online wagering.

A recent study administered by Southern Cross University’s Centre for Gambling Education and Research found that out of 6,500 online gamblers, more than half started playing online in the past six years. Although this is valuable information, it is not surprising. Online gambling only got its start in 1994; it only makes sense for it to take a decade to catch on. But lead researcher Sally Gainsbury says that online gambling is taking off much faster than any other method of gambling leading Australians to spend nearly $600 million dollars wagering annually.

Internet gambling is very easily accessible and has definitely increased problem gambling, but that’s not to say there aren’t enough resources out there. GamblersAnonymous.org is one of the most prominent sites out there and I can personally say it is one of the bests. It helps to prevent problems before they start.

There has been some pressure by researchers for the Government to implement certain guidelines to prevent gambling problems. Ideas such as having a pop-up notice come on the screen notifying the gambler how long they have been playing.

Gambling in a casino is harder to track the problem gamblers, so in a way online gambling has many advantages over gambling in a Brick and Mortar casino, as far as addiction prevention is concerned.

When I was a child my dad would always be showing us new games. He loved card games, especially casino games. He didn’t know it at the time but he was gearing me up to be an expert blackjack player when I eventually turned into an adult. I like playing in Vegas, but I very much enjoy playing online. There is something so soothing about playing cards in the comfort of my own living room on my big comfortable couch.

The thing that I find a bit disturbing is when my kids want to play also. Granted I feel as though I’m being a big of a hypocrite, it quite different from playing with my father when I was younger.  We would play strictly for fun. My dad would even educate us about the responsibility that comes along with wagering actual money.

I was actually reading an article the other day at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/06/onlinegambling.shtm that was highlighting the different perils that surround underage gambling on the internet.

The National Council of Problem Gambling and the American Psychiatric Association Committee on Treatment Services for Addicted Patients found that online gambling and kids is a bad bet, this is obvious, but let’s go into the specifics of the study.

It’s not just the FCC, it is a common fact that your child could lose their own money, or perhaps your money. Kids often do understand the responsibility of credit cards, much less credit in general. Hurting credit earlier in life can lead to a lifetime of poor credit. Kids are often too young or naïve to understand this. Another horrible side effect is the possibility of addiction. It is also very illegal for any minor to gamble at an on-line casino, or to wager money in general.