Since the internet first came into our lives, there have been several subject areas that seem to have really taken off. One of the more recent of these is the idea of online gambling.
If you have any interest in gambling at all your idea of a perfect holiday is probably a visit to the Mecca of all gambling locations in the whole world – Las Vegas. This is one location that is packed with casinos and chances to win it big, although few people ever come back from holiday with more money than they went out with.
But the rise of online gambling has meant that more and more people are getting a taste of what it’s like to get involved in gambling, right from the comfort of their own homes. No matter where you live in the world, you can gamble away your own currency on some major websites; not to mention visiting some of the most popular sites based in other countries and making your bets in their own currency.
But is the popularity of these sites a bad thing?
While the sites offer a wide range of games to bet your money on, some people who have seen some of the consequences felt by users of these websites feel that gambling on these sites could easily get out of control if it isn’t firmly held in check.
In the end though it all comes down to what kind of person you are. For example if the only time you bet on anything is putting a pound on the Grand National then you aren’t even going to give these sites a first glance, let alone a second one. But if you already visit the bookies two or three times a week then you are certainly going to be curious about what these websites have to offer, and that’s where the problems can start.
The one thing you will notice about most of these websites is that they are very brightly coloured, with flashing lights to attract your eye towards the big payouts that are possible. Everything is most often arranged to get you thinking about what it would feel like to win that huge amount in pounds, dollars, or whatever currency is being used and let it change your life.
That’s precisely how those people with weaker characters will get drawn in; they stand a chance of losing more money than they could ever hope to pay back.
So where do the real problems lie? Is it with the people who visit the sites, or could it be that the model of online gambling is flawed in some way?
In truth, the notion of online gambling is a good one – provided you know your limits. It is probably unfair to blame the sites for the behaviour of the people who use them and get into trouble with them. Some websites actually post advice and warnings which remind people to play responsibly whenever they are online, also giving out the addresses and phone numbers of advice lines and organisations which have been set up to help those people who find gambling too much of a temptation and have got themselves into trouble as a result.
But there is of course a limit to what the gambling websites can do – just as there is a limit to what real life casinos can do. Short of stopping everyone from logging on and coming through their virtual doors (which would of course put them out of business) the responsibility does shift to the players themselves to take charge of their gambling at some point.
In this sense online gambling sites are something of an easy target. After all, if the people running into trouble by gambling away a lot of money on these websites and getting into debt didn’t have the websites to go to, they would find another way of betting money on certain events and games.
It’s true that online gambling is probably easier to get involved in than going into a bookies or a casino, which can be intimidating if you have never been in one before. You can do your research online and find out the best sites to visit, the best games that appeal to you and which have decent jackpots to aim for, and which allow players from other countries (if you happen to pick a website that plays in a foreign currency that is).
There is one temptation that you will often see which is designed to get people to join and start gambling, and that is a welcome bonus of some kind. For example, you might see a website which is offering $200 to start gambling with. If you win any money as a result of gambling that $200 you get to keep it, but once it’s gone it’s easy to keep on gambling and lose track of how much you owe.
The main rule to remember is always to set a limit for yourself. It sounds like an old chestnut but that’s because it’s true – you should never start gambling with money that you will miss if you lose it. Unfortunately many serious gamblers don’t see that their addiction will cause them serious problems, including on occasion the loss of their home and job.
It will be interesting to see how this area of the internet develops in future years, and whether the amount of money gambled continues to grow. While it should be remembered that the vast majority of people don’t have a problem with using these sites and only play occasionally for fun, it is the small percentage of people who cannot control their addiction who will continue to hit the headlines.
This will undoubtedly give the business a bad name, and yet when you look at the overall proportion of people affected it is only a very small number. Maybe it’s time we all took a bit more responsibility for what we do with our money.