Online gambling not creating more addicts

No cause for celebration though, says Gaming Council boss

Ian Williams, vnunet.com 26 Sep 2007

The uptake of online and mobile gambling has not added to the problem of gambling addiction, according to the latest research.

The British Gambling Prevalence Survey from the British Gambling Commission has shown no measurable increase in the number of problem gamblers since the last survey in 1999.

This is despite concerns which have led to tighter controls over the gambling industry, particularly in the US.

The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), a trade association for the international interactive gaming industry, said it is pleased that the rate of problem gambling in Britain has not increased in the past eight years, but stressed that the rate had not decreased either.

The survey found that that just 0.6 per cent of the population aged 16 and above gambled to the extent that it produced negative consequences in their lives.

"This is an important study that provides valuable insights and benchmarks, but the findings are no cause for celebration or for relaxing our programmes to mitigate problem gambling," said John FitzGerald, chief executive of the IGC.

"Even one problem gambler is one too many, and the IGC, along with its members, will continue its efforts to ensure that internet gamblers enjoy this form of entertainment in a socially responsible manner."

FitzGerald noted that gambling addiction is also a problem for gaming operators and the industry at large.

Gaming operators are making the most of technology, coupled with properly trained staff, to identify individuals that may suffer the harm of excessive gambling.

The survey found that only six per cent of the British population used the internet to gamble in the past year, three per cent playing online games such as poker or casino games and four per cent placing bets with an online bookmaker.

"This shows that a small percentage of the total gambling market is internet based," said FitzGerald.

"But as that percentage increases in future years, particularly with the legalisation of advertising, operators of gaming websites will have to be even more vigilant in conducting their business in a socially responsible manner."

IGC's expectations and subsequent concerns surrounding the increase in online gambling are backed up by recent analyst reports which predict that the value of mobile gambling will increase to $12bn by 2010.

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