|
Myth: |
Online gambling
presents greater risks of addiction and
abusive gambling. |
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Fact: |
Scholarly and scientific evidence does not
support this claim. Online gambling can be
better monitored to avoid problem gambling
than traditional forms of land-based
gambling. Traditional gambling devices, such
a slot machines in casinos or video lottery
machines at race tracks, are either as, or
even more, addictive than online gambling.
The leading credible scientific evidence
does not support the conclusion that online
gambling is more addictive than land-based
gambling. The oft-repeated political
propaganda that “Internet gambling is the
crack cocaine of gambling” is absolute and
complete misquote. The person attributed
with this statement, Dr. Howard Shaffer
never made such a statement. Dr. Shaffer’s
only reference about “crack cocaine and
gambling,” pertained to electronic gambling
devices (EGDs) available in the
United States
–such as video lottery terminals and not
online gambling. |
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Details: |
Although the
vast majority of Americans enjoy gambling as
a form of entertainment without experiencing
any adverse effects, a small percentage are
unable to control their wagering on sporting
events, lotteries, casino games, horse or
dog racing, Bingo and other gambling
activities. The very small fraction of
gamblers (about 1 percent) who cannot
control their gambling activities are
referred to as problem or pathological
gamblers. Both land-based and online gaming
companies take the concerns of problem
gamblers very seriously and are always
engaged in efforts to curb and monitor this
potential problem.
Some United States officials have made
unsubstantiated claims that online gambling
is more addictive than land-based gambling.
The leading scientific experts on this issue
suggests otherwise. The leading global
experts on problem gambling have recently
concluded that online gambling is no more
addictive than other forms of available
gambling. The leading experts have further
concluded that online gambling may be less
addictive than fast-paced electronic
gambling machines such as slot machines and
video lottery terminals in casinos and horse
tracks throughout the United States.
The truth is that online gambling services
are better able to monitor and address
problem gambling than land-based gambling
because they know the identity of their
customers and all wagering is electronically
recorded. At an online gambling site, a
gambler can set his or her own betting limit
or set an automated reminder to limit the
time spent gambling. There are no such
controls at land-based casinos or race
tracks. Unlike land-based gambling
locations, online gambling sites do not
offer betting on credit and there are no
nearby ATMs from which to draw cash and then
immediately bet.
Despite these facts, there is a significant
amount of political propaganda that
"Internet gambling is the crack cocaine of
gambling." This phrase is an absolut and
complete misquote. The person attributed
with making this statement, Dr. Howard
Shaffer, never made such a statement. Dr.
Shaffer's only reference about "crack
cocaine and gambling" pertained to
electronic gambling devices lawfully
available in the United States -such as
video lottery terminals and not online
gambling. Dr. Shaffer is the world's
foremost expert on gambling addition, and it
is his expert opinion, and the opinion of
other experts, that online gambling is not
more addictive than land-based gambling. |
|
References: |
Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., “Internet
Gambling & Addiction,” Harvard Medical
School, Division on Addiction (16 January
2004). This report states: “the risks for
gambling on Internet linked computers are
not meaningfully different from the risks
associated with gambling on computers that
have no remote link” and “this review leads
to the opinion that gambling with
[electronic gambling devices such as slot
machines, or EGDs] is gambling with EGDs—whether
these are connected to the Internet or not.”
Full Article
Professor Mark Griffiths and
Dr. Richard Wood, “Is Internet gambling
more addictive and/or problematic than other
forms of gambling?,” The International
Gaming Research Unit, Division of
Psychology, Nottingham Trent University
(2003)
American Gaming Association,
Fact Sheet: Pathological Gambling. [http://www.americangaming.org/Industry/factsheets/issues_detail.cfv?id=29.]
National Research Council,
Committee on the Social and Economic Impact
of Pathological Gambling, Pathological
Gambling: A Critical Review (National
Academy Press, 1999). [http://newton.nap.edu/books/0309065712/html/R1.html] |
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