Increased Access Not a Catalyst for Online Gambling Addiction

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Tuesday, April 18th, 2017 | Written by Stephen Smith

During any debate over whether or not casinos should be legalized or online gambling should be regulated, you’re likely to hear anti-gambling activists argue that increased access to gaming increases rates of gambling addiction. Anecdotal and scientific evidence, however, actually shows that at the very least, increased access has no effect on gambling addiction rates, or may even lower instances of problem gaming.

GA Spokesperson Noticed No Increase

Recently, a representative of the Western Pennsylvania West Virginia Chapter of Gamblers Anonymous said as much in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In the interview, Norm B. told the reporter that just prior to the legalization of casinos in Pennsylvania he and the other members of his group had prepared for an influx in calls from individuals needing support for gambling addiction. Fortunately, the group has been pleasantly surprised to see that attendance at Gambling Anonymous meetings and calls to their hotline have actually decreased since the casinos opened in Pennsylvania.

“I expected a deluge of new people, and that has not happened,” commented the Gamblers Anonymous spokesperson.

Echoes Earlier Study

These observations are echoed by the findings of a 2014 study conducted by Dr. John Welte and his team at the University of Buffalo. The researchers found that although the number of casinos has risen and online gambling has been legalized in three states in recent years, Americans are actually gambling less often. Welte has stated that he expected to see an increase in gambling rates and a greater incidence of gambling addiction prior to the start of his study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and was surprised by the findings to the contrary.

Reasons for Unexpected Results

One reason for the inconsistency between the expectations about increased gambling access’ effects on gambling rates and the reality is a big misconception about who the ideal casino patron is. Many people believe that casinos are looking for people who will spend every last dollar on the casino floor, and there are wild stories about casinos trying to supply gambling addicts with alcohol to get them to spend more time at their slot machines and gaming tables. In reality, today’s casinos are more interested in attracting vacationers who will then spend more of their money on accommodation, dining and entertainment outside of the casino.

Responsible Gambling Key

Perhaps in the past, unscrupulous casinos preyed on those who were prone to problem gambling, but today, many casinos are taking a proactive approach to helping people play responsibly. MGM Resorts recently announced that it would be rolling out smart play consoles that use the GameSense platform at all of their casinos in the United States. This program allows players to set daily limits for play and even ban themselves from casinos entirely. Many other operators now have responsible gaming programs in place and actively advertise and offer them to every patron.

Internet Gambling Effective Controls

Online gambling makes it even easier for problem gamblers to avoid the casinos. Through quick self-exclusion forms, players can restrict their access to gambling sites forever, or for set periods of time. More than 10,000 people self-excluded themselves from New Jersey’s online casinos in 2015 alone, showing that people are actively aware of this option and taking advantage of it. According to the latest statistics released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, each year around 1,500 people are currently self-excluding themselves in New Jersey.

Furthermore, regulated online gambling sites have proved effective in identifying and assisting both underage and problem gamblers, and putting them in touch with the organizations that can help them tackle their addictions. This is in sharp contrast to unregulated, offshore sites that are often more interested in the customers money that making sure that they gamble responsibly. In New Jersey’s regulated market, for instance, operators are required to contribute $250,000 a piece each year in order to to help fund research into problem gambling, including an annual study conducted by Rutgers University.