Gambling addiction has many manifestations and one of them is being addicted to betting in the online space. The British National Problem Gambling Clinic has recently made public the results of a survey in the field and they are quite concerning. The figures show that the number of people suffering from addiction to online betting has almost tripled in the last five years.
Problem gambling is an issue which is taken seriously by many companies in the gaming industry, thus resulting in many measures taken in order to provide assistance and guidance for the people who need them most. NPGC has been conducting this kind of survey for some years now and we are able to see the progress of the rates they are showing. Back in 2012 and 2013 people who have stated that they experience problems with keeping their online betting addiction at bay have been only 24 percent of all participants in the survey. Now, five years later, this figure has risen to 63 percent, and this is about a triple rise in comparison. The reason behind this is the development of technology, which has, in turn, made online betting even easier to participate in.
Using Technology for Benefiting Society
One of the innovative solutions which software companies have come up with is to develop an app which has the purpose to block gambling web pages from the browser of people suffering from gambling addiction. Software company gamban is the developer of the app which prevents them from entering the said sites, and also gives them time to reconsider their intentions whatsoever. One of the faces of the campaign against online betting by addicts is Tony Franklin, who is a recovering addict. He recalls moments when he would bet thousands of pounds just by using his phone and playing on casino apps for hours on end.
What makes this addiction even easier to develop is the fact that the gambling account which the player creates in order to access the online betting world is easily accessible from any device the player owns. It can be a phone, a tablet, a laptop, gadgets we have at our disposal at all times and which facilitate the addictions to betting. Mr. Franklin stated that what will make the process much easier is the participation of the government, which has the authority to make changes happen and regulate the online betting industry. According to him, the online gambling providers should be ensuring that the players are responsible enough to play and operate with money, as well as to help those who find it hard to put an end to their gambling affairs.
The NPGC offers treatment for the people willing to take the step towards improving their lives and the interest is so big, that the average waiting list for such treatment can extend anywhere from five months to a whole year.
