Is technology causing gambling addiction?
Many people have a hard time recognising when they’re getting sucked into gambling, and the earliest signs may be those that they’re not paying attention at work or in their relationships.
The downside of this is that it’s harder for others to detect when a person is overextended. The problem of addiction is often more difficult to recognise, especially when the problem starts out small and has no physical symptoms.
How does technology affect gambling?
It is clear that technology has influenced gambling by increasing the convenience for mobile customers so that gambling is available at all times. This customer expectation confirms that betting shops now need to include mobile gambling in their stores.
Why is online gambling so addictive?
People who have a gambling problem may see online gambling as less important because they can hide behind a screen and stay at home. However, it’s more addictive because it’s easier to hide. Friends and family members may not even know their loved one is gambling and therefore cannot help them kick the habit
Addiction experts note that new technologies are enabling potentially dangerous activities. Video games and smartphones have made online gambling more accessible and widely accepted. In addition, social networking sites and smartphones have become more integrated with media.
While little is known about the effects of these new developments, the widespread availability of gambling-like activities may make them more addictive. While researchers haven’t been able to fully pinpoint the reason why people are more susceptible to addiction, there are many factors that may make gaming more addictive than ever.
The main difference between traditional land-based and internet-based gambling is the accessibility of digital forms of money. The ability to bet privately, 24/7 access, and the interactive and immersive environment enable more people to bet and win.
The use of digital forms of money may increase the likelihood of addictive behaviours, especially in problem gamblers. However, it’s important to note that while some new technologies may make gambling more attractive, they’re not necessarily better.
In addition, they may make gambling more accessible to individuals who are more likely to develop an addiction to it.
In addition to monetization, new technologies can also make gambling more addictive. For example, new technologies like mobile games and social networking sites can affect people’s behaviour in ways that are difficult to change.
These technologies have a long shelf life and are most likely to be more effective at preventing problem gamblers from becoming addicted to their chosen activities. This makes it possible to play a variety of games and avoid the temptations that inevitably come with them.
While online gambling is less expensive, it is much easier to become addicted.
There is no need to leave your home to gamble, a few minutes at a time can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars. The fact that many of these games don’t require a lot of money can make them more tempting than they’d have in a land-based casino. The downside is that they’re more accessible to many people than they’d be in a real casino.
Whether it’s online or offline, gambling addiction is a real problem. In-person casinos have more regulations than other forms of gambling. There are fewer regulations on the internet. This makes online gambling more appealing to addicts and may make it more difficult for them to quit.
The dangers of both types of gambling are high, so more regulation is needed.
While online gambling has not caused wholesale destruction in society, it is possible to become addicted. .The lack of real-life social interaction can be a problem. Although it may appeal to some people, it may make the risk of addiction greater, even in those with lower income.
Social media platforms are using gambling techniques to create a sense of psychological dependency and addiction. It can create phantom calls and notifications, which draw users into “ludic loops” and keep them hooked. These systems make it difficult to control gambling, even for those who are prone to addiction.
Professor Mark D. Griffiths a psychologist focusing in the field of behavioural addictions said, social networking sites have the potential to normalise gambling behaviour as part of the consumption patterns of a non-gambling leisure activity.
“Research has suggested that online poker may be producing a new type of problem gambler where the main negative consequence is loss of time (rather than loss of money),” he said
As with any addiction, technology has made online gambling more accessible and more addictive. In fact, it’s the fastest-growing mode of gambling and has dramatically changed the way people engage in gambling. Moreover, the speed of money spending on the web has made it more appealing to people, and the gratification it brings is far greater than in a land-based casino.
This can result in a gambling problem, affecting one’s health, relationship, and employment.
Technology convergence.
A very salient trend is that technological hardware is becoming more and more convergent (e.g. internet access via smartphone and interactive television) and there is growing multimedia integration such as gambling and gaming via social networking sites .
In addition to converged hardware, there is also converged content. This includes some forms of gambling including video game elements, video games including gambling elements and television programming with gambling-like elements.
Many of these new gambling-like activities remain understudied and blur the lines between gambling and gambling. However, increasing accessibility (and ease of access) may increase prevalence rates of gambling addiction.
Mobile gambling
One of the main drivers behind the increase in the number of people gambling online and using social networking sites is the rise of mobile gambling.
Compared to Internet gaming, mobile gaming is still a relatively untapped area, but the functional capabilities of cell phones and other mobile devices are constantly improving.
There are now hundreds of gambling companies that offer casino-like games for download to the player’s smartphone or mobile device (eg, tablet or laptop). This will have implications for the psychosocial impact of gambling and will require monitoring.
Just like online gambling, mobile gaming has the potential to completely change the way people think about gambling and betting. Mobile phones allow you to place bets or gamble wherever a person is, even if they are on the move.
Gambling via social networking sites
The launch of the first gambling game for money (i.e. Bingo Friendzy) on Facebook in August 2012 generated worldwide media interest, and most gaming operators are now closely monitoring whether the transition from social gaming to social gambling will take place. profitable games.
Gambling games are popular on Facebook. Texas holdem poker is currently one of the most popular games played by 24 million players worldwide. Even when games are not related to money (for example, playing poker on Facebook for points), they introduce players (for example, young people) to the principles and excitement of gambling.
Emergence of new type(s) of problem gambling
The rise of online poker has been one of the success stories for the online gaming industry. This increase has also led to more research in this area, including some that suggest a different way of looking at problem gambling.
For example, research suggests that online poker may be producing a new type of problem player where the main negative consequence is wasted time (rather than money). This research identified a group of problem gamblers who (generally) make more money than they lose.
However, they may spend too much time (eg, 12-14 hours a day) doing this. This may have implications for problem gambling criteria in the future (i.e. there may be more criteria related to time conflict consequences as opposed to financial consequences). Other new types of problem gamblers may be those who gamble via social networking sites and/or those who gamble via their mobile devices (e.g. smartphones and tablets).
Increased use of behavioural tracking data
New technologies in the form of behaviour tracking have helped online gambling companies keep track of players, noting (among other things) what games a customer plays, the time spent playing, and the number of wins and losses.
While such technologies could potentially be used to exploit players (for example, targeting the highest spenders through direct marketing promotions so they can play even more), such technologies can also be used to help players who may find it difficult to stop and/or restrict their play behaviour
.Considering that nearly all currently tested addiction gambling tests diagnose gambling addiction based on the many consequences of gambling addiction (e.g., compromising work, education, hobbies, and/or relationships due to gambling; committing criminal acts to finance gambling, lying by family members and friends about the prevalence of gambling, etc.), behaviour tracking data show that gambling addiction can be detected without the need to assess the negative psychosocial consequences of gambling addiction.
In recent years, innovative social accountability tools that track gambler behaviour with the aim of preventing problem gambling have been developed. The companies that have developed these tools claim that they can detect problematic online gambling behaviour through the analysis of behavioural tracking data.
If problem gambling can be detected in this way, it suggests that there are identifiable behaviour’s associated with problem gambling online.
Online help and therapy for problem gamblers
One very notable trend that is likely to become more important is the use of technology in the field of help, counselling and treatment for people with gambling addiction.
Although there are some disadvantages to online therapy for problem gamblers (e.g., lack of non-verbal information for the therapist, the therapist not being totally certain of the client’s identity, issues surrounding which jurisdiction the therapist is licensed to practice, technological failures, the client’s severity of problem, client referral problems, etc.
There are many advantages, including convenience, cost-effectiveness, helping to overcome social stigma, and helping to overcome barriers that may prevent people from seeking face-to-face help (e.g., feeling stigmatized, being disabled, being geographically isolated, being in an institution).
Furthermore, many of the generic factors that make the Internet attractive for online gambling are the same factors that can attract people with gambling problems to seek help online (e.g., ease of accessibility, accessibility, anonymity, disinhibition etc.).
What percentage of Australians gamble online?
In 2022, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that more than one in 10 (11%) Australians have reported participating in online gambling at some stage in the previous 6 months. This figure is up from 8% in 2020. Digital technology means people are able to gamble at any time
What percentage of US citizens gamble online?
According to the National Council on Problem Gaming, 2 million adults in the U.S. meet severe gambling criteria in a given year. The council reports that another 4 to 6 million American adults have mild or moderate problems.
As many as 10 million Americans live with a gambling addiction. The act of gambling itself is not illegal in most situations, which can make it easier for people to justify risky gambling behaviors.
The examples of technological innovation in this article show that commercial operators always seem to exploit new market opportunities in emerging media and are often two steps ahead of legislation.
All of the issues and trends reported here are likely to affect gambling practices and merit further discussion and empirical research.
Gambling addiction and technology is defiantly escalating in 2023
