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Michael
enjoyed playing the popular poker game Texas Hold'em with his friends. They
would gather at his house after classes a couple of days a week and play for
a little money. Michael wanted to improve his poker skills so that he could
get a competitive edge over his friends, so he started visiting Web sites where
he could practice poker for free.
He found it exciting and seemed to do well, so went back again and again,
some times spending entire evenings by himself playing online poker. He decided
to try his luck on a pay-to-play site, using his credit card. But he didn't
always win. Before Michael knew it, he had reached the limit on his card, with
no way of paying it back on his student budget.
Stressed and anxious, Michael felt unable to stay away from the online
poker sites. He wanted to borrow money from his parents, but what would he tell
them? They were already worried about how much time he was spending on his computer...
Like all forms of gambling, online gambling can become an addiction, but it
has some challenges unique to it. The most significant challenge is how easy
it is to access. All you need is an Internet connection through a personal computer,
cell phone or electronic organizer. And online gambling is available anytime,
day or night.
Online gambling — rapid growth, little regulation
Online gambling is a booming business that has become a multi-billion dollar global industry. Gambling Web sites offer the same kinds of activities available through traditional gaming establishments: sports and race betting, poker games, online casinos that include slot machines, blackjack and roulette, as well as online lotteries and bingo.
"It's important to remember that virtual money is still real money."
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There are no statistics on how many Canadians gamble online. In fact, it is
technically illegal
to do it in Canada, except for online lotteries that are regulated by provincial
/ territorial governments. This does not prevent Canadians from gambling online,
however. They simply play on sites that are registered in other countries where
online gambling is legal.
These off-shore gambling sites are not necessarily well-regulated. You don't always know who is really running them or whether the odds of winning are being misrepresented. There is also no way to ensure that winnings will be delivered, which means you could be defrauded.
Virtual money is
still real money
Virtual casinos don't always have a guarantee of fair practices. A site that
allows you to play for free could have inflated odds of winning, making it look
easy to win and giving you false encouragement to play for money. Not surprisingly,
these play-for-free sites often contain links to pay-to-play
sites, parent sites that fund the free sites in the hope of luring new gamblers
to them.
It has become so easy to make financial transactions over the Internet that
you can forget that virtual
money is still real money. When gambling on a website, you can even put
money into an online account using a credit or debit card to access funds as
you play. It's important to remember that those poker chips you bought with
your credit card are online purchases like any other-whether you win or lose.
Online gambling, particularly the game of poker, is becoming more mainstream.
There are many online poker sites where an amateur can get tips on how to play,
and then join a virtual poker room. These online poker rooms have
produced champions who then go on to appear in televised poker tournaments.
Hollywood celebrities are now taking part in these tournaments, further glamorizing
the game.
An isolating experience
Gambling over the Internet is usually a solitary activity, done on a personal computer in the privacy of your own home. There are no checks and balances like you would find at a casino, for example. Casinos in Canada have responsible gambling programs that allow you to exclude yourself from playing at that casino. Casinos also train staff to recognize a problem and intervene. Likewise, a poker game among friends has a beginning and an end. You don't have these kinds of controls when you gamble alone.
It may be easier to hide a gambling problem if you are able to do it in online. It requires no travel time and can be done at your own convenience. Likewise, online gambling can be done discreetly in the workplace. Like all addictions, however, sooner or later it's likely to be noticed by others.
When gambling becomes a problem
When gambling habits lead to disruption in any major part of your life or when you can't seem to control your urge to gamble, then it has become a problem. Financially, problem gambling can lead to a loss of income, potential loss of assets, lowered standard of living, or even a loss of employment. Personally, problem gambling can cause conflict with loved ones, and can lead to alienation from family and friends.
And problem gambling is bad for your health. If you have a gambling problem, you can experience a number of health effects, including high blood pressure, digestive problems, stress and anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
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Recognizing problem gambling: some signs
- spending large amounts of time gambling
- beginning to place larger bets and betting more often
- growing debts
- trying to cut back on gambling but can't seem to do it
- lying about or hiding gambling habits, or refusing to talk about it
- frequent, obsessive thoughts about gambling
- preferring gambling to family occasions or other social activities
- pinning hopes on the big win that will solve financial or other problems
You can evaluate your gambling habits with a self-assessment tool called BetCheck
from Ontario's Responsible
Gambling Council.
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Teens are especially vulnerable
Although gambling addiction cuts across the Canadian population, some people are more likely to suffer from it. For example, adolescents are also over-represented among problem gamblers, especially boys.
Today's teens spend a lot of time on the Internet, playing games, chatting
with friends, reading up on their favourite celebrities. Gambling is just one
more form of entertainment they can find online, without understanding the legal
or personal consequences.
It's illegal for anyone under 18 years old to gamble in Canada, but it's also
difficult to regulate the use of Web sites by underage patrons. With the availability
of free gambling sites, a teen can easily access a variety of gambling activities.
If they are using pay-for-play sites, any debts they accumulate
are real. They could damage their credit rating or that of their parent if they
are using the parent's credit card.
Among the risk factors that make teens vulnerable for developing a gambling addiction are:
- growing up in a family where there is gambling
- starting to gamble at an early age
- having an early big win
- loneliness and boredom.
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Tips for parents
Children are exposed to gambling of one form or another on a regular
basis, from the lottery kiosk at the mall, to the billboard advertising
a local racetrack, to the pop-up ad for a poker site on their computer
screens.
Teens need to know that gambling is not a way to make money, and that
there are risks involved.
- Talk to your teen about gambling of all kinds, including online.
- Keep tabs on which Web sites your teen is visiting.
- Put home computers in shared areas, and never in a child's bedroom.
- Make clear rules about which online games they are allowed – and not
allowed – to play.
Some helpful resources on youth and gambling:
- Luckyday.ca —
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba
- Youth
Gambling International — International Centre for Youth Gambling
Problems and High-Risk Behaviors
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Getting help
Let's return to the case of Michael, the student whose online poker playing put him in serious debt. The first step for Michael is to recognize his addiction. The next step for him is to get help, to find out what treatment and support is available.
There are provincial and Canada-wide phone lines that offer information about gambling addiction services by area.
Counseling
is key to overcoming problem gambling. For Michael, counseling would help him to:
- gain control over gambling
- handle stress, anxiety, depression
- find other things to do with leisure time
- deal with gambling urges and avoid slipping back
- heal family and other relationships
Counseling would also offer Michael practical information, like where to get credit counseling and what other services are available in his community, such as support groups. Michael's parents could also consider counseling, to help them understand his addiction, what triggers it and how they can help him in overcoming it.
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This article was prepared by the 
