Online Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling
Gamble is the wager, usually of a bet with an uncertain outcome as to either win something or lose something of comparable value with the intention of winning something else. This type of wager can be done over many different gambling games like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, Craps, etc. Gambling therefore requires three components to exist: risk, consideration, and a prize.
This type of gambling has a long history. The earliest form of gambling that was done was at the Roman temples where people would gamble in the name of fortune and deity. Later this practice spread into the Western world, from games to gambling at the now-defunct Roman Colosseum. In Europe, this became known as “lotteries.” Most of the legalized gambling took place in cities such as London, which legalized gambling in 1660. It was primarily considered legal in England because the British Parliament had passed a bill that allowed the crown to issue monopoly tax on gaming in the country.
When the United States of America began to develop its own system for legalized gambling, it did so on the basis of the European model of gambling. Because of this, a lot of the initial legislation on the matter, such as the Act on Gaming and Racing, the Enforcement Act of 18EA, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act were adopted from the model of the European system. A number of states also made it illegal to operate a gambling business within their jurisdiction by enacting their own laws on the same grounds as the United States Congress.
Today, many states still regulate lotteries through various types of licenses. As of this writing, twelve states still permit gambling including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. On the other hand, a lot of the remaining jurisdictions have very restrictive gambling laws in place. The most typical example of this would be the state of Alaska, which has outlawed gaming tables altogether.
One important thing to note about online gambling addictions is that they tend to hit people at different times. For instance, teens who are experiencing peer pressure will find themselves susceptible to online gamblers. Gamblers who are suffering from a physical illness or disability will tend to gamble more. Gamblers who suffer from higher risk obsessions will spend more time and money on these games. In fact, there is one specific type of risk factor that all gamblers who suffer from one or more types of these addictions will share-lack of financial resources.
If a gambler is using a credit card or debit card to pay for gambling expenses, the loss of those resources can significantly reduce the gambler’s ability to make a return on their investment. This could include loss of personal items, rent on vehicles and so on. An increase in incidences of theft and burglary could also increase the losses incurred while a gambler plays. This means that all gamblers who use credit cards as payment should consider changing payment methods if they are serious about limiting the amount of damage their gambling efforts can cause.
