Online Gambling in Australia on the Rise

Thursday 19 January, 2012 17:32

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While the Gillard Government is trying to reform pokies in an attempt to curb the affects of problem gambling, experts are warning that online gambling is the fastest growing form gaming in Australia, which is also contributing to rising problem gambling statistics in the nation.

Leading Australian TV network ABC has reported on recent online gambling studies which have revealed that problem gamblers in Australia are losing up to $825 per month to online gambling.

According to the report, researchers from Southern Cross University's Centre of Gambling Education and Research found that around 50 percent of the 6,500 online gamblers that were surveyed began playing online in the last six years. This means that online gambling is growing faster than any other form of gambling in Australia.

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Out of 6,500 online gamblers who were surveyed, head researcher, Dr. Sally Gainsbury, said that 16 percent of them would be classified as problem gamblers and they indicated that the comfort of playing from home was particularly addictive. Problem gambling can affect your sleep, as well as your eating patterns.

With Internet gambling, gamblers can pursue the activity without anyone else finding out as it has become a private activity that can be enjoyed in the confines of your house. This only adds to its addictive and problematic nature. Approximately $600 million a year is spent by Australians on online gambling.

A Rise in Online Gambling Means Rise in Problem Gambling

The availability of online gambling is now affecting a new generation and this will increase the number of people who are reporting problems related to online gambling. Problem gambling is only going to grow in Australia with the popularity and growth that the industry is currently seeing.

Dr. Gainsbury is calling on the Gillard Government to not only focus on reforms for the pokies, but to look into regulations for the online gaming industry.

"Similar to the efforts being put into making sure that the pokies are played in as safe a way as possible, there needs to be more responsible gambling strategies for online," commented Gainsbury.

"These types of things are actually much easier to do with online because you can track an individual player. People are using accounts, they're not putting cash in, so we can tell how much individual players are spending.";

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