Internet Gambling Addiction

chips With the rise of the internet, many new addictions have been established, however gambling online is among one of the biggest addictions. Internet gambling can be described as continued gambling despite all of the negative consequences that goes along with it, such as losing (Petry & Weinstock 2007). Gambling has been around for many years; however, after the rise of the internet in recent years, gambling has taken a turn and is now broadcasted all over the internet. There are more than 2,500 gambling web sites on the internet today alone (Petry & Weinstock 2007). These websites can be easily obtained by anyone while on the internet. Internet gambling is popular for adolescents, which includes middle-school to high school ages. Furthermore, the number of college students gambling via the internet is becoming even more popular. Through this website you will explore various aspects about gambling online, which includes the reasons why people gamble online, gambling among teens and college students, laws, and lastly mental health and treatment for online gambling.

While exploring the various reasons of why adolscents and college students are prone to gamble, one will see that whatever the reason may be, it will keep being an on going problem. One out of twenty college students are addicted to internet wesbites that give students the opportunity to gamble and place bets online. From what may start out to seem fun and harmless may turn into a lifelong problem that college students have to deal with. While understanding the many different causes behind gambling online, one will see that all of the reasons kind of overlap each other as they are all due to numerous mental reasons.

Online gambling is becoming more of an issue regarding adolescents and college students. College students seem to be attracted to online gambling because of their strong need of money, and online just seems like the easy way to go for them. Sports’ betting seems to be a really popular choice for college students. The internet provides 24/7 access to being able to gamble anytime of the day for as long as they may want. In addition, most college kids are very familiar with computers and the internet, which just makes it easier and more appealing to find gambling online. Despite all the warning signs, many teens and college students start to gamble early in life and it becomes worse as they enter adulthood. However, if you know someone who has become addicted to online gambling there is still hope to get them help to beat this addiction.

Recently the U.S. government passed into law a bill making it illegal for banks to fund online gambling. While this does not make online gambling expilicitly illegal on a federal level, it also serves to enforce the rules states already have in place. There are a number of controversies surrounding this topic, such as how can we monitor the flow of money across borders on the Internet, who's jurisdiction does the internet fall under, and whether a better system could be implemented regarding regulation and taxation.

When a gambling addiction is present in one’s life, it doesn’t usually appear as the only psychological disorder. Some other psychological disorders are highly correlated with it. In addition to typical pathological gambling, the computer adds another dimension. Computers and the Internet create isolation and a sense of fantasy. Online gambling addiction is just as serious as pathological gambling, if not worse due to the added dimensions. The repercussions can be very severe. Due to the nature of the activity, it can lead to many card problems. These problems can include the individual, as well as, families, friends, and one’s financial well-being. People who suffer the consequences tend to not realize the seriousness. This is a new and interesting area of research that psychologists are beginning to tackle.

Appropriate treatment for online gambling addiction is still being researched. Treatments that are effective for gambling addiction work well for online gambling addiction. Also, treatments for Internet addiction are also beneficial. These two things combined are the ideal treatment approach. It is important to consider the individual when devising a treatment plan to tackle an online gambling addiction. Every person is different and could be addicted for different reasons so it is important that the treatment plan addressed the motives. This is also another area of that needs more research due to its recent emergence.

Think you or a friend may be addicted to online gambling? Click here to find out.