UK Online Casino Problem Gambling Numbers Fabrication

March 25, 2009 | News Category: Online Casinos

0 Comments Some British government officials claimed that increases in problem gambling numbers were on the rise. Other British government officials showed facts to prove that the numbers had been fabricated.

The disagreement came after the Gambling Commission announced that there were dramatic rises in the numbers of people with gambling problems since online casinos have become more popular. This pronouncement was unsubstantiated by facts, and therefore simply untrue, and was dismissed as such.

On the other hand, the Department of Culture did research and used the actual research done to draw different conclusions with vastly different numbers of problem gamblers being the outcome.

It is unclear how the UK Conservative politicians came to the unsubstantiated conclusion that estimated the number of 7.4 percent of those who gamble online develop problems of compulsive gambling. The official UK government study by the Department of Culture showed that only about 0.6 percent of the United Kingdom's population is affected by problem gambling.

In a statement made by a spokesperson for the Department of Culture, it was explained that there was absolutely no real basis for the arbitrary estimated 7.4 percent that the Conservative politicians quoted. In fact, the spokesperson explained that the reality of the situation is that the amount of problem gambling has not risen since 1997, when Internet casinos were only just beginning.

Online gambling figures show that more than a quarter of a million adults in the UK gambled online in the past year. This is an increase of 5.2 percent in the number of those that gambled on the Internet. The spokesperson from the Department of Culture explained that although there are many more people who are gambling since online gambling has become more popular, there is no reason to believe that more of these online gamblers have gambling problems.

The Conservatives do not support gambling and would have liked to have used these very exaggerated numbers in order to justify blocking at least some of the Internet casinos from advertising in the UK. At the moment, non-UK online gambling sites are allowed to advertise in the UK if they are based in one of the countries that have been put on the white list. Each of these online casinos is not subject to a personal review. The conservatives would prefer to make it more difficult for online casinos to obtain their gaming licenses.

There will always be those who wish to remove both land-based and online gambling from the face of the earth. There are others, however, who prefer to ensure that there is responsible and regulated gambling available for those who wish to play, and somewhere for those with gambling problems to turn to.

Add a Comment

Name: * Email: (won't be published) * Website URL: Verify the image below: *

Tool Links

Mail Print     Digg Del.ici.ous