Disputes Arise Over Idea Of Increased Online Gambling Because Of Covid-19

The online gambling industry was expected by some experts to see a big boost as a result of more people staying at home. Those experts believed that having many more people in their homes during the day might inevitably lead to a large number of people firing up their computers and doing a little gambling. It seems logical, but their are some holes in the theory.

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has disputed the claim that there is going to be an increase in online gambling activities as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. In fact, they suggest that there will actually be a decline in gambling because of the economic uncertainty that the virus has brought to so many households.

The EGBA has stated that while it anticipates that there will be an overall decline in the number of people wagering online and in how much those individuals are wagering, they also suggest that each individual needs to be held responsible for his or her actions. There is quite a bit of isolation going on these days, and it can be dangerous for someone who may have an addictive personality to be left to gamble on their own in isolation.

A big reason why the EGBA believes that there will be a decline in the amount bet during the shutdown aside from the economic turmoil is the fact that roughly half of all bets made are made on sporting events. Currently, virtually all sporting events in Europe are suspended. Thus, the interest level for a lot of players will be greatly diminished, and many will simply not turn up to play the games at all.

It is important that the online gambling providers are responsive to their customers and reach out where they can to prevent addiction, but it is ultimately on the individual player to take care of this for him or herself. They need to set limits where they can, and they need to make sure that they get help when they need it.

The policies that many online gambling providers have implemented include an option to self-exclude from their site. This means that players opt to not allow themselves to sign back onto that site or place a bet. The player tells the casino how long they would like to ban themselves from their casino, and the casino upholds that for them. This can be a helpful tool for those who fear what will happen if they are left to their own devices.

The EGBA wanted to make it clear that it is important to address concerns related to gambling addiction every day of the year, but they are even more certain that now is the time to pay attention to things like this as millions of Europeans are currently on lock down all throughout the continent. It is going to be a trying time for all of those who suffer from addictions of all kinds, but hopefully they will be able to pull through this as unharmed as possible.

Source: EGBA