Internet gambling is on the rise as the Internet now offers numerous “virtual” casinos. The ease and accessibility allows almost anyone to gamble anywhere, and at anytime. It is also known that gambling can be an addiction for some people, and this addiction can result in serious psychological and financial problems.
This research intends to answer a few questions about this new area of gambling:
Does internet gambling create new psychological problems for potential gamblers?
Does this form of gambling attract new gamblers, potentially including minors?
Are the risks of internet gambling as, or more, severe than previous forms
of gambling? What is being done to curb these potential problems?
The intended audience for this problem can be anyone who has experience with
the internet and gambling. More specifically, this research will be intended
for the average reader of national periodicals, but will be focused for those
with interest in psychological behavior and have background in the discipline.
Links to Related Sites:
(1) Internet
Gamblers May Be More Likely to Have a Serious Gambling Problem
http://www.apa.org/releases/gamblingonline.html
The website contains a press release of a psychological study done on internet
gamblers.
(2) Gambling
on the Internet
http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol2/issue2/janower.html
This is a comprehensive source written by a Harvard Law graduate. It focuses
on the legal and social impacts of internet gambling and goes into great detail
about the law and issues concerning the industry.
(3) Casino
Gambling
http://www.casino-gambling-reports.com/GamblingStudy/index.htm
This is a report that includes internet gambling, pathological gambling and
gambling's impact on people. It is a very long report, but is very detailed
and conclusive about the effects of gambling, especially on the internet.
(4) Psychological
Elements of Problem Gambling
http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/news_and_events/casino_files/embree.pdf This is a
scientific study of the psychological problems of gambling. Its focus is on
internet gambling and provides a more scientific look at the effects of it
on people.
(5) Online
Responsible Gaming Concepts
http://www.ncpgambling.org/online_gaming.htm
This website is a quick reference for people concerned with gambling problems
on the internet.
Internet Mini-Essay
Virtual Risks? Government Shakedown on Illegal High-Tech Gambling.
(Dark Side of the Net)
In October of 2002, the House of Representatives passed the Internet Gambling
Prohibition Act to curb the rampant increase in internet gambling use. Since
most online casinos operate outside of federal jurisdiction, the bill focuses
on stopping the financial supply and the internet service providers from catering
to such websites. (1) However, it has not become law because of inaction by
the Senate.
The legality of internet gambling has become the central issue and most difficult
problem for the government. The Justice Department’s official statement
is that internet gambling is illegal; however, the 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals
in New Orleans decided that only sports betting on the Internet is illegal
and not casino games. (3) The 1961 Wire Act is still being used to regulate
this $4 billion a year industry. Also, adding complexity is the need for in-state
lotteries and horse betting to remain legal.
The only feasible regulation is to stop the credit card companies and online
paying services, such as Paypal, from making transactions with these online
casinos. Most major credit card companies have voluntarily stopped accepting
their use at them, but casinos can change the electronic code of the transaction
to fool the companies. One reason of the voluntary restrictions came from
a lawsuit from an indebted gambler who claimed the credit card companies assisted
her in committing a crime. (2)
Many feel that no matter what is done, as long as there is a demand for online
gambling, there will be many sources. “U.S. customers want to play,
and they will find a way to play,” said David Carruthers of betonsports.com.
(2) It seems the government needs to take a unilateral stance and pass clear
legislation on the issue. Until then, one can only hope gamblers realize the
risk and see that it’s not virtual like the cards they hold.
NOTES:
(1) Batt, Tony. “House Takes a Swipe at Internet Gambling.” In
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2 October 2002, 1A. Database on-line. Available
from LexisNexis Academic http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.
[3 February 2003].
(2) Horn, John. “Point and Bet: Internet Gambling’s Explosive
Growth Has Made it the Web’s Killer App. Now Critics are Trying to Pull
the Plug.” In Newsweek, 28 October 2002, 50. Database on-line. Available
from LexisNexis Academic http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.
[3 February 2003].
(3) Batt, Tony. “Ruling Muddles Internet Gaming Legality Concerns.”
In Las Vegas Review-Journal, 19 December 2002, 1D. Database on-line. Available
from LexisNexis Academic http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.
[3 February 2003].
THREE WEBSITES:
Internet
Gambling Law – What You Should Know
http://www.galaxine.com/internet-gambling-legislation.htm#Internet_Gambling_Law
Addresses various legislations on internet gambling and makes conclusions.
Galaxine: Online Gambling Magazine
Testimony of Kevin V. Di
Gregory, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Addressing Internet Gambling Before
the Subcommittee on Crime, of the House Committee on the Judiciary
http://www.cybercrime.gov/kvd0600.htm
Department of Justice’s views on internet gambling and its prohibition.
Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division
of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Financial
Giant Joins Fight Against Online Gambling
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2002/jun/jun14a_ 02.html
Citibank plans to block internet gambling transactions from its credit cards.
Office of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
II. UNC-CH Library Sources
Print Sources
McCown, William. Best Possible Odds: Contemporary Treatment
Strategies for Gambling Disorders. New York: John Wiley, 2000. RC569.5.G35
M33 2000.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Financial Services. Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. H.R.556 – The Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act and other Internet gambling proposals: hearing before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventh Congress, first session, July 24, 2001. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 2001. Y 4.F 49/20:107-37.
Non-print source
Medical University of South Carolina. Impulse Control Disorders. Charleston,
S.C.: Medical University of South Carolina; Chapel Hill, N.C.: Health Sciences
Consortium, 1982, videorecording. WM 100 VC1 1982 ch.12.
III. Electronic Indexes and Databases
Griffiths, Mark and Jonathon Parke. “The Social Impact of Internet Gambling.”
In Social Science Computer Review 20, no. 3 (Fall 2002): 312-320. Database
on-line. Available from WebSPIRS5, PsychINFO < http://web5.silverplatter.com/webspirs/start.ws?customer=nclive&databases=(PY)
>. [3 February 2003].
King, Storm and Azy Barak. “Compulsive Internet Gambling: A New Form of an Old Clinical Pathology.” In CyberPsychology and Behavior 2, no. 5 (October 1999): 441-456. Database on-line. Available from WebSPIRS5, PsychINFO < http://web5.silverplatter.com/webspirs/start.ws?customer=nclive&databases=(PY) > . [ 3 February 2003].
Ladd, George and Nancy Petry. “Disordered Gambling Among University-Based Medical and Dental Patients: A Focus on Internet Gambling.” In Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 16, no. 1 (March 2002): 76-79. Database on-line. Available from WebSPIRS5, PsychINFO < http://web5.silverplatter.com/webspirs/start.ws?customer=nclive&databases=(PY) >. [ 3 February 2003].
Sullivan, Andy. “U.S. Internet Gambling Ban Faces
Long Odds.” In The San Diego
Union- Tribune, 8 July 2002, Business, E-3. Database on-line. Available from
LexisNexis Academic < http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe
>. [3 February 2003].
Morris, Nigel. “Politics & Parliament: Gambling
– Crackdown on High-Rolling Online Casinos.” In The Independent
(London), 9 January 2003, News, 8. Database on-
line. Available from LexisNexis Academic < http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-
bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis- nexis.com/universe
>. [3 February 2003].
Kristof, Kathy. “Internet Gambling Makes It Even
Easier to Lose Your Shirt.” In Los Angeles Times, 24 November 2002,
Business, Part 3 – 3. Database on-line. Available from LexisNexis Academic
< http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi- bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|ID=12|URL=http://web.lexis-
nexis.com/universe >. [3 February 2003].