Online gambling is booming, and Corona is only amplifying this trend. Especially in sports betting, customers are fascinated by the expected expertise, and ultimately only the provider makes money. Therefore, addiction experts are calling for a total ban on advertising. Politicians prefer to choose a different path.
Young people are particularly at risk
Only one-fifth of cases are associated with online betting and gaming. There are about 1,200 first contacts with addicts each year, says department head, Cornelia Holler. 68% of cases are related to amusement arcades and restaurant slot machines, and 22% are related to online gambling. Some mainly play slots and engage in online gambling. 64% of clients are 25-44 years old and only 7% are 14-18 years old. This is because personal counseling tends to bring older addicts and other hazards of online gambling which can also be avoided.
Addiction usually occurs in three phases
Betting providers are committed to making money with specialized betting. A study by the German Sport University Cologne shows that especially active athletes are the subject of this misunderstanding. However, many studies have shown that it makes no difference whether an amateur or an expert type. According to a survey, gambling addiction usually develops in three stages.
Initially, players limit gambling to recreational use. Losses are quickly compensated for in this first phase, while at the same time players become routine and motivated to take risks. This is the beginning of the second phase, the so-called losing phase. Affected people play more and more often and try to achieve higher profits. This was the beginning of the first family and financial problems. In the third stage, the game became the focus of life and the patient completely lost control of his addiction.
Online Offer: Illegal but Tolerable
Regardless of this, politicians rely on the legalization of offers rather than bans to give them better control over the market. Earlier this year, after rigorous negotiations, the Federated State agreed in principle to reform the German game market. This will legalize sports betting, online poker from different websites like Nha cai W88, virtual roulette, and virtual slot machines nationwide for licensed providers. According to Tilman Becker, a gambling researcher at the University of Hohenheim, it’s officially illegal so far and the provider is only tolerated. But there are gradations too.
Politicians want better control – and more revenue
Why are the federal states interested in legalizing online gambling? One argument is that countries lost significant revenue. Germany is the largest gambling market in Europe, where a fifth of sales is made on the black market. Another reason given is that the players could not be protected in an unregulated market.
But for addiction professionals like Epiperlein, the guidelines for protecting players on the Internet are just suspicious. This is because, for example, misuse by fake IDs can easily occur. The number of machines in arcades and casinos is regulated, which is different from the real-life in which players are monitored.
