The Rise of Mobile Gambling Is Leaving People Ruined and Unable to Quit

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

I guess this is one negative aspects of technology, and now we understand why Bill Gates or Steve Jobs doesn't want this children near a phone or Ipad because of the bad side of it.

So it's really hard to control this kind of addiction specially that 20 something year old is involved because they are well adapt to the evolving technologies of mobile phone. And then operations see another way to promote their platforms so they created a mobile version wherein it is accessible 25x7 anytime this gamblers want.

I don't know, get their phones and destroy it?

[coolcoinz]

It's a joke if you ask me.

Please show me the difference between a gambler who sits in a casino all day, a gambler who plays on his computer all day and a gambler who plays on his phone all day. The action is the same, the time spent is the same, money wagered is the same. Each of them will say that it's easy for them to gamble and each will blame the place where they lose money. One will blame the physical casino, the others the online casinos. If they had access to a virtual reality casino, they'd blame that and said it's all because of easy access and immersion.

[Taskford]

As the modern technology evolves the business sectors also adopt and this is one of big consequences brought up by that and if a person cannot control his self towards the entertainments they see online then most provably they are prone to anything huge risk on the internet. For people understand more things about modern technology I think much better if the government will hold a educational campaigns towards many risk we can see on the internet. I see some of it on mainstream media but they need to be consistent to have this ads so that people will not forget about what things they need to avoid.

[Saint-loup]

It's a joke if you ask me.

Please show me the difference between a gambler who sits in a casino all day, a gambler who plays on his computer all day and a gambler who plays on his phone all day. The action is the same, the time spent is the same, money wagered is the same. Each of them will say that it's easy for them to gamble and each will blame the place where they lose money. One will blame the physical casino, the others the online casinos. If they had access to a virtual reality casino, they'd blame that and said it's all because of easy access and immersion.

Yes you're right but when you go to a land based casino you meet other people, who are real, so you can't hide your addiction, they see you and you are aware of it. But on a computer or a mobile phone nobody sees your addiction, even his wife and his kids in the testimony of the article didn't realize how addict he was becoming. Then you are not ashamed in front of anyone for having those compulsive habits, if you hide it.

[Yogee]

Please show me the difference between a gambler who sits in a casino all day, a gambler who plays on his computer all day and a gambler who plays on his phone all day. The action is the same, the time spent is the same, money wagered is the same.

One major difference is the time spent to gamble. Those who play at the comfort of their home can use the travel time going to a physical casino. Jason described this "travel time" as a non-gambling activity. I guess he could use that added playing time to spin a hundred or more on slots and bet more money.

[PX-Z]

The terrible thing is, many 10+ yo children also play games with this gambling interface. This is considered normal by their parents because they are thinking its not a gambling, but mostly from this app have a high possibility of the child being addicted to gambling.

That's terrible parenting as well, parents shouldn't let their child install any apps that they don't actually know or they never tried first. Or just don't let the child use any phones without approval and without their surveillance.

As the modern technology evolves the business sectors also adopt and this is one of big consequences brought up by that and if a person cannot control his self towards the entertainments they see online then most provably they are prone to anything huge risk on the internet.

Indeed, not just only in gambling but almost everything. Physical games or activities are lesser seen to these generation because of using phones compare the old generation.

[Rruchi man]

First I would like to add clarity to the narrative of this topic which can be mistaken to mean that mobile gambling is the chief ruinner of people's life. It is important to note that prior to the rise of mobile gambling there have also been some other things on mobile phone that people have access to that could ruin their life as well.

Perhaps treatment centers would be located in remote areas with no internet access? That seems like it could represent a good first step.

Another treatment that can help is the possible withdrawal or refrain from using phones with internet connections for a long period of time so you could gain control and break free from the addiction of always wanting to press your phone and surf on the internet. If you stay off the internet for a long time and depend less on your phone, and engaging yourself with other physical activities that existed long before the popularity of mobile phones, you will find out that if you begin to use a phone with an internet connection again you have better control of what you do on it.

[DoublerHunter]

It's a joke if you ask me.

Please show me the difference between a gambler who sits in a casino all day, a gambler who plays on his computer all day and a gambler who plays on his phone all day. The action is the same, the time spent is the same, money wagered is the same. Each of them will say that it's easy for them to gamble and each will blame the place where they lose money. One will blame the physical casino, the others the online casinos. If they had access to a virtual reality casino, they'd blame that and said it's all because of easy access and immersion.

Yes you're right but when you go to a land based casino you meet other people, who are real, so you can't hide your addiction, they see you and you are aware of it. But on a computer or a mobile phone nobody sees your addiction, even his wife and his kids in the testimony of the article didn't realize how addict he was becoming. Then you are not ashamed in front of anyone for having those compulsive habits, if you hide it.

^That is definitely right, it is on people who gamble that cannot control themselves not the gambling. Because they are the same gambling even if it is in different places like a mobile, land games, or in an online casino. Gambling addiction has been there when there is gambling, any form of gambling addiction will be possible as long as you don't have self-control, and people must know this aspect and stop blaming casinos due to their eagerness in gambling. Everything depends on us as a gambler, causing money is usually the common cause of this case.

[Doell]

Destroying a mobile or not having internet access, will make the gambler even more crazy, if he finds someone else's mobile phone on a relative, he will definitely use it. The case above is same as the case of my friend, unfortunately until now he is sickly if he doesn't gambling. The solution for this is appeals from within the family and people around, if he is locked up in a outlying place I doubt he will live, need a long time to recover ! But it depends on how severe the addiction.

[jossiel]

Destroying a mobile or not having internet access, will make the gambler even more crazy, if he finds someone else's mobile phone on a relative, he will definitely use it.

Yes, they're like kids that when you take their candies, they'll have their tantrums that's why it's not going to be the best solution.

An addicted gambler will find a way to gamble no matter what is the situation. Laptop, desktop, tablet or a smartphone, they will access it wherever they are at any moment they want to do it.

The case above is same as the case of my friend, unfortunately until now he is sickly if he doesn't gambling. The solution for this is appeals from within the family and people around, if he is locked up in a outlying place I doubt he will live, need a long time to recover ! But it depends on how severe the addiction.

That's an extreme case if a person doesn't gamble and he's getting sick. It's not the first time to hear it but that's really crazy.

[Baofeng]

It's a joke if you ask me.

Please show me the difference between a gambler who sits in a casino all day, a gambler who plays on his computer all day and a gambler who plays on his phone all day. The action is the same, the time spent is the same, money wagered is the same. Each of them will say that it's easy for them to gamble and each will blame the place where they lose money. One will blame the physical casino, the others the online casinos. If they had access to a virtual reality casino, they'd blame that and said it's all because of easy access and immersion.

I agree with your point, gambling addiction is the same. But the point is that it is readily accessible to anyone with just a mobile phone and internet connection. Young generations might be intimidated to go to a landbased casinos because security will have to ask them ids and if they are age appropriate. Unlike in online casinos' again mobile phone + wifi then they can register start as like as to just pass the time and then became addicted to it.

[South Park]

snip

What can be done for these types of addicts? Even if they had no phones. There are still so many enablers around in the form of free WIFI and internet cafes.

Perhaps treatment centers would be located in remote areas with no internet access? That seems like it could represent a good first step. But of course the second they returned to modern society. There would always be the temptation to revert to former behavior. Which could be tough to resist.

Behavioral addictions are incredibly difficult to treat, when it comes to those which are addicted to a substance at first they need to find a source that can supply them what they want, then they need to go there and buy it and finally consume it, so there are a few more extra steps which makes it more difficult to maintain such an addiction, but now that gambling is everywhere and if we take into consideration that it is almost impossible to live your life without a smart phone or a computer then such addictions are becoming even more difficult to treat, because the temptation to gamble is always going to be there and only those which are completely convinced about leaving their gambling days behind will be able to avoid gambling completely, while those that still have some desire to do so will eventually relapse.

[livingfree]

I agree with your point, gambling addiction is the same. But the point is that it is readily accessible to anyone with just a mobile phone and internet connection. Young generations might be intimidated to go to a landbased casinos because security will have to ask them ids and if they are age appropriate. Unlike in online casinos' again mobile phone + wifi then they can register start as like as to just pass the time and then became addicted to it.

True. It's an ease for gamblers these days and this impacts in having more addicted ones. The accessibility through gadgets and internet access will make more addicted gamblers and that's the reality.

And sometimes, we're having that lazy times and we don't want to go elsewhere because we can sit or lie in the bed all day long holding our phones or any gadgets and freely access casinos with easy deposits.

[harizen]

What can be done for these types of addicts? Even if they had no phones. There are still so many enablers around in the form of free WIFI and internet cafes.

There are addicted gamblers that are still responsible outside gambling as far as I know.

Depending on the level of addiction, I think there's no need to be done if they seem responsible for other things.

If things are getting worst, the usual gambling treatment should take place. No need for these people to be treated in rehabilitation centers as a priority treatment but having a nice talk with the family or friends should be a good start.

[coin-investor]

It is possible that the form of addiction described here is a hybrid addiction. Its a cross between gambling addiction and internet addiction. With mobile phones being an enabler.

We are living in a new era, an era where we lived our dreams and fantasy in an unreal world, gambling, gaming, and the internet are venues to live our fantasies, and struggles and get rewards that we have a hard time obtaining in the real world.

Reading some of the quotations I actually started to feel sorry for some of these people. Usually I consider gambling addiction to be a lower priority than substance abuse. But knowing how easy and convenient the internet makes things. It has to be an extremely difficult temptation for those suffering gambling addiction to resist.

It is and it's easy to find these people but it's hard to cure them because the temptation is around them and it's completely legal, the government and companies are making billions out of people's behavior, and the government even encourage it because it sustains their coffers.

Treatment for these types of addictions would also be difficult. If only due to the necessity of owning and carrying a phone in this day and age.

Responsible people are now shifting to '90s phones like old Nokia to get them out of the system, the android apps are making it hard for people to resist these temptations

What can be done for these types of addicts? Even if they had no phones. There are still so many enablers around in the form of free WIFI and internet cafes.

Only an intervention from a psychologist and family can change that behavior there is still hope, for this kind of addiction, it's not really hopeless.

Perhaps treatment centers would be located in remote areas with no internet access? That seems like it could represent a good first step. But of course the second they returned to modern society. There would always be the temptation to revert to former behavior. Which could be tough to resist.

It's possible but it should be more than that, they need a new behavior and a new mindset to replace the old one to stop the triggers on activating the old ones.

[Tumanggor]

the article is very good and it's true that it's very difficult to cure those who just get addicted to gambling on smartphones

the sophistication of smartphones has made humans dependent on it, it is even said that we will not be able to live a day without a smartphone at this time, so it is necessary for each person's policy to manage their activities on a smartphone

Gambling if it reaches the stage of addicting then it will be dangerous for social life

[nullama]

It's a hard line to draw.

Personal responsibility is always there, and everyone decides what to do with their life.

And on the other hand you also have the business interest of putting themselves as conveniently as possible to a vast majority of people, in their phones.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to block businesses, instead it would be better that we think how to stop looking at our phones so often.

It's not only gambling, people staring at their phones, like zombies, swiping away their lives is really a problem.

Also the attention span of people has decreased substantially after smartphones became popular.

Phones are an incredible tool, but we need to use them more wisely.

[Wexnident]

What can be done for these types of addicts? Even if they had no phones. There are still so many enablers around in the form of free WIFI and internet cafes.

Remove the internet I think it'd become personal responsibility at some point? The rapid progress of the internet basically gave access to the problem the article indicates, so people's responsibility with what they should do should also adjust based on that (since I don't think companies would actually do something, they'd only put up a face imo). It's like we're at a transition so people don't exactly know what problems it could bring, but maybe in the near future, there are going to be simple solutions to it.

Perhaps treatment centers would be located in remote areas with no internet access? That seems like it could represent a good first step. But of course the second they returned to modern society. There would always be the temptation to revert to former behavior. Which could be tough to resist.

Why I think it should start at a young age. It isn't that apparent right now but once the next few generations grow up, people would be able to see the effects, both positive and negative ones.

[Darker45]

I agree that this combination of gambling and mobile internet is deadly, making gamblers easily lose their control and get addicted. The full access to gambling 24/7 at the comfort of your office, car, or home or couch or bed or restroom is really posing so much danger not just to adult gamblers but also to young minors.

I have a first-hand experience of how mobile gambling could lead even a kid into the brink of addiction. A neighbor who is a minor and who doesn't even have a smart phone was so hooked on online cockfighting that he had to wake up at dawn, go to a friend's house nearby, and borrow his phone to place bets.

[electronicash]

gamblers were already struggling to stop themselves from gambling in the traditional casinos,  the more it will be a struggle when all a gambler will do is just sit down and open his phone. there could be a lot of gamblers right now that has this problem.

within my street alone, i have seen housewives playing a casino game (Pusoy Dos) that will make them earn real money. they are addicted to it. what they would do to the real money is probably gamble as well when addiction strikes.