Casino games, eSports betting, poker, etc. Online gambling comes in many different forms. Over the years, online gambling has become a huge and fast-growing industry. But is it a good thing?
Unregulated gambling platforms have also spread across the internet. These platforms might not have a license to operate where you live. They don’t follow the rules or laws that are meant to keep players safe. It is also impossible to know if these online gambling sites are even honest to their customers.
But whether online gambling is legal or not, it has its consequences.
Online gambling often doesn’t have strict age checks, which makes it easy for younger people to access gambling sites. This can lead to serious problems, such as gambling addiction, losing money they can’t afford, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. A young person especially at risk because their brains are still developing, so they may not fully understand the risks or have the maturity to control their gambling behavior.
Starting young can also affect school performance, relationships with family and friends, and lead to risky behaviors like drug use or breaking laws. The younger someone starts gambling, the harder it can be to stop, and the more likely they are to face long-term problems.
“I’m not interested in gambling. I play video games, so I’m safe from gambling harms, right?”
Well, not exactly. Many video games have features that are kind of like gambling.
Loot boxes – a form of gambling?
Gambling features seen in video games is often prevalent in the form of loot boxes. Loot boxes offer a chance to win rare items and are typically purchased with in-game currency bought with real money.
You might hope you’ll get something really rare or valuable, but it’s actually just random. The chances of getting something valuable from loot boxes are usually very low, because video games want you to do as many in-game purchases as possible.
The same goes for skin betting — people think their chances are better because they understand the game, but the outcome is still mostly based on luck, and they often overestimate their chances of winning.
Test your knowledge about gambling elements in gaming!