Despite the lack of direct evidence linking online gambling to a rise in the number of problem gamblers, the RIGT is looking to the industry to put in 10 million pounds per year to fight it.
The representative of the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT), John Greenway, believes that the way to address the problem is to be proactive in the approach, rather than simply finding assistance for those already exhibiting a problem. Specifically citing a rise in spending by as much as 10 times the amount spent in 2000, Greenway says that it is “too little, too late” for many people affected by a gambling addiction.
The hefty price tag placed on the internet based bingo and gambling industry will also be contributed to by the land based gambling associations. It remains to be seen whether the financial strain already placed on the land based bingo halls by double taxation will put them out of the running in terms of proportional contribution.
Recent studies by the RIGT suggest that education about the risk of gambling becoming a problem will cut down significantly on the number of people with addictions. The treatment of the addiction cannot be the only focus of the assistance offered. With proper information, people participating in online bingo gaming, as well as other forms of wagers, will be able to make more appropriate choices on how much spending they each night.
Greenway feels that even doubling the income of the Trust will not be enough to properly handle the increase in problem gambling. The question is, then, how much will it take?
