Group 5: Adison, Rocky, Connie, Emily, Mehwish

=Online Gambling=

Group 5: Adison, Rocky, Connie, Mehwish

Introduction
Online gambling involves using an Internet connected computer to place a wager on the outcome of a sporting event, or a game with a random number generator at its source. It can also involve playing cards or casino type games in real time with other players linked by internet. Gamblers have many options to choose from such as online casinos to online bingos. First the gambler deposit money into an online gambling account and then bets on an event, or plays the desired game. Finally, any winnings will be deposited into your account. Gamblers can either download the provided casino software or use a flash version to gamble. Most online casinos even provide free games, hoping you’ll get interested and play with real money.

Popular Online Casinos Websites
1. Cherry Red Casino

2. Lucky 18 Casino

3. Rome Casino

4. Golden Casino

5. Bodog Life Casino

6. Rushmore Casino

7. Millionaire Casino

8. Club USA Casino

9. Euro Grand Casino

10.Sun Palace Casino

Comfort
Rather than traveling long distances to a casino, one can enjoy gambling in the comfort of their home. Playing at home provides more privacy and security. Depending on the individual, avoiding public smoking environments is more pleasant.

There is less intimidation from other players, the dealer, and the general public. The player does not have to play against others face to face. Online gambling allows one to control the pace of the game. There are no waiting times, and it is available at any time of the day to accommodate everyone.

Often times gamblers spend lots of money on alcohol at a casino. They are also required to tip the waiters. Less or no money at all is spent on online gambling depending on how much the player wants to wager.

Communication
The internet provides a social community for people to meet each other online. This is helpful for those who are not socially interactive, but also enjoy the company of others. People are able to form friendships with people who share the same interests.

Financial Issues
Some of the problems include delay of receiving winnings in your bank account after you cash out. It takes from a few days to a few weeks to receive your money. This isn't the case in real life casinos; you are granted access to your winnings almost immediately. Therefore, the results of online gambling are not very prompt. If you play a lot online, then your transaction statement is going to be a nightmare! These statements would rarely include the name of the casino you played at, but rather the name of the merchant bank. Currently, online gambling has access to many different ways of payment, from credit cards to online transfers of money. A person can pay online anytime, anywhere, and anyhow he or she wants. This can lead to bankruptcy. The simplicity of these payment options gives little time for gamblers to think about their transactions.



Social Fraud
In online gambling, one cannot tell if the opponent is real or fake. For example, if 6 players are taking part in online gambling, it is possible that the 5 players that you are playing against are in fact all the same person. This sets the probability of their winning the game much higher than you winning the game! Therefore, real world gambling is much safer than online gambling. You can directly interact with the players who are playing against you.

Identity Theft
Many online gambling sites collect their users' information, which includes their bank account details, their credit card information, and other personal details. The online gambling site may sell this information to other sites or other companies. They may also misuse this information against you. There is reduced privacy and information security in online gambling.

Increased Suicide Rates
One of the worst possible results of online gambling is suicide. The accumulation of debt can cause one’s stress level to increase greatly. A person in this kind of situation may feel unable to help himself or herself. This helplessness may cause addicted online gamblers to commit suicide.

Craving For More
As online gamblers use their money in order to participate in various online gambling games, they may not notice how fast they are spending their money. The pace at which a gambler can bet from game to game gives them no time to consider their spending. Online gambling is usually very private; this creates a very false atmosphere for gamblers. They may begin to assume that the game is always in their favor.

What is Addiction?
For as long as it has been known that objects can change psychological states, their has existed the idea that rewarding activities can lead to addictions. Addiction is defined as the state of being enslaved to a habit, practice, or something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming. While typically addiction is linked to narcotics, it can extend far beyond this to activities we might consider normal in moderation. In fact, addiction has less to do with specific attributes of the object than with the actual repeated exposure and access to it, as well as its capacity to produce a desireable shift in mental state.

Addiction can be thought of as having three main componenents:

1. There must be an element of craving.

2. Loss of control.

3. Continuing the behaviour despite its negative consequences.

The potential for a habit to become an addiction comes about when:

1. The individual engages in interactions with the object of addiction repeatedly over a period of time.

2. The social or psychological consequences of said interactions result in a desirable, reliable, and robust shift, such as euphoria.

At this point, the individual is teetering on a very thin line between more or less healthy behaviour regarding the activity.

Who is at Risk?
Studies have found that there is a genetic link to addictive personalities, although this link does not determine which specific objects can become objects of addiction to a certain individual. Therefore, those who are addicted to something else, like drugs or alcohol, are more likely to become addicted to gambling if the opportunity presents itself since they are more susceptible to addiction in general. There are of course other factors besides genetics which can increase the likelihood of a person becoming addicted to online gambling. For example, it has been proven that males are at higher risk than females, and younger populations are more susceptible than older populations. As well, those who are less educated, non-Caucasion, or are from the lower socio-economic strata are more likely to be addictive online gamblers.

Studies have found that compared to traditional table games, online gambling is disproportionately associated with gambling addiction. Therefore, online gamblers in general are more likely to become addicted than other kinds of gamblers. This is largely due to the fact that deterring social controls online aren’t nearly as influential as they would be in a casino or other public setting. The Federal Trade Commission has said that because “Internet gambling is a solitary activity, people can gamble uninterrupted and undetected for hours at a time. Gambling in social isolation and using credit to gamble may be risk factors for developing gambling problems.”

Symptoms of an Addiction
While it can be hard to determine a frequent hobby from an online gambling addiction, there are some signs to look out for:

• A lack of focus on tasks in other areas of life (ie, employees distracted at work or a student skipping school)

• A suffering home-life (ie, increased arguing with loved ones)

• The acquisition of a negative reputation (ie, being labelled as a "compulsive gambler" by others)

• Gambling to pay off debts

• Borrowing money or selling off valuable personal belongings to finance gambling

• Continuing to gamble after winning, or feeling the need to get back to it after losing

• Secretive behaviour

If any combination of these signs can be detected in an individual's behaviour, he or she may be suffering from an addiction and should seek help immediately.

Recovery Resources
Once a person has recognized their addiction, there are many resources available to help them overcome it. An addictive gambler could call a gambling help-line, where they can talk to professional counsellors who offer confidential advice. Alternatively, he or she could seek counselling in person. Counselling is also made available to the friends and family of addictive online gamblers for emotional support in dealing with the issue. In terms of self-help, an addictive online gambler could keep a journal, find a confidant to talk to, or find an alternative to gambling, like a new hobby or enjoyable activity. Recognizing gambling addiction as an emotional problem is an important first step in any kind of recovery.

Conclusion
Online gambling does have its pros like desirable pacing and fewer limitations, its cons are greater in significance. Skewed perception of losses, social fraud, and increased suicide rates are among the most serious. Addiction is another detrimental consequence to consider. Although there are many resources to help overcome the problem. In the end, the decision to gamble online is completely up to you.