Gambling addiction and its consequences

The topic of gambling addiction and the resulting consequences are increasingly becoming one of the most important topics in online gaming

Dangers of addiction lurk around every corner, and for some, that means a constant struggle to come to terms with it. It's not always about gambling.

Excessive nicotine or alcohol consumption are just two examples of the now commonplace problems people struggle with.

If a gambling addiction is added to this, a dangerous mixture can arise from it, which has already brought many a person into ruin or into a desperate situation.

Sometimes you are aware of the dangers but often you ignore the signs and do not want to admit it to yourself.

But how do you know if you are "addicted"?

Is it just one glass of wine that you consume every day at home or in a restaurant?

Is it 20 cigarettes a day, increasing over time?

Addiction doesn't just come out of the blue. Most addictions arise from personal problems.

Or because you try certain things. Some people are more susceptible than others. A kind of passion can also develop from an initial fun.

Controlling these passions is very difficult. Let's stay on the subject of gambling.

Player protection and corporate responsibility towards users is becoming more and more a content and topic of gambling. The demands on companies are constantly increasing.

Individual associations and politicians are already putting pressure up to the point of mandatory measures. (Example State Treaty on Gambling 2021).

Gambling addiction officers have been in place in casinos for a long time. In the online casinos there are only various hints. Whether or how exactly this is looked at in detail, I'll leave it open.

The fact is, player protection is important, but not everything has to be predetermined by politics.

Personal responsibility of users and companies

Many users may be in control of their gaming behavior, but there are enough users who aren't. It can happen that individuals literally gamble away their belongings.

Anyone who is out and about in the gaming scene will certainly know or have heard one or the other story of those affected.

How honest are you with yourself? Where does it start and where does it end?

When it comes to casinos, we're in a bit of a gray area. The responsibility of these companies must be increased and it should also be left to the companies to ensure control. Because they see every day who deposits when, where, how much and how often.

In case of doubt, the customer has to prove that he can afford it. If he cannot or does not want to do this, appropriate restrictions or limits should apply.

However, whether the online companies would be able to cope with this or would like to do so at all is another piece of paper.

The fact is, if they don't live up to their responsibilities, we have to live with politics forcing us to do so.

These limits and restrictions are already anchored in the new State Treaty on Gambling, which annoys some.

All large companies that want to get a German license in the future to operate legal gambling in Germany must comply with these requirements.
It remains to be seen what the situation will be like with the smaller companies that do not want to apply for a German license.

But maybe the restrictions are driving customers back into the gray market because they don't agree with the limits.
But perhaps the new State Treaty on Gambling will be postponed again because the federal states ultimately cannot agree.

All open questions that nobody can answer at this point in time.

It is important that everyone approaches gambling responsibly. For those who don't have it under control, there are various contact points or self-help groups.

More information on prevention and player protection