Online Gambling a Little Less Evil During Recessions

Online gambling is certainly not a new phenomenon however is also fair to say that historically, legislation and regulation of this industry hasn't exactly been on the top of most governments' to-do lists. Aside from a handful of the larger economic powers and some progressive smaller nations, Igaming has been put into the too hard basket by most legislatures over the last decade.

However this seems to have changed in the last year or so though. The last 12 months has seen a wave of governments around the world declaring their hand on proposed new laws that will, in one form or another, permit online gambling operators to offer their product to local residents. Of course there have been some notable intentions to ban online gambling, such as in Russia, but the overwhelming tide of legislative intent now seems to be in favor of licensing and regulatory regimes.

In Europe, the EC's struggle to impose a unified, non-protectionist approach across all member states seems to be gaining traction, with France and Denmark this year announcing intentions to overturn existing bans in favor of a legalized and regulated environment, while Estonia and Spain have drafted laws that will open their markets to foreign licensed operators. Just this month a delegation of officials from South Africa's National Gambling Board went on a fact finding mission to Antigua Barbuda to gain a better understanding of regulatory practices before returning to implement their own regulations. Also this month, the government of South America's third largest economy announced that it will be fast tracking online gambling regulations that will, for the first time allow licensed operators to accept bets from Argentineans.

Even Costa Rica, long regarded as the wild wild west of online gambling, and home to hundreds of internet casinos and sportsbooks due to an absence of licensing fees, gambling taxes and regulations have announced that they will be implementing stricter controls and associated taxes on all operators.

And while there have been no legislative changes in the US since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed by the Bush Administration in 2006, draft legislation is being presented to Congress in the coming months that will, if passed, lift restrictions currently imposed by UIGEA on US banks and payment facilitators with regard to online gambling transactions. Whether these laws will pass can only be speculated on, but there are indications that passage through House and Senate is not beyond the realms of possibility. For one, the proposed laws are attracting a growing list of co-sponsors from both sides of the political spectrum and secondly a number of large well resourced online gambling operators are starting to re-establish their US presence in anticipation of being able to recommence US facing operations in the future.

So why is there a (relatively) sudden rush from governments around the world to legislate in favor of online gambling? While most of the rhetoric attached to announcements of proposed new laws is something to effect that they will offer a better regulated environment and player protection in an industry that prohibitions have largely failed to curtail, cynics (including me) may cite another catalyst. Faced with severe recession and growing budget deficits, governments around world are desperately seeking ways to raise revenue. A regulated, and importantly, taxed, online gambling industry is currently very fiscally compelling - a number of governments have even admitted as such.

Milton Shaw is a staff writer at long established online gambling information site Online Gambling Guide. Visit online gambling timeline for more information on the industry's development.

Compulsive Gambler Continues Down Self Destructive Path With Little Hopes To Stop Gambling

Everyday I here of compulsive gamblers who are continuing to gamble even though they have tried one recovery program or another. This is a story of a compulsive gambler named Robert who relapsed over and over again until he found the right recovery program.

Robert a compulsive gambler from the United States relapsed more then ten times in the last three years. He continues to search for a stop gambling recovery program.

He questioned what made him go back to the casino after he abstained for at least three weeks or more? One day he realized that the gambling establishment's use of subtle subliminal advertising was what brought him back time and time again. This was a major break through for Robert. Understanding this helped him to break his negative repetitive pattern.

He remembers driving to work at eight in the morning. The news came on and announced there was a hundred thousand dollar winner last night at the Casino. Then they continued to talk about it and continuously repeat the words "someone has to win maybe that would be you." That's all Robert needed to hear. He called in sick and headed straight to the casino. He arrived and two hours later he lost a thousand dollars. He was depressed and very emotional. He had no idea how this happened again.

It's unfortunate but he continued to go down a self destructive path that seems impossible for him to ever escape from. Besides the mounting debt, his self esteem decreased as each day passed. Robert was trapped. He knows gambling is no good for him

I have known gamblers to put thousands of dollars in one slot machine believing it will turn around. It's doesn't happen often, but just suppose the gambler hits for five thousand dollars. At that moment in time, the gambler feels great. He now believes there's nothing they can't do. It doesn't matter if they sat at that slot machine for five hours. Then with out realizing it a few hours later they lost all the money they had just won. After leaving they would head home and ask themselves how? Robert had done this hundreds of times only to go back again and again.

Robert was determined to stop gambling but he kept asking himself "How did this happen again? He once stopped for three months. During this period he was more financially sound and more relaxed and very content with his family. Out of nowhere he received a four hundred dollar gift certificate to the gift shop at the local gambling establishment Christmas holiday. When he opened it, it made his day. He wanted to buy his wife something nice. She was very proud of him and believed he was on the road to recovery. With out telling his wife, Robert jumped in the car and head to the gambling establishment. As he arrived, he had the biggest adrenaline rush. He parked his car and headed directly to the gift shop and purchased a nice bracelet. As he headed out the door and back to his car he thought maybe just one bet. He fought with himself for about five minutes which seemed like hours. He went back in and the next thing he realized he lost over two thousand dollars.

Robert decided it was time to stop. He was so ashamed of himself. He was now determined to stop. He found a self help manual and a private chat room and the rest is one day at a time. He's learned to confront these triggers and move forward. The I Stopped Gambling website helped him to move forward and deal with his gambling addiction head on.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out: I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/ and the site: Teenage Gambling Addiction website [http://www.teenage-gambling-addiction.org/].