Canada Told to Ban Online Gambling by Researcher
A Canadian gambling researcher has urged the country to clarify and tighten its laws against online gambling. Robert Williams, of the University of Lethbridge at Alberta, asserted that online gambling results in four time the number of incidents of problem gambling as land casinos, and asked that the national government clearly prohibit this form of wagering.
Speaking before the Waterloo Region Action Group on Gambling Issues, Williams noted a demographic change, indicating college students and persons in their twenties are becoming the largest group of gamblers.
He noted that online casinos and gambling held more attraction and danger for the young due to their high level of computer skills.
Poker was cited as the game of choice, attracting 60% of all online gaming in Canada. Williams said that skills games had avoided laws that precluded games of chance, but still caused issues of problem gambling.
He called for legislators to refuse to give in and legalize and regulate online gambling, as the United Kingdom has done.
It was not clear whether Williams was familiar with several recent studies from around the globe, indicating that compulsive gambling is a symptom of deeper problems rather than a cause, and that eliminating gambling influences leaves the original problem, which will only seek a new outlet.
