It’s important for the gaming industry to promote responsible gambling behavior and provide assistance to the small minority of people that gamble in ways that harm themselves or others. However, there are no guarantees without proper regulation that online gambling operators will implement measures to address concerns about compulsive gambling behavior. The proposed framework to regulate Internet gambling in the U.S. contains provisions to address this issue and protect consumers.

Effective Controls to Combat Compulsive Gambling

Responsible gambling is a shared obligation of all stakeholders in legalized gambling, including regulators and gambling operators. In order to be licensed in the U.S., online gambling operators would be required to implement a comprehensive responsible gambling program. Tools could include:

• Providing players with the option to set limits on the amount they deposit to their account and to request self-exclusion for a specific amount of time
• Cross-checking databases that may be created of individuals who chose to exclude themselves from the ability to gambling online
• Preventing any person identified on the self-exclusion list from receiving advertisements, promotions or other targeted mailings and offers
• Tracking players and enforcing controls to limit the amount of money wagered or lost over a given time period
• Identifying and stopping players whose gambling patterns seem out of the ordinary
• Providing information that promotes awareness about problem gambling and resources for those with a problem

Leading experts have argued that the structure of the Internet allows for operators to deliver responsible gaming programs that meet or exceed current standards in the bricks-and-mortar casinos.

Resources

• Fact Sheet on Combating Compulsive Gambling
• Transcript of Keith Whyte Interview: Responsible Gaming Regulations Would Help Protect Internet Gamblers
• Regulated Internet Gambling Provides Excellent Opportunity to Combat Compulsive Gambling
• National Council on Problem Gambling
• Gamblers Anonymous