Online betting apps are more toxic than you think
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Online customers are always just a touch away from the next hand or spin.
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Betting companies all publicly espouse their commitment to responsible gaming. They help fund programmes to combat addiction and give customers the option to exclude themselves from betting or to enrol in “cool-off” periods that keep them from logging in for a day or two.
But when pretending you cannot help yourself becomes a strategy for getting more leeway, that seems like a sign that these measures are not enough. Here is another sign they are not working: A pair of studies published earlier in 2024 suggest online sports betting and its highly seductive sibling, online casino gaming, are driving an increase in rates of irresponsible gambling and doing significant damage to the financial health of many people.
