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Online gambling. Over $15 billion spent worldwide in 2006.
From poker sites to sports betting sites and more, gambling online
is easy to find -- and with current technology, can be accessed just
about anywhere.
Unfortunately, electronic forms of gambling are highly addictive.
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Why the concern?
- There's no limitation on availability. At home, in pajamas, it
could hardly be more available.
- There's no limitation on time. People playing at home can play hours
and hours, any time of day or night, before stopping.
- There's little limitation on money. With credit, a whole lot of
money can be won--and lost--before stopping.
Things to keep in mind.
- You can lose your money. Online gambling operations are
in business to make a profit. They take in more money than they pay
out.
- You can ruin a good credit rating. Online gambling
generally requires the use of a credit card. If kids rack up debt
online, they could ruin their credit rating - or their parent's.
- Online gambling can be addictive. Because Internet
gambling is a solitary activity, people can gamble uninterrupted and
undetected for hours at a time. Gambling in social isolation and
using credit to gamble may be risk factors for developing gambling
problems.
(Source:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/06/onlinegambling.htm)
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In
the U.S., it's not legal to operate a gambling site.
That's why you'll see sites that "teach" you how to play for
free...but offer a separate site that looks strikingly
similar on which you play for real money.