Responsible Internet Gambling Regulation encouraged by leading professor
According to Dr. Jeffrey L. Derevensky, a leading professor at McGill University, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) incorrectly cited the university’s research on gambling addiction when he argued for the continued prohibition on Internet gambling.
In fact Dr. Jeffrey L. Derevensky believes that the regulation of online gambling is an opportunity to put in place safeguards to combat problem and underage gambling.
On June 25, 2008, Rep. Bachus, erroneously cited research at McGill, claiming that one-third of college students who gambled online attempted suicide.
“This assertion, which is reportedly based upon our empirical research, is not predicated upon any factual evidence,” responded Derevensky in an interview with the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “None of the studies conducted with adolescents or college students, to the best of my knowledge, have looked at a connection between Internet wagering and suicide attempts.”
These same concerns were raised by Derevensky in a letter sent last week to Reps. Bachus and Barney Frank (D-Mass.). Derevensky believes that the Congress has the opportunity to better protect consumers in a regulated environment. “If Congress is serious about minimizing the threat posed by Internet gambling, it should look to create an environment where Internet gambling operators are required to put in place safeguards that protect against compulsive and underage gambling.”
Last week, a study conducted jointly by the University of Western Ontario and University of Nevada, Las Vegas called for the legalization and regulation of online gambling.
“Just as legalized commercial gambling in casinos allows for governments to regulate it, so, too, could the legalization of online gambling allow for better regulation and attempts to reduce the growth of problem gamblers,” said June Cotte, associate professor at the University of Western Ontario, as reported by Poker News.
Safeguards currently available in the industry proved to be effective in protecting consumers against compulsive gambling. Existing technology and security controls include the ability to control the amount of money wagered, set limits on amounts bet and amounts lost, restrict the duration that someone can play, identify and stop players whose gambling patterns seem out of the ordinary, and allow for consumers to be excluded from online gambling.
“It is disappointing that Rep. Bachus is using scare tactics and false claims in an attempt to justify why Congress should limit my ability to gamble online,” said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “We are encouraged by the academic community’s support of Internet gambling regulation. They emphasize the important point that consumers will be better protected if there are safeguards put in place to combat underage and problem gambling.”
Additionally, Rep. McDermott introduced, last week, the Investing in our Human Resources Act (H.R.6051), which states that new revenue generated by regulated Internet gambling activities would be directed to be spent on job training for those in the declining sectors of the economy and educational assistance for foster care youth.
“Though I support the dedication of resources to raise awareness about problem gambling, I encourage Congress to also provide appropriate funding for research, treatment and the prevention of problem gambling,” added Derevensky.