Technology, the Internet, and Gambling

Many people worry that exposure to Internet gambling will overpower individuals’ self-control, stimulate addictive behavior patterns, and provide the context to sustain addiction once it emerges. Though many researchers have attempted to evaluate this proposition, they have been limited by their methodological approaches—specifically, their use of convenience samples and self-reports of Internet gambling behavior. At the Division on Addiction, the authors collaborated with bwin.party digital entertainment to examine electronically recorded gambling data (i.e., records of actual gambling) among bwin.party subscribers. As described in this chapter, their early epidemiological studies revealed that few Internet gamblers are intemperate and that the typical Internet player gambles moderately. However, those who do use the Internet to gamble excessively often experience lasting and far-reaching harm. The authors review prevention and intervention strategies to help promote healthier Internet gambling. These cross-cutting strategies emerge from public policy, public health, corporate social responsibility, and other fields. With regard to user-initiated strategies, the authors describe what researchers have discovered about the effectiveness and reach of self-limitation and self-exclusion programs. With regard to operator-initiated strategies, they propose a series of steps leading to the development of algorithms designed to predict which Internet gamblers will require interventions to reduce gambling harm. The authors describe their approach to these steps during their work developing predictive algorithms for bwin.party. Finally, the chapter considers ethical principles that should inform the development of programs and policies designed to provide the safest possible Internet gambling experience.