An official from the World Health Organization warned that online gambling can be 10 times more harmful that its traditional form.
Online gambling can be up to ten times more harmful than traditional forms of gambling, according to leading experts at a recent Harvard forum on gambling and public health.
This stark warning, delivered by a director at the World Health Organization (WHO), has ignited a renewed call for robust, coordinated regulation across Asia, a region experiencing a surge in online gambling activity.
Shekhar Saxena, Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MSD) at the WHO, stated unequivocally, “The data reveals that online gambling can be 10 times more harmful than other forms of gambling.”
The ease of access and 24/7 availability of online gambling contribute significantly to its increased risk. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar establishments, online platforms are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, making it easier for individuals to develop problematic gambling behaviors.
Experts at the forum emphasized the unique challenges of regulating online gambling, which transcends national borders. As Saxena explained, “By its very nature, online gambling doesn't follow boundaries.”
He further illustrated this point with a concrete example: “You can have an online gambling casino in Hong Kong which serves the whole of Asia, and a small country sitting somewhere there, does it have the capacity to stop that? And the answer is no.”
Offshore gaming rings have been prevalent in Asia. The Philippines in 2024 outlawed this practice, with authorities scrambling to arrest individuals who have taken their operations elsewhere.
This cross-border nature of online gambling necessitates international collaboration. Experts are calling for a concerted effort among Asian nations to develop and implement consistent regulatory frameworks.
The forum participants stressed that effective regulation must go beyond simply enacting laws; it requires robust implementation and enforcement, often hampered by limited resources or other political and economic factors. As Saxena noted regarding regulation in general, "it's not just the regulation and laws are made, it's how they're implemented."
On advocating for responsible gambling:
The forum also addressed the concept of "responsible gambling," a term often used by the gambling industry.
However, experts argued for a shift in focus from individual responsibility to a broader public health approach. Saxena directly challenged the industry's emphasis on individual responsibility. He explained that “responsible gambling is something that the companies love to talk about because it puts the responsibility on an individual.”
Saxena argued strongly in favor of a “public health framing,” which instead focuses on “the environment in which people live and the kind of promotion, the kind of incentives that are there.”
He emphasized that while individuals do bear some responsibility, the primary focus should be on the broader context: “It's the environment, it's the technological environment, the social environment and the economic environment in which people live.” This perspective underscores the importance of regulations to mitigate the risks associated with gambling, rather than solely relying on individuals to control their own behavior. This is why, according to Saxena, “regulations are so very important.”
The Human Cost: Addiction and Vulnerable Populations
Beyond the need for regulation, experts at the Harvard forum also focused on the human cost of problem gambling, particularly the addictive nature of the disorder and its impact on vulnerable populations. Timothy Fong, Co-Director of the UCLA Problem Gambling Studies Program, emphasized that gambling disorder is not simply a matter of willpower or morality.
“We have Neuroscience to show that it essentially is a condition characterized by the forces of addiction.” Fong further explained that it's a measurable disease, not through traditional drug tests, but “by behavioral measures,” defined by “ongoing continued engagement in gambling activities despite harmful consequences.”
Rutgers University's Lia Nower, Associate Dean for Research, highlighted the deceptive nature of "Social Sports wagering apps."
These apps, often disguised as harmless social games using a sweepstakes model, are, in fact, "priming young people who are underage to sports wager and then...triage them into sports wagering for money," Nower explained.
She cautioned that this early introduction to gambling, combined with the potential for intense engagement, creates a dangerous path. As Nower noted, "the longer someone plays and the more intensely they play over time the higher the rates of problem gambling," suggesting a potential surge in youth gambling addiction.
Read related article: China, ASEAN To Team Up Vs. Online Gambling, Telecom Fraud
Comments