The Dangers of Gambling Addiction Among Students
Gambling addiction starts with the idea “To get more money fast.” Millions of people, among whom you can find students, invest in Gambling, hoping to get more money or cover their gambling losses. However, how and why does this idea strike so many people? What effect does it have on teenagers and students? What causes students to become addicted? This question can be answered halfway by adding the word “student.” As is the case worldwide, these people always need money as they often leave their homes hoping to get an education.
Often, students turn to websites like real money casinos or betting in scarce situations and have difficulty stopping afterward. There are thousands of such websites to which students get addicted. However, dire family situations or fraudulent apps like Kredit Gold exacerbate the severity of the problem. Thus, it may be concluded that it is almost impossible for students to live poverty-free lives.
Image Source: Hard work or overburdened? Indian students spend long hours on studying, India Today Web Desk November 23, 2018
The Severity of the Problem
Such a problem is not just problematic but systemic. People in India do not gamble because they genuinely want to. However, the marketing mainly offers quick and big winnings. Considering the stress of Indian students from studying in higher education, “quick and plentiful” winnings become extremely attractive.
Statistics
One study shows that in 2019, 49 percent of Indians who gamble were between 23 and 39. Moreover, in 2017, 27.9 percent of high school students (15-19 years old) reported Gambling. 7.1 percent were already “problem gamblers.” The 2016 survey shows that out of 121 mental health practitioners, 80.9 percent (90 percent) reported seeing patients with gambling addiction.
What does gambling addiction entail? Gambling addiction is a mental disorder in which you continue to gamble regardless of the discomfort or problems it brings. If not alleviated or addressed, this condition will lead to many setbacks: Getting into debt, Feeling guilty about Gambling, and Prioritizing Gambling over everything else. Suppose you or a loved one is suffering from this addiction. In this case, medical professionals can help you through Hope Trust India’s help center.
Is Gambling currently Regulated in India?
Gambling is illegal in India, except in four states: Goa, Sikkim, Daman, and Nagaland. Meanwhile, online versions are banned only in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the two regions that decided to ban them due to high suicide and bankruptcy rates. Even the Information Technology Act 2000 does not mention online Gambling.
Implications of Gambling Addiction
Indians are not the only ones facing this problem. All countries are trying to restrict access to Gambling, but poorer countries, on the contrary, have higher levels of addiction as people with small salaries cannot live without poverty, and in crises, everyone needs money. Thus, gambling addiction becomes a symptom.
Influence
“When they do not have a job or anything else, and they have some small amount of money left, like $100, they go to try their luck at the casino,” one SBSPunjabi interviewee told SBS Punjabi about his gambling friends. Maple Capital Partners managing director Panaj Karna said for Nikkei Asia, “India is at a tipping point for online gaming – 15 percent of global gaming traffic.”
Conclusion
The Online Gaming (Regulation) Bill 2022 looks to be the beginning of a healthy and regulated industry. It will generate revenue for the country while keeping players protected.
