GAMBLING USAGE STATS PUBLISHED BY MALTA AGENCY

6 April 2007

Only 2 percent of respondents use online gambling facilities

According to a lifestyle study conducted by the Maltese organisation Agenzija Sedqa in collaboration with the National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the national commission on the abuse of drugs, alcohol and other dependencies, online gambling usage is relatively low.

Just under 60 percent of respondents aged between 18 and 24 admitted to having played the lottery, betted or gambled at least once in their lifetime. Another 54 percent admitted to having played lotto, Super 5, Scratch cards and Keno at least once while another 6.2 percent said they play weekly or almost weekly.

Just over two percent said they gambled online.

Sedqa operations director Jean-Claude Cardona explained that Sedqa carried out the study, the results of which will be officially published at a later date, in 2006 in which 1 226 students aged between 18 and 24 took part.

Despite the low percentage usage of Internet gambling indicated by the poll, Cardona singled the pastime out, saying “Internet gambling is easily accessible and there are no physical deterrents that might put a person off gambling,” he said.

All the possible deterrents – such as getting ready to go to the casino, being over 25, and actually driving to the location – are all eliminated with Internet gambling, said Cardona. "All a person has to do is sit at his computer and access the site, putting him at a higher risk of becoming asocial."

Another Sedqa official, service manager Manwel Mangani pointed out that one of the great advantages of Internet gambling is anonymity.

“There still seems to be a stigma – some people still feel uncomfortable being seen walking into a casino,” he said. Internet gambling appeals to the solitary type and people who are somewhat anti-social, Mangani added.

Cardona pointed out that care has to be taken as the latest forms of entertainment are isolating people. “Experts predict that gambling will eventually be done through interaction with television,” he said.

The Sedqa official was critical of advertising for international poker tournaments, pointing out that, unfortunately, several local and foreign television stations are publicising this aspect of gambling.

“Although the adverts are shown quite late – they are still there,” said Cardona, adding, “even though people cannot actually bet on the stakes in question, they still become involved in the game.”

Sedqa is using the media for its own campaigns, Cardona revealed. “Sedqa is working hard to increase awareness on gambling addiction through information campaigns,” he said.

He was critical of the registration system to gamble online, claiming it to be "not very reliable."

“I have heard of cases where young people steal their parents’ credit cards and gamble online,” he said.

Malta is one of a number of international online gambling regulators that makes its licence available to online gambling operators through the LGA, and Cardona said that Sedqa is calling for more regulations especially where online gambling is concerned.

“The government has recently approved our request to provide and train one social worker who will focus solely on helping gamblers overcome their addiction while providing support to their families,” he said.

Fellow Sedqa official Mangani said that many online gambling sites offer links to sites that offer online counselling and help for a gambling addiction. “The same medium can be used to reach out to addicts," he said. "In fact there are many websites that offer online counselling and although it is still too early to say if these are effective, at least they are there,” he explained.

In collaboration with the UK problem gambling organisation Gamcare, there are plans for Sedqa to organise professional training for counsellors and social workers, probably during April this year.

Mangani is of the opinion that online gambling addiction is very similar to alcohol addiction. “A sober alcoholic lives in a society that bombards him or her with information and adverts on alcohol yet they still manage. Similarly, it does not mean that someone who has an online gambling problem will not be able to access the Internet for the rest of his or her life,” he added.

Mangani said the family is closely involved in the treatment, which places great emphasis on group work. “Gamblers Anonymous provides a great service and we refer a lot of clients to them, although it operates independently of Sedqa,” he added.

The more difficult operating situation for online gambling owners in the USA following the UIGEA is creating more online gambling action in Europe, Mangani says.

"Several online casinos that were based in countries like Barbados have closed and are trying to open in Europe. It is very tempting for governments to use it as a source of revenue,” he explained. "[Last year] online gambling generated Lm12.5 million in revenue for the Maltese government and this is expected to go up to Lm18 million this year.

The weekend's Malta Online Independent added substance to the Sedqa survey by reporting that two new factors could see more online gambling operators gravitating to Malta and applying for licensing with the LGA. The newspaper referred to the disappointment generated among online gambling firms by the high taxation regime announced in the UK budget recently by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, pointing out that this may make Malta a more attractive option. The second development the newspaper highlighted was dissatisfaction among Czech companies with the confusing and slow legislative progress and protectionist nature of the gambling scene in their home country.

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