Why Does Online Gambling Polarise Opinion in 2017?

Posted by Harry Kane on Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Let’s face facts; gambling is a practice that continues to polarise opinion across the globe.

While some authorities treat all types of gambling with destain, for example, others have embraced the practice as a potentially lucrative revenue and taxation stream. There are also others who have made a clear distinction between off and online practices, supporting the former while demonising the latter and implementing a decisive ban.

Why should this be the case, however, and will we ever see a time when online gambling is celebrated and played across the globe?

Comparing Europe and the US

To understand why opinions vary so significantly, it is worth comparing the alternative outlooks of the U.S. and the UK. The former nation has a very strange approach to the practice of gambling, with land-based casinos thriving and continuing to dominate the industry as a whole. With tight regulations and those who have invested heavily in the offline sector keen to optimise their returns, the notion of online gambling continues to be largely resisted at state level with only three local authorities (Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware having legalised the practice).

In contrast, the traditional casino sector in the UK has never boasted as much of a presence, meaning that there was always a gap for new technology and online operators to exploit. In this respect, online casinos have been able to dominate the gambling market in the UK, benefiting from transparent but relaxed regulations that do not penalise perceived games of chance. British and European regulators also adopt a consistent approach to all forms of gambling, as they look to optimise security without casting a morale judgement on the practice as a whole.

The contrast with the U.S. is obvious, particularly with some senate representatives citing moral objections to online gambling without questioning the practice of offline gambling.

So what does this Comparison Mean, and what does the future hold in store?

While online gambling has existed for more than two decades, there is no doubt that we are in a transitional period in terms of how authorities perceive the practice. This means that there is bound to be some opposition, particularly in puritanical countries or those that have already made a significant investment in bricks-and-mortar casinos. Even in the UK, the notion of online gambling has only enjoyed exponential growth during the last seven years, as security and encryption measures have improved beyond all recognition.

With this in mind, it is clear why there is such a diverse range of attitudes surrounding online gambling in the digital age, and we should expect these to continue for the foreseeable future at least.

There is no doubt that the tide will turn, however, particularly as online gambling continues to become increasingly authentic and bridges the once cavernous gap between virtual and corporeal experiences. The introduction of virtual reality into the industry surely represents the last frontier in this respect, and this could hasten the decline of bricks-and-mortar casinos across the globe. Over time, there is no doubt that virtual gambling will come to dominate, as existing attitudes are challenged and the context in which online casinos are viewed continues to shift.