UK online casino searches hit maximum volume during lockdown

Search interest in online casinos hit its biggest volume so far, in the UK, since lockdown began, according to BBC News.

More time and money spent on online gambling

Despite an overall drop in gambling, the UK Gambling Commission reported that engaged online gamblers are spending both more time and money on online betting activities. Across the industry, there had been an increase in some customers playing online slots, poker, general virtual casinos, and virtual sports betting. Virtual games and e-sports in particular are seeing a massive expansion, due to their appeal to younger players.

Anna Hemmings, chief executive of GamCare, a UK charity to help with problem gambling, said there was a concerning context for people at risk. She continued by stating that contributing factors to gambling problems, such as financial distress, isolation, and boredom were increasing with the lockdown.

 

An alleged recipe for disaster

Google Trends is indicating that gambling moved online, amid the closing of gambling venues and cancellation of sporting events. Vulnerable gamblers told BBC News that the lockdown measures were “a recipe for disaster”. However, Watchdog the Gambling Commission said there had been a rise in some online gambling, but there was no evidence yet of a rise in problem gambling.

BBC News interviewed three former compulsive gamblers under the condition of anonymity:

Steve, who works as a manager, said:
 

I worry about anyone who is not quite in a problem area but is close, as there are no other distractions.

Paul, a Gamblers Anonymous member, said many people he had met in recovery had previously turned to gambling to improve their mood when they were stressed or anxious.

Former landscape gardener, Dan, concluded:
 

With this situation at present, without the right help, there's going to be a real surge of financial ruin down to gambling.

Are there any regulations to protect vulnerable players?

Credit cards and e-wallets such as PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller used for gambling were banned in Great Britain from April 14. GamCare said using credit cards had aggravated some players' issues, as they chased gambling losses with additional funds they could not afford to repay.

Since the beginning of the year, more than £16.5m had already been gambled on HSBC UK credit cards, with an average transaction value of £65, the bank said. During the lockdown, HSBC UK customers had spent more than £1.6m on gambling transactions.