Online Gambling Device Used to Track Players’ Betting Habits

Submitted by Beth on Thu, 2010-03-04 at 20:51

Online gambling remains a controversial topic, especially at the senate level. Many legislators are wary to pass laws that will allow legalization and regulation of online gambling because of the concerns that the freedom will lead to problem gambling. Problem gambling, of course, may lead to financial devastation and some members of parliament are not ready for that type of responsibility.

A device called Gameplan has been developed that promises to help online casino players avoid becoming addicted to the pastime. The software currently only works on video lottery terminals (VLT’s) who download Gameplan and authorize it to be implemented.

Once downloaded, a device is inserted into a VLT that is tracks a player’s betting progress and continually provides updates to the player. For example, if a player has several small wins and a few bigger losses, they may lose track of how much money they are really using. Gameplan will keep the player informed of their winning and losing streaks, as well as how much money they are up or down.

There is also the option of pre-programming the device before beginning to play. Therefore, when players begin using a VLT they can input a limit based on the amount of money they are willing to lose. The VLT will automatically be shut down once the player reaches their pre-determined limit and the option of continuing to play is eliminated.

This is simply one of the solutions that are being tested to help players avoid developing a gambling problem. If online gambling is inevitable, then more devices like this will be necessary in keeping players safe.