It is no surprise that the world of online gaming, online casinos, and sports betting has exploded. It was a predictable outcome, with high odds. Due to the rapid advancement of technology, improvements in accessibility to connectivity and the prediction that by 2020, there will be 75 billion internet ready devices in the world- it comes as no surprise.

The problem

Betting and gambling has been a huge part of society for hundreds of years. Despite various periods of prohibition and legal issues, its popularity has remained and iGaming has now become one of the fastest growing digital industries in the world. But with success of this scale, comes a variety of problems as well. If you are considering dipping your toes into the world of online gambling, the best thing you can do is check out reputable sites like this 32 red review to see what a responsible provider should look like.

Recently, UK footballer Joey Barton was suspended for 18 months from the game for charges relating to betting and in a statement released by the player he spoke of the “explosion in sports betting” that has been facilitated by technology and digitalisation. Recent estimates that have been released by the Gambling Commission in the UK, suggest that Britons lost an astonishing £12.6 billion through lost bets in 2016- that is around £300 for every member of the population. In the same study, 5.5% of individuals surveyed were considered as “at risk” gamblers, a number which has increased two-fold from the year before.

The thing is that sports betting is supposed to be fun. There are lots of great sites out there that offer you a range of odds so you can enjoy a flutter with friends. Check out this Betway review for a prime example. It is supposed to be a part of the whole experience of enjoying sports or football. You meet up with your friends, head off to a game, or to a pub to tune in, you enjoy a few drinks, some banter and laughs and to top things off, you bet a few quid on the outcome. It is not supposed to be an all-consuming addiction that results in punters losing hundreds of pounds at a time.

Current measures
But nowadays, there are measures in place to not only help those who are suffering from problems, but to allow punters to empower themselves to know when they are getting out of control, to take responsibility, and to learn when to say no. Some of the biggest and most popular online gambling sites implement red flag systems where excessive use, or repeated high bets are flagged by the system. Players are then offered guidance, or advice, and in some cases can be banned. Some sites even offer players the facility to ban themselves permanently or for a limited amount of time. Players can even put restrictions on frequency and amount that they bet.

It is this sort of attitude which will lead to not only less gambling issues, but also the increased popularity of sports betting. If online providers can prove that they do care about the wellbeing of their clients and not just the revenue that they accrue. Through building confidence with punters, as well as empowering people to take responsibility for their own actions, they will hopefully start to cultivate a culture where betting becomes fun again, and not something that ruins lives and tears apart families.

Remember to have fun

Remember that placing a bet on the game should be the cherry on the cake of the experience, not the whole cake itself. Keep your wits about you, stick within your means, and remember, when it starts not becoming fun- that is when it is time to stop.