One thing there is no shortage of on the internet is opportunities to gamble. We have been spoilt for choice, whether your fancy is for betting on sports, playing virtual cards or bingo. One of the items that makes internet gambling so potentially dangerous is that it’s easily available for 24 hours a day.
The real danger comes when you combine this factor with the truth that it is very easy to feel detached from the reality of money spent online. Gradually racking up a debt online does not feel the same as handing over money from our wallet, so it is that much easier to reduce track of how your online spending is mounting up.
Therefore, debt problems from internet gambling are on the increase. In the following paragraphs I hope to clarify a few of the legalities around online gambling, together with providing some advice on dealing with the underlying problem and the debts that derive from it.
LEGALITIES Around Gambling Debts
When we discuss debt from online gambling it is important to be clear concerning the nature of the debt, because who the money is owed to does make a difference. People are often unsure about the legality of debts from online gambling. In the UK you can gamble legally on credit and incur a debt, but this debt isn’t then enforceable through regulations.
However, there is an important point to make here, that is that this only applies when you are using credit extended by the company offering the gambling (casino, bookie, etc). If you are using a credit card company to cover internet gambling, that is a legally enforceable debt exactly like it would be in any other circumstance, as you have borrowed money from the charge card company, not the casino. It really is now against the law in the US to use a credit card to pay for online gambling.
You will find that many bank cards will regard a payment to an internet gambling website as a cash advance. This is then clearly borrowing money from the card issuer and your debt you incur can be pursued through legal action. Should you choose use a credit card to cover online gambling this way, you should be aware that cash advances on credit cards are almost always charged at a higher rate of interest than normal credit for purchases.
How To Deal With Debts Caused By Gambling
In working with gambling debts, there are two separate issues to tackle. One is the debt itself, and another is the habit of gambling that resulted in the debt. Even if slot is dealt with, it is likely to develop again if the root cause is not tackled too. Let us first consider the issue of paying off the debt.
The principles for tackling debt are often the same, irrespective of the sources of the debt. To permanently deal with debt you should not be turning over borrowing more money or paying anyone to cope with your debt for you. These courses of action are likely to deepen your debt in the long run.
With a little advice, it is possible to deal with your debts yourself, by contacting creditors and agreeing terms for repayment you can afford. There’s clearly more to it than that, but it is beyond the scope of the particular article. The process is easy and allows you to get back control of your finances.