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More Gambling Through Inflation? "People's increasing concern harbors a very great danger"

2022-10-07T18:27:26.306Z


More Gambling Through Inflation? "People's increasing concern harbors a very great danger" Created: 07/10/2022, 20:14 By: Andreas Schmid More risk? More effort? How does people's gaming behavior change in times of crisis? © Bernd Thissen/picture alliance/dpa Gambling is a "tempting" way to get money quickly. At least that's what the advertising suggests. The reality is often different - especi


More Gambling Through Inflation?

"People's increasing concern harbors a very great danger"

Created: 07/10/2022, 20:14

By: Andreas Schmid

More risk?

More effort?

How does people's gaming behavior change in times of crisis?

© Bernd Thissen/picture alliance/dpa

Gambling is a "tempting" way to get money quickly.

At least that's what the advertising suggests.

The reality is often different - especially in times of inflation?

Munich - Due to rising inflation and skyrocketing energy prices, Germans have less and less money in their wallets.

At the same time, the gambling industry generates high profits.

Do gamblers bet higher sums in times of crisis to compensate for inflation losses?

True to the motto: "The money has to come from somewhere"?

Search consultants already see dangers for betting addicts in rising prices.

A potential whirlwind to ultimate financial ruin.

Science and state addiction centers, on the other hand, seem overwhelmed.

More Gambling Through Inflation?

Association warns of "very great danger"

At the request of IPPEN.MEDIA, the Federal Association for Self-Help Gambling Addiction made a clear decision.

"The growing concern of many people that they will no longer be able to shoulder their livelihood due to the sharp rise in energy and food prices harbors a very great danger." In financially uncertain times, the players are "always driven by the prospect of a big win, who then takes away all your financial worries".

This situation could also tempt people who have not or hardly ever placed sports bets or played the lottery to gamble.

According to the association, in which former betting addicts also work on a voluntary basis, inflation is doubly dangerous for people who are already addicted and prone to addiction.

However, each player acts individually.

About IPPEN.MEDIA

The IPPEN.MEDIA network is one of the largest online publishers in Germany.

At the locations in Berlin, Hamburg/Bremen, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart and Vienna, journalists from our central editorial office research and publish for more than 50 news offers.

These include brands such as Merkur.de, FR.de and BuzzFeed Germany.

Our news, interviews, analyzes and comments reach more than 5 million people in Germany every day.

In the case of frequent gamers, rising living costs do not necessarily seem to be adapted to their own gaming behavior.

"Increasing worries, especially in financial terms, didn't prevent us from playing on during our 'active' time," says Timo Nobis, deputy chairman of the club.

"It doesn't matter whether inflation was low at the time or galloping like it is now."

According to the Federal Center for Health Education, around 430,000 people in Germany are currently affected by problematic gambling behavior or gambling addiction.

Affected people often show pathological gambling behavior.

This means excessive gambling, which according to the State Office for Gambling Addiction in Bavaria is characterized by two characteristics:

  • Loss of control

    : playing cannot be interrupted/terminated by pure willpower.

  • Chasing behavior

    : attempting to recoup losses by betting again, often larger.

If there is no longer enough money to play, money is often borrowed, explains a ministry spokesman.

“Frequently, lies are used to hide the true extent of gambling problems.

In individual cases, illegal activities can also occur in order to get money for gambling.” Due to the sparse data, the Free State cannot say whether these dangers are greater in times of inflation.

More Gambling Through Inflation?

Iceland study sees gambling behavior 'tempting' in times of crisis

There are hardly any scientific studies on the subject.

A paper from the UK in September suggested that rising costs of living could tempt women in particular to gamble.

At the request of IPPEN.MEDIA, gambling researcher Tobias Hayer from the University of Bremen referred to studies from Iceland.

During the 2008 recession there were shifts in gambling activities at the population level, explains the psychologist.

The study, in which the University of Bremen contributed, states: "Those who reported financial difficulties due to the recession were more likely to buy lottery or scratch cards than those who were not affected by the crisis." Hayer's conclusion : "Apparently, the prospect of winning millions in the lottery in such times of crisis is even more tempting than it already is."

Gambling in times of crisis: Iceland trend also in Germany?

Such a trend is also possible in Germany.

However, official bodies in the federal states have not yet observed any noticeable effects of inflation on gambling behavior.

When IPPEN.MEDIA asked all state offices for addiction counseling, no federal state was able to give specific figures.

Hayer says: “At least a similar trend in lotteries cannot be ruled out.

In Germany, the German Lottery and Totoblock has already achieved a slight increase in sales with its offers during the pandemic. ”The sports betting industry meanwhile celebrated a record profit.

With a view to the soccer World Cup starting in November, there could also be additional income in this area.

Despite inflation.

(as)

more on the subject

The “Power of Sports Betting”: Dangerous and Barely Regulated

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-10-07

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