Most in the World?

11/29/2008		Most in the World?
Home History Games News Dictionary		With online casinos growing in popularity, and the access of said internet gambling increasing at monumental speeds, it’s a curious question to ask just who in the world likes to bet the most? A new article from Poland’s national publication Dziennik Usaw implies that indeed, the Polish like to gamble the most in the whole world. The article, also found in the Warsaw Business Journal, says that the popularity of internet casinos is creating a national problem in relation to addiction. According to the article, which conveniently doesn’t cite their source, Dziennik says that one out of every five Polish citizens are participants and members of online casinos. The numbers are impressive, considering the nation only began permitting international internet gambling four years ago. The possibility that 20% of the world’s gamblers are Polish is a staggering thought considering the economic status, and demands a closer look to confirm or deny Dziennik’s claim. The suggestion that Poland is suffering from a gambling addiction problem, however, does seem to have more merit than the allegation that a fifth of the world’s players are from Poland. A psychotherapist specializing in addictions, Lubomira, Szawdyn gave a perspective: “This is becoming crazy. Every month I answer calls from over 100 people addicted to gambling on the internet. And the number is growing significantly.” Unfortunately, the articles from both the Warsaw and the Dziennik give very little statistical evidence to back the claims up. Perhaps that they will however, inspire other groups to take a closer look at just how the popularity of internet casinos effect individual countries.

11/29/2008

Most in the World?

With online casinos growing in popularity, and the access of said internet gambling increasing at monumental speeds, it’s a curious question to ask just who in the world likes to bet the most? A new article from Poland’s national publication Dziennik Usaw implies that indeed, the Polish like to gamble the most in the whole world.

The article, also found in the Warsaw Business Journal, says that the popularity of internet casinos is creating a national problem in relation to addiction. According to the article, which conveniently doesn’t cite their source, Dziennik says that one out of every five Polish citizens are participants and members of online casinos. The numbers are impressive, considering the nation only began permitting international internet gambling four years ago. The possibility that 20% of the world’s gamblers are Polish is a staggering thought considering the economic status, and demands a closer look to confirm or deny Dziennik’s claim.

The suggestion that Poland is suffering from a gambling addiction problem, however, does seem to have more merit than the allegation that a fifth of the world’s players are from Poland. A psychotherapist specializing in addictions, Lubomira, Szawdyn gave a perspective: “This is becoming crazy. Every month I answer calls from over 100 people addicted to gambling on the internet. And the number is growing significantly.”

Unfortunately, the articles from both the Warsaw and the Dziennik give very little statistical evidence to back the claims up. Perhaps that they will however, inspire other groups to take a closer look at just how the popularity of internet casinos effect individual countries.