LETS START

One thing there is no shortage of on the net is opportunities to gamble. We are spoilt for choice, whether your fancy is for betting on sports, playing virtual card games or bingo. One of the items that makes internet gambling so potentially dangerous is that it’s easily available every day and night a day.

The real danger comes when you combine this factor with the truth that it is so easy to feel detached from the reality of money spent online. Gradually racking up a debt online will not feel the same as handing over money from our wallet, so it is that much easier to lose track of how your web spending is mounting up.

For these reasons, debt problems from internet gambling are on the increase. In PRAGMATIC hope to clarify some of the legalities around online gambling, along with providing some advice on dealing with the underlying problem and the debts that derive from it.

LEGALITIES Around Gambling Debts

When we talk about debt from online gambling it is very important be clear about 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 it is possible to 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 use a credit card company to cover internet gambling, that is clearly 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 is now against the law in america to use a credit card to pay for online gambling.

You will find that lots of bank cards will regard a payment to an internet gambling website as a advance loan. That is then clearly borrowing money from the card company and your debt you incur can be pursued through legal action. If you do use a credit card to pay for online gambling this way, you ought to know that cash advances on credit cards are nearly 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 may be the debt itself, and another may be the habit of gambling that led to the debt. Even if your debt is dealt with, chances are to build up again if the root cause is not tackled too. Let us first consider the problem 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 income or paying anyone to deal with your debt for you personally. These courses of action will probably deepen your debt in the long term.

With a little advice, it is possible to deal with your debts yourself, by contacting creditors and agreeing terms for repayment that you may afford. There is clearly more to it than that, but it is beyond the scope of this particular article. The process is easy and allows you to take back control of your finances.