Online Bingo is Not Very Addictive, According to New GamCare Report

The annual GamCare report was just released, and there’s plenty for the bingo industry to be happy about. Specifically, because online bingo has shown some of the lowest levels of problem gambling of any Internet activity.

When questioned about their gambling behavior, only 0.6% of GamCare clients said that online bingo was one of their main gambling hobbies. This number was drawn from a sample of over 1,225 clients.

Dan Smyth, the managing director of the Better Bingo Network, had the following to say, “While the Better Bingo Network are by no means complacent about the level of problem gambling among our players, it is reassuring to see that generally the levels of addiction and problem gaming among the bingo demographic is relatively low.

We are constantly working to identify potential problem gamblers among our customer base and to get in touch with them as early as possible so they can be treated. It is in nobody in the gambling industry’s interest to encourage problem gamblers.”

Of course, while this is good from a public relations standpoint, one has to wonder if the online bingo halls are really that pleased? I have to imagine that the higher a game is rated in the GamCare report, then the more traffic it is getting on the Internet. Such a low rating may not bode well for online bingo rooms which charge their clients to play.

Then again, Smyth goes on to say that, “We like to think we are among the most proactive companies in ensuring our clients see online bingo as a purely recreational product.”

And in case you’re wondering, here are the main modes of client online gambling, according to the GamCare Report:

• Sports Betting 34.9%
• Table Games 29.8%
• Poker 23.2%
• Fruit Machines 4.3%
• Other 2.4%
• Betting Exchanges 2%
• Fixed Odds Betting Terminals 1.6%
• Bingo 0.6%
• Lottery 0.3%
• Scratchcards 0.2%
• Gaming 0.2%

Online Bingo is Not Very Addictive, According to New GamCare Report