One thing there is no shortage of on the internet is opportunities to gamble. We are spoilt for choice, whether your fancy is for betting on sports, playing virtual cards or bingo. One of the things 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 truth of money spent online. Gradually racking up a debt online will not feel the same as handing over money from our wallet, so it’s that much easier to lose track of how your online spending is mounting up.
Therefore, debt problems from internet gambling are on the increase. In this posting I hope to clarify a number of the legalities around online gambling, along with providing some advice on dealing with the underlying problem and the debts that derive from it.
Legal Issues 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 change lives. 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 is not 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 business offering the gambling (casino, bookie, etc). If you use a credit card company to pay for 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 charge card to pay for online gambling.
You will find that many credit 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 could 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 much higher interest than normal credit for purchases.
How To Deal With Debts Caused By Gambling
In dealing 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 resulted in the debt. Even if the debt is dealt with, chances are to build up again if the primary 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 causes of the debt. To permanently deal with debt you should not be considering borrowing more money or paying anyone to cope with your debt for you personally. These courses of action are likely to deepen your debt in the long term.
With a little advice, you can deal with your financial situation yourself, by contacting creditors and agreeing terms for repayment you can afford. There’s clearly more to it than that, nonetheless it is beyond the scope of the particular article . The process is straightforward and allows you to get back control of your finances.
