Online Gambling Versus Online Gaming

Where do we draw the line between online gambling and online gaming? Opponents of the online casino industry dismiss the term "online gaming" as a cynical attempt to rebrand gambling or blur the lines between gaming and gambling in the minds of the general public. There are (at least!) two problems with this approach:

1. It ignores the advances that modern online casino software has introduced to the gambling world, which truly have made gambling more like gaming.
2. It assumes that members of the general public are too stupid to make their own choices.

Advances in Online Gaming/Gambling

Visit any of the top quality online casinos and you'll see why playing there can be compared to playing on your X-Box or Wii. The graphics on the table games and slots are sharp, fast and color-rich; in some venues they're 3D. You'll find poker rooms and casinos that give you an avatar - you move virtually through the lobbies and interact with other players. You can play against opponents or alone. The animated bonus features in some slots are of cinema-like quality. Furthermore, most casinos offer games in "fun" mode on which no wagers are placed. This is why "online gaming" better encapsulates the range on offer at a good online casino. "Online gambling" just doesn't cut it any more.

Freed to Choose

Gamblers are not dumb. The difference between a game and a gamble is the wager of a sum of money. We all know that, and that's why gambling is fun. But there are those for whom the freedom to gamble will prove too much, the same way there are those for whom the freedom to drink alcohol or eat in MacDonald's will prove too much. Are we going to insist that all bars put a big sign on the roof saying "potentially addictive toxic substances on sale"? Don't think so...