Speedy Online Gambling: A Ticking Time Bomb?
Online Slot Speeds: Paddy Power's Founder Cautions of Potential Addictiveness
Stewart Kenny, the brainchild behind Paddy Power, has issued a stark warning regarding the addictive nature of the UK's online slot games, arguing that their breakneck speed fuels compulsive behavior.
Online slot machines, according to Kenny, are spinning far too rapidly. Despite the UK government tightening betting stakes, these games still spin like a racehorse at full gallop. This criticism stems from Kenny's resignation from Flutter Entertainment's board in 2016, due to claims the company was not doing enough to protect vulnerable users of their websites from addiction.
Nowadays, Kenny continues to indulge in gambling, particularly on dogs and horses, but he expresses deep reservations about the UK government's handling of online slots. As reported by the BBC on Monday, Kenny warned that the iCasino's blistering-fast time-lapse of "only seconds" between investing and results allows bettors to "repeat the dose" at an alarming speed.
Not Enough to Curb the Urge
While the UK government has imposed betting stake caps to combat high-risk gambling associated with substantial losses, long sessions, and binge play, Kenny maintains that the iCasino's addictive, speed-driven nature isn't doing enough to combat the problem of addiction.
Kenny recently starred in a BBC Radio 4 documentary, where he emphasized that it's the speed of the games that makes them so addictive. He adds that the slot machines offer "plenty of noise and plenty of colors" and that near misses on jackpots are "fundamental to gambling addiction."
A Long-standing Feud
Tension between Kenny and his former board over the UK's online betting industry, which nets £15.6bn ($20.2bn) annually and held the worldwide market lead until recently, can be traced back to 2016. Back then, Kenny argued that the internet is by its very nature addictive and that introducing iCasino has "made the cocktail too strong."
Kenny places the blame on governmental and regulatory bodies to ensure gambling remains safe. "There's a balance here," he states. "If you want to bet, you should be allowed to bet. It's a free society. So you don't want to interfere with people's entertainment too much. It's so easy to blame the betting companies. This is a matter for legislators."
INSIGHTS
Fast-paced games in iCasino significantly increase addiction risks and challenge existing regulatory frameworks. Key insights include:
- Heightened Addiction Risks: Rapid rewards cause rapid dopamine release during wins, accelerating the development of compulsive gambling behaviors[5]. Fast-paced games can also reduce decision-making time, echoing the "desperation phase" seen in untreated gambling addiction and heightening suicide risks[3].
- Cross-addiction Potential: Intense stimulation from iCasino games increases the likelihood of substance abuse or other behavioral addictions due to shared neural reward pathways[2].
- Regulatory Gap: Most gambling laws focus on monetary limits or age restrictions, not gameplay tempo. This gap is often exploited by iCasino operators offering ultra-fast games like "Slingo" or auto-spin slots[4].
Recommended Measures
| Issue | Proposed Measure ||-----------|----------------------|| Speed | Cap spins/bets per minute || Transparency | Display time/money spent per session prominently || Treatment | Require operators to fund addiction programs proportionally to revenue |
As the iCasino speeds continue to rise, urgent regulatory modernization is needed to address neurobiological risks while fostering industry innovation[5].
- Stewart Kenny, the creator of Paddy Power, worries about the rapid speed of online slot games contributing to gambling addiction.
- In a BBC Radio 4 documentary, Kenny stated that the speed of iCasino games is essential in increasing addiction risks.
- The UK government has taken steps to limit high-risk gambling, but Kenny feels that it is not enough to combat the addictive nature of online casino games.
- The online betting industry generates an annual revenue of £15.6bn ($20.2bn) and has held market dominance until recently.
- Kenny's disagreements with his former board over the online betting industry can be linked back to 2016 when he argued that the internet's addictive nature had worsened with the introduction of iCasino.
- Rapid rewards in iCasino games trigger rapid dopamine release during wins, accelerating the development of compulsive behaviors.
- To combat the risks associated with fast-paced iCasino games, it is recommended to cap the number of spins/bets per minute, display the time/money spent per session prominently, and have operators fund addiction programs proportionally to revenue.
