Virtual betting, also known as illegal betting, has become a major social problem. An unimaginable number of people resort to it in the hope of making money, and many of them lose as well as win. Most recently, illegal betting came to the fore in a massive operation in which Mehmet Ali Erbil and Serdar Ortaç were also detained.
“They exploit their families the most”
According to Psychiatrist Ayhan Akcan who spoke to Halkweb, the problem is much bigger than it is believed to be. Stating that in recent years there has been a great increase in the number of people applying individually or accompanied by their families on the grounds that they are addicted to virtual gambling, Akcan defined this situation as an impulse disorder rather than addiction and explained as follows:
“These people have an unstoppable desire to bet. They want to experience that pleasure at that moment. They almost disconnect from life and want to perform this action. There are 12 stages of this process and after the 7th stage they lose control. They start stealing, transferring their assets, borrowing money from others in order to get money. They especially start exploiting their families. For example, if they say, ‘I owe 70 thousand liras,’ that figure is actually 200 thousand liras. They always keep the real situation hidden. People who are successful in business life can also lose everything in virtual betting.”
“More dangerous than regular gambling”
According to Akcan, virtual betting is more dangerous than regular gambling. Because due to technology, it can appear everywhere. He can also play at home where he sits. Drawing a pessimistic picture at the point of treatment, Akcan stated that they apply therapies for individuals suffering from this problem and explained the following:
“First of all, we make sure that smart cell phones are canceled. They should not have access to the internet. They should also be cut off from any bank accounts and credit cards. Their relatives should only give them enough money to cover their daily needs. But success rates are around %1. In many cases, we can see that within six months they are betting again.”
Stating that psychopathic characteristics can be seen in individuals who play virtual betting, Akcan said, “They do not listen. Their sense of guilt is very low. They are not open to communication. They also have childhood traumas. They want to make their families pay some kind of price,” he claimed.
Beware of those who use their credit cards to the limit
Stating that virtual betting addicts are constantly in search of new resources because they have drained their environment financially, Akcan said, “Their marriages and relationships are not long-term. For this reason, they see remarriage and relationship as a new source. They especially prefer women with good financial status or working women. However, these relationships do not last long either, because they are understood in a short time.”.
Akcan made an important warning and said, “If a person has used his credit card to the limit throughout his life and has difficulty paying it back, he is prone to gambling. They also have the ability to use technology.”.