One thing there is no shortage of on the net is opportunities to gamble. We have been spoilt for choice, whether your fancy is for betting on sports, playing virtual card games or bingo. One of the things that makes internet gambling so potentially dangerous is that it is easily available every day and night a day.

The real danger comes once you combine this factor with the fact that it is very easy to feel detached from the reality of money spent online. Gradually racking up a debt online does not feel the identical to 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. On this page I hope to clarify a few of the legal issues around online gambling, and also providing some advice on dealing with the underlying problem and the debts that result from it.

Legal Issues Around Gambling Debts

When we discuss debt from online gambling it is very important be clear about the nature of your debt, because who the money is owed to does change lives. People are often unsure concerning 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 isn’t then enforceable through regulations.

However, there is a significant point to make here, that is that this only applies while 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 clearly a legally enforceable debt the same as it would be in any other circumstance, as you have borrowed money from the credit card company, not the casino. It is now against the law in the US to use a charge card to pay for online gambling .

You will find that lots of bank cards will regard a payment to an internet gambling website as a cash advance. This is then clearly borrowing money from the card issuer and the debt you incur could be pursued through legal action. If you do use a credit card to cover online gambling this way, you ought to know that cash advances on bank 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, you can find two separate issues to tackle. One is the debt itself, and another is the habit of gambling that resulted in the debt. Even if your debt is dealt with, chances are to develop again if the primary cause is not tackled too. Why don’t we first consider the issue of paying off the debt.

The principles for tackling debt are often the same, irrespective of the sources of the debt. To permanently deal with debt you should not be turning over borrowing additional money or paying anyone to deal with your debt for you personally. These courses of action will probably deepen your debt over time.

With a little advice, it is possible to deal with your debts yourself, by contacting creditors and agreeing terms for repayment you can afford. There’s clearly more to it than that, but it is beyond the scope of this particular article. The process is straightforward and allows you to take back control of your finances.