BETTING THE WEB: EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ONLINE GAMBLERS AS A BASIS FOR POLICY INTERVENTION

Abstract

The increasing availability of online gambling platforms has raised public consciousness, especially as to the various psychological, social, and financial effects of such a development. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study titled 'Betting the Web: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Online Gamblers as a Basis for Policy Intervention. The study employed a case study design that focused on the lived experiences of approximately 30 online gamblers in Tarlac City. The participants were asked about their demographic features, favorite digital gambling sites, reasons for gambling, consequences on psychological and social health, and ways of coping. In-depth one-on-on interview was the mode of data collection and through thematic analysis, the paper uncovered the patterns and the significant experiences of the participants.

The result of the study disclosed that participants mostly gamble online through ArenaPlus, BingoPlus, OKBet, and GameZone due to the promise of high financial rewards, leisure-time activity, group activities, and easy access. The findings have shown that there is a link between Internet gambling and an increased danger of gambling problems besides mental health deterioration, a point that has already been validated by Abbott (2020).

Keywords: Online gambling, Lived experiences, Qualitative study, Case study, Tarlac City, Gambling platforms (ArenaPlus, BingoPlus, OKBet, GameZone), Psychological effects, Social health, Financial consequences, Coping mechanisms, Policy intervention, Thematic analysis.