Underage Gambling and E-Card Payments

There's a connection between young people and their access to e-cards or electronic cards applicable for paying or getting cash through the Internet, plus the availability of online gaming. We should look into this aspect on online gaming payments through online cash facilities.

As long as there's an available means of paying online there's no stopping young people from taking part in gambling through the Internet. Today, there are numerous options for this kind of financial transactions—through mobile phone, bank card via the Internet. These make the profitability of online gaming more appealing to the youth with their easy access and processing.

The nature of online gambling is to first present it in play money forms to encourage players to enjoy the game online. But gradually the player is enticed to "upgrade" the play by trying freerolls with come-ons for free bonuses. Then lower limit stakes are presented and on to middle and higher stakes. These wagering game types are easy for young people to join in as long as they can get a hold of e-cards.

On the other hand online gaming payment methods should be closely monitored. It is a practical way of controlling underage participation in online gambling. There must be stricter measures on the issuance of e-cards to people, making extra sure that its use does not fall into the hands of minors who are into gambling. If parents and other adults ensure that their e-cards do not fall into the wrong hands betting online could be controlled.

If minors really have to use e-cards for other purposes, like buying things they need, there should be an automatic block mechanism that would put a stop or limit to what a minor can spend per day or week. Like in the case of a stop-loss mechanism in online forex trading where the loss in investment is automatically stopped once a down trend starts in the forex market. This, too, can be applied to e-cards when used by minors.

Once control measures like the above are applied to e-cards and other mode of online payments youth participation in online gambling may be considerably and realistically regulated if not stopped. With such control at least the participation will be limited to free games or limited betting.

Instead of just centering on a legal age for gambling, putting limits on online gaming payment modes should be seriously considered. If we control the payment system we have solved half of the issue on underage gambling.