The Cost of Ineffective Solutions: Why GamBlock® Is the Only Choice
Gambling harm causes severe consequences for individuals, families, and society as a whole, including financial, social, and emotional harm. In recent years, there has been an increase in underage children gambling offshore, which has become a major concern for many countries worldwide.
It's crucial to acknowledge that the gambling industry is a big business globally, generating significant revenue. Therefore, it's not surprising that casinos and help groups funded by gambling are hesitant to promote truly independent testing of gambling blocking software. However, the well-being of vulnerable individuals who are at risk of developing gambling addiction should be of utmost priority.
Many casinos and help groups funded by gambling promote GamBlock® imitators without independent testing to verify their effectiveness at actually blocking gambling. Many people are unaware of how damaging that such false claims of blocking gambling can be.
Traditionally, so called ambling help organisations, many funded by the gambling industry, fund auditing firms to arrive at a pre-determined outcome.
It's time to demand accountability from the gambling industry and the organisations that are supposed to provide help to those affected by gambling harm. The promotion of gambling blocking software that has not been truly independently tested is unacceptable. It is crucial to ensure that these software programs are effective before promoting them to vulnerable individuals.
Unlike its imitators, GamBlock® is independent, impartial and not funded by the gambling industry.
It uses advanced technology to block access to gambling sites, even if the user is using a VPN or other means of circumventing geolocation restrictions.
The issue of underage children gambling online using offshore personas is also a serious concern that needs to be addressed. Once children go globally online, they can be exposed to Russian oligarchs like Dmitry Machanenkov1, owner of an online casino. No rules of conduct apply to these globally available online oligarchs.
However, promoting ineffective gambling blocking software programs is not the solution. It doesn’t help that most media produce stories about penalties for land-based casinos. Physical casinos are a poor cousin to their many online counterparts. Many parents would love to see more local media stories2 about the extent of children's online offshore gambling.
The way to block online offshore and indeed any gambling, is the proprietary software of GamBlock®. However, not all gambling blocker software is created equal, and it's important to be aware of the differences.
GamBlock® has undergone rigorous testing to ensure its effectiveness. In contrast, imitators of this software have not been independently tested and are often funded directly and indirectly by gambling casinos and operators themselves.
It's concerning that these software imitators are designed to be ineffective, unlike GamBlock®, which has a proven track record of success. In fact, these imitators have loopholes that allow users to continue accessing gambling sites despite the software being installed. It is greatly disappointing, after all the hard work we have put in, to find so called help organisations would actually lead a person to install a product that most people harmed by gambling know does not work.
It's important that those seeking help for gambling harm and their loved ones do their research and don’t get hoodwinked. Indeed, they should be asking 2 key questions of any gambling blocking software vendor:
- has your product been independently tested, by whom and with what results?
- does the product or its promoters receive any funding or in-kind support from the gambling industry?
Not asking these key questions will lead to false confidence and a false sense of security, putting vulnerable individuals at risk. It's therefore crucial to choose GamBlock®, which has been rigorously tested and proven to be effective. Moreover, it's crucial to be aware of the potential biases and conflicts of interest that may exist in the gambling industry, including the funding of certain support groups and software programs.
Customer feedback is that there is nothing on the market as effective as GamBlock®3 and there are no more secure options than GamBlock®4 proprietary software.
Casinos and help groups that are funded by gambling should not be able to promote biased and ineffective solutions.
Ultimately, the goal should be to provide the best possible support to those affected by gambling addiction, and that means choosing tools and resources that have been thoroughly tested and are not influenced by the very industry they are designed to help combat.
In conclusion, it is now time to demand accountability from the gambling industry and the help organisations that promote gambling blocking software. Independent testing of these software programs is crucial to ensure they provide the protection they claim to offer. Together, we can help to protect vulnerable individuals, children and families from the harmful effects of gambling.
About the Author David Warr
I have been helping parents and children harmed by gambling since 2000.
It is my hope that the political will to help children and families harmed by gambling will eventuate soon.
Footnotes
3 - nothing on the market as effective as GamBlock®
4 - no more secure options than GamBlock®
If this article raises any issues for you, please contact the Child Helpline in your country, Samaritans, Gamblers Anonymous or use or our help information.