Online Gambling for Free?

February 5, 2009

It would seem that you could play for free according to the recent advertising, but critics say that it is misleading and simply a way to get players into their casinos to participate in online gambling. Online gambling agencies have been offering to �give away� millions of dollars of �free� bets if you are a Queenslander and you open an online gambling account with them. The offers are anywhere from $10 to $1,000 to be deposited into your online gambling account depending on how much you deposit.

Critics say that not only is it misleading, but it is unethical to offer free money for something like online gambling. Social Justice Campaigner Reverend Tim Costello likened it to offering free drinks to alcoholics. He and others feel that it is morally irresponsible to make an offer like that knowing that those that are addicted to online gambling will assuredly be tempted into playing.

Most states already ban online gambling venues from offering financial inducements to bring in players, even though the companies say that it is common practice to do so. They say that across the online gambling industry people are doing just that, and they are getting away with it.

One company references a mail out that Centrebet sent out to 13,000 of their best online gambling clients. It offered them the chance to log into their account and accept the $10 �free bet� that they would get if they upped their membership. This is a blatant attempt to get more online gambling customers, yet nothing was done about it.





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