Online Gaming: Dangerous Or Not?

We’ve all heard the folk myths and horror stories about video games warping the minds of children and adults alike. Many claim that some of the violence seen amongst children or young adults is the direct result or playing too many video games, but many others claim that video games played no part in what may have been a pre-existing problem in somebody’s life. Still, even if online gaming doesn’t affect children or adults on a psychological level, does that mean it isn’t dangerous on other levels? Here are some of the pros and cons of online gaming along with ways in which to use internet-based platforms responsibly.

Multiplayer gaming.

The most popular strand of online gaming is, obviously, multiplayer gaming with either friends or strangers on the internet. There are numerous lines of thought regarding the dangers surrounding this, but the key is to teach your child about privacy in terms of personal information and communication with strangers. Much like you’d tell your child never to accept candy from a stranger, you simply need to teach them never to give out their details online to strangers. However, when it comes to the simple act of playing online games with people, who are likely kids themselves, there isn’t as much danger. You could always encourage your kid to play online games with friends rather than strangers if it makes you too anxious.

Betting.

This breed of online gaming is applicable only to adults, but it’s an interesting area of “gaming” as it can be dangerous in many other ways. The fear of using a dodgy site might be the first thing that springs to your mind, but, on a very practical and “real world” level, betting online can be dangerous for much the same reason as betting offline: gambling addiction. The key is to always take precautions and not simply gamble online because it’s easier to do so there than it is offline if anything.

Advertising for betting has improved over recent years, given the “When The Fun Stops, Stop” campaign. At the end of the day, your judgment will tell you whether you’re playing for fun or not. Gaming should always be about having fun. It’s all about using trusted sites as well as being sensible in terms of how much real-life money you pour into this type of online gaming, and you could look into the best slots to play if you want to start with trusted casinos. Much like drinking alcohol, smoking or even eating junk food, betting in an online environment is all about doing so in moderation; only you know whether you’re doing it for a fun, occasional thrill or on an overly regular basis. In moderation, it isn’t dangerous.

Augmented reality.

Whilst this mainly refers to the success of Pokémon Go in 2016, augmented reality is likely going to seep into other games in the future. In itself, this game was highly popular and fun for kids and adults alike, but it came with risks for people of all ages. There were incidents in which criminals lured people to certain locations and stole their possessions. This brought to light the risks involved with using an augmented reality game that still relied on the physical world. As with all dangers in the real world, the best piece of advice is simply to use such games with friends, pay attention to your surroundings and never stray out of public areas.