By Sarah Smithon Wednesday, 21 Feb 2007 Gaming enthusiasts who feel their addiction to online bingo and other gaming has spiralled out of their control will have access to a new online treatment service from next month.
The GamCare NetLine service will offer confidential advice to online gamblers afflicted by problem gambling, building on the success of the gambling charity's national telephone helpline.
A NetLine link will be featured on a number of gaming websites.
The demand for online support has been demonstrated by the success of the GamCare chat room and message forum, where problem gamblers have received support, tips and advice. The chat room and forum have grown by 300 per cent over the last 12 months, hosting over 27,000 messages.
NetLine will come as a precursor to a formal online counselling service courtesy of trained professionals, to be introduced later this year.
Gamcare has most recently weighed into the anti-gaming debate by urging mobile phone networks which profit from their gaming offerings, including Vodafone and T-Mobile, to invest in support services for gamblers.
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