Believe it or not, internet gambling has actually proved to be beneficial for the elderly according to a recent study. The increase in activity and the socialization involved in gambling is believed to have a positive effect on the mental and physical health of gamblers who are 65 and above. Those who involve themselves in moderate gambling and not get addicted are generally happy and in better health than otherwise.
Most elderly people prefer simple games like lotteries and slot machines. Though moderate gambling keeps them healthy, they should be watched to see that it doesn’t get addictive. People who involved themselves in gambling were found to be sharper and there were fewer cases of depression. Most female gamblers over the age of 65 prefer slot machines. The number of elderly gamblers frequenting casinos has been increasing steadily in the recent years.
Since most elderly people have very little to involve themselves with, gambling will be one of the few things they can enjoy doing and will not need assistance with. Elderly people cannot involve themselves in active sports but they can stay active mentally as they will need to calculate a lot of things in games like poker, etc. Some of the casinos even offer special facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities. Gambling can be good way to interact with other people other than characters of their favourite soap episodes.
Gambling in casinos, riverboat casinos, bingo parlors, etc. serve as a fun way to chase away boredom. They find the food, glitz, music and the crowd very attractive. Most of these places offer free bus rides and meals for the elderly. Though there are people who consider this as a trick to get them into spending money, this is probably what they find most joy in, though a little check should be kept on how much and how long they gamble for.
