Responsible Gambling

Problem gambling - what are the signs?

Gambling is a fun pastime for many, but addiction is a real risk for everyone. It is important to identify the signs of gambling addiction to help prevent the problem, before it arises. The following signs (from GambleAware.co.uk) may indicate an issue with gambling:

• Spending more money and/or time on gambling than you can afford
• Finding it hard to manage or stop gambling
• Having arguments with friends and/or family about gambling
• Losing interest in usual activities and/or hobbies (like going out with friends and family)
• Constantly thinking or talking about gambling
• Lying about or hiding your gambling from other people
• Chasing losses or gambling to get out of financial trouble
• Gambling until all of your money is gone
• Borrowing money, selling possessions or not paying bills to finance gambling
• Needing to gamble with large amounts of money (or for a longer period of time) to receive a sense of excitement or buzz
• Neglecting work, school, family, personal needs or household responsibilities to focus on gambling
• Feeling anxious, worried, guilty, depressed or irritable

Preventing Problem Gambling - What steps can you take?

• Take A Short Break - If you feel like you are gambling too much, make a decision to take a break and stick with it, even if it is just for a day. Try scheduling your day in a very strict fashion to lessen free time which may lead to gambling.
• Be stricter with your budget - If gambling is starting to affect your finances, it’s time to impose a budget. Set aside an amount that you can afford each month, and refuse to deposit anymore, regardless of what happens. Most sites will let you set a monthly deposit limit, which will help prevent you from spending too much.
• Remember the losses, rather than the wins - It’s easy for us to look back on gambling wins with fondness, and forget all about the losses. If you focus more on the negative feeling that came with the losses (and how that money could have been better spent), you may find your urge to gamble fade.
• Educate yourself about problem gambling - When people have a problem with something, they usually avoid the topic altogether. If you educate yourself on problem gambling triggers and signs, you’ll be able to judge your vulnerability better. You’ll also find a ton of self-help advice on the internet, which can help you stop the problem for good.
• Take up a different activity/hobby - Cutting down on gambling is a lot easier when you have something else to focus on. Slowly replace gambling with a different activity or hobby, and you’ll be too distracted to even think about gambling.
• Self-exclude yourself from sites - If you would rather just remove the temptation entirely, you can self-exclude yourself from gambling sites for a period of time (usually at least six months). This prevents you from accessing the site entirely, helping you cut down by limiting the sites you can gamble on. Steps for self-exclusion should be clearly laid out on sites, but if you’re struggling to find them, make sure you contact Customer Services to push your request through.

Underage gambling - How do we prevent it?

In the United Kingdom, you must be at least 18 years old to gamble online. In order to prevent minors from gambling, most sites have age checks in place at registration. Players requesting a withdrawal will also need to have their age verified before it is processed.

Therefore, when registering at a new site, it is important that you enter all information correctly and honestly. As a minor, if you are found to be lying about your age while gambling online, you could face serious legal action from the operator. If you are above the legal requirement, you have nothing to worry about!

Parents can help protect their children from gambling too. Nowadays, most Internet Service Providers can turn on a filter which will block gambling sites from being accessed. If you don’t want to block the sites completely, you can usually activate a password function which allows you access.

Gambling support groups

There is loads of self-help advice available online, and it’s available whenever you might need it. A quick Google search can help provide answers, but we recommend visiting these groups first to get help:

• GambleAware.co.uk - GambleAware.co.uk has loads of great self-help advice, but it also provides players with confidential help and advice, if it is needed.
• GamCare - GamCare has a ton of contact options for players looking for confidential help and advice. It also hosts a great Self Assessment Tool, which will help you explore your problem in more detail.

Other helpful links

If your problem extends beyond gambling, it is important to take in all the help and advice you can. These links may help you with a number of side effects that come from problem gambling:

• Samaritans
• NHS Choices
• Mind