All forms of gambling offer some of the most exhilarating gaming experiences out there. However, it’s important to remember as well that gambling can be an extremely addictive activity.
If you choose to play at an online casino, sportsbook, or any other type of betting site then you should stay aware of how much time you are spnding online and never spend more money than you can afford.
All gambling sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission have responsibilities that include giving customers the ability to manage their own betting habits through their account. Here are some of the tools that you can use to limit how much you spend online:
Time Outs– block yourself from a casino for a period of a day, week, or month.
Spend Limits– set a limit on how much you can deposit, wager or lose over a day, week or month. If you set limits you won’t be able to play any more until the set period has completed. This only applies to the site you set your limits on.
Self-Exclusion– This is a powerful option to stop yourself from gambling online. The minimum self-exclusion period is six months, but it can be longer, and even permanent. With self-exclusion the operator must not send any marketing communications to the customer which could entice them back to the site, or to sign up elsewhere.
There are other ways to manager your gambling, such as keeping a diary of how much you spend, or setting a monthly budget. These take strong will power to stick with though, so be realistic about the best way to manage your spend.
Gambling Addiction
If you think that you have a gambling problem then you should seek help. Sometimes it’s hard to know if you have an addiction. Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you understand if you have a problem:
- Do you spend more than you can afford to bet with?
- Are you spending more time than you should on gambling sites and do you find it hard to stop?
- Are you thinking about gambling even when you aren’t online?
- Do you like about your gambling and how much you spend?
- Do you get into arguments about your gambling habit with friends and family?
- Have you lost interest in other areas of your life like hobbies and relationships?
- Do you run out of money frequently from gambling?
- Have you ever stolen or borrowed to fund gambling?
- Do you even chase your losses to try to get money back?
- Have you started to gamble more to get the buzz back?
- Do you feel depressed or guilty about your gambling?
If you have been through these questions and you now feel like you do have a problem with gambling. There are many charities that are there to help. Here are a few – follow links to their websites to start getting help:
Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
BeGambleaware – BeGambleaware.org.uk
Gamblersanonymous – www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk
Addiction Helper – www.addictionhelper.com
