Betting Advice: A Guide to Responsible Gambling
Whether you are an avid fan of a national team and back them to win every match, or place the odd cricket accumulator bet now and then, ensuring you remain in control of your betting sessions is essential.
In this guide, we cover the most useful safe gambling strategies, tips, and tactics. So, if you're trying to deal with a gambling problem or are worried about a friend or family member's gambling activities, the following information will help.
Responsible gambling advice
If you are passionate about remaining in control of your gambling, these tips will ensure you stay on the right track:
- Set a time limit: Limiting the amount of time you spend on online betting sites is a worthwhile task. This will reduce the risk you face of becoming addicted to online betting.
- Set a betting budget: It is important that you have a betting budget in place, ensuring you are not overspending and putting yourself and your family at financial risk.
- Take regular breaks: Taking regular breaks from gambling is an advisable move. This will make sure you are making sensible decisions and allow yourself time to regroup before logging back into your betting site.
- Only gamble when you are in the right headspace: Gambling when you are stressed, upset or intoxicated is ill-advised. This is because not being in the right headspace can cloud your judgement and lead you to make rash gambling decisions.
- When the fun stops, stop: All bettors must remember that gambling is a form of entertainment, not an avenue to generate money. This is why when gambling stops being fun and entertaining, you must log out of your betting account.
Telltale signs of problem gambling
There are many signs that you are not gambling responsibly. These include:
- You are spending more and more money on online betting
- Friends and family members have passed comment on your gambling
- You find refraining from gambling hard or impossible
- You are spending an increased amount of time on betting
- You are placing riskier bets with long odds
- You are constantly seeking betting tips and free bets
- You are loaning money to fund your gambling habits
Top responsible gambling services
If you have taken the above tips on board and are still concerned about the amount of time and money you are spending then there are some responsible gambling services you can utilise. Many of these can be actioned via your chosen betting account.
- Deposit limit - A deposit limit is a feature that allows bettors to establish a deposit limit for themselves, allowing them to only gamble a specific amount of their own money. This restriction can be set on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
- Loss limit - By establishing a loss limit, you are telling your betting site how much money you are willing to lose. As a result, the amount of actual money you may lose from deposits is limited.
- Time-Out - By making use of your gambling site’s Time Out feature you can lock yourself out of your account for a certain amount of time, restricting your access to betting products completely.
- Self-exclusion - Self-exclusion is a feature whereby gamblers can exclude themselves from gambling activities on all betting sites for at least 6 months. This option can usually be found on the ‘responsible gambling’ page of a website. Players can also enforce Self Exclusion via GamStop.
Leading safe gambling charities and organisations
In the UK, we boast an incredible support network when it comes to gambling-related harm. If you are seeking professional help, the below organisations are there to aid you back to health and support you emotionally.
- GamCare - GamCare is a national organisation that helps those who have been harmed by gambling. It offers both free telephone counselling and face-to-face group sessions. GamCare can be contacted via phone - 0808 8020 133.
- Gamblers Anonymous - Gamblers Anonymous refers to itself as a "fellowship" dedicated to assisting compulsive gamblers in their recovery. Users can access details of local meetings on the Gamblers Anonym ous website; gamblers anonymous.org.uk
- GamStop - GamStop gives consumers the option to join the National Self Exclusion Program, which allows them to exclude themselves from all online gambling activities for six months, one year or five years.
- The Samaritans - The Samaritans provide a wide range of services to people who have been affected by gambling. These include counselling, mentoring and emotional support. The well-known charity works closely with the UK Gambling Commission to educate people about the dangers of gambling. Gamblers have the option to talk to a Samaritan on live chat at samaritans.org.
This responsible gambling guide has been developed by betting.bet; a UK online betting sites portal. Betting.bet is part of a larger network of brands which also includes free bets comparison site, freebets.ltd.uk and casino sites portal, casinosites.ltd.uk.
