Betting was around when the first caveman turned to the next caveman and went:
“I bet you two mammoth teeth you can’t ride that sabre tooth for longer than one minute.”
Awful metaphors aside, we are firm believers in responsible gambling. That means viewing gambling as a form of entertainment, paying for the game and the experience, but not necessarily the win. Enjoy the game, the excitement and the occasional hit, but know that in the long run, the house always wins.
And winning is part of the excitement of gambling. And the rush and thrill of winning can be addictive. Gambling starts to become a problem when people stop playing for fun, and it becomes a compulsion, often to the detriment of their lives and those around them.
It’s impossible to say exactly what a problem gambler is. It varies from person to person. Be aware of your behaviour and any changes that occur. More importantly, be on the lookout for the changing behaviour of friends who may have addictions themselves. Help if you can.
General rules to gambling responsibly are:
- Set a limit: Limit yourself to the amount of money you can spend on gambling and no more. Only gamble what you are prepared to lose. If you find yourself going over your budget again and again, see points 2 and 3.
- Talk to your family and friends: They are your biggest support group and are most likely to notice a change in your personality and gambling habits.
- Talk to the staff at your online casino These days, online casinos are more regulated and careful than land-based ones – they have to be in order not to be shut down. If you think you’re spending more than you should, talk to their staff and ask them to set a limit or freeze your account for a while. Any good casino will do exactly as you request. It helps open up communication with the staff, who will start looking at your habit and notice any dramatic changes that could be signs of addiction. They don’t want addicts any more than you want to be one. It’s bad for the industry, it’s bad for business, and it’s bad for you.
- Call for help: If you can’t talk to friends or are not sure if you or someone has developed a gambling addiction, call one of the many groups and foundations that will be able to help. They have vast experience with problem gamblers and will be able to set you straight one way or another.
Gambling support groups
If you or someone you know are having problems with gambling, get help immediately.
Many local and international associations and foundations have been established for people with gambling problems, many of whom are anonymous.
There are too many to list them, but some international names include gamblersanonymous.org, responsiblegambling.org and gamtalk.org.
Some recommended national foundations which we can recommend are ncpgambling.org, problemgambling.vic.gov.au, gamcare.co.uk, problemgambling.ca and choicenotchance.org.nz.
If you know of any other reputable organisation helping problem gamblers let us know.
And remember, gambling is meant to be fun. If it stops being fun, stop and start talking.
