Problem gambling is about what negative consequences this action has on your life due to excessive betting or misinterpretation of what the final goal of gambling might be. When gambling starts to have visible or tangible negative effects on your day-to-day life, you are most likely to have a problem with gambling.
Luckily, the UK market is one of the safest environments for users to satisfy their need for entertainment of this kind. It is highly regulated, and there are numerous limitations and rules for operators to align with. But before we get into more details, this is a list of behavioural traits that will most likely be characteristic of someone who has a problem with gambling.
Placing bets with the intention of making a profit.
After a lot of consecutive losses, it is finally time to score a big win.
Not understanding that the house always has an edge.
Always thinking about your next betting session.
Telling lies and being dishonest to your close friends or family members.
Making important financial decisions with gambling being a decisional factor.
If your behaviour, decisions or social interactions are directly impacted by your gambling habit, you should consider seeking professional help. But as stated above, we will get into that in just a minute.
Responsible gambling is not just a principle that you must follow or respect. It is the sum of actions one should take when involved in financial gambling. These actions are tailored not only to help you remain within safety boundaries when playing with your own finances but also to approach the action of risking that money from a neutral standpoint.
Your ultimate goal for engaging in gambling activities should be relaxation and entertainment. Anything else that may negatively trigger your emotions or influence your perception will happen because you are not taking a firm and responsible position in regard to what gambling is.
To help you picture how players in the UK should apply the rules of responsible betting, we will go through seven vital rules you should always have in mind when betting on sports or gambling your money at any type of casino activity.
The absolute rule of gambling is to never gamble more money than you can actually afford to lose. Now, if you put it like that, a lot of players may find all sorts of interpretations and excuses to actually bet with no realistic limits in their minds.
Since our work at BetBrain is all about educating the community of punters, we have to explain what "afford to lose" means.
The amount that you must lose in order to have absolutely no impact on your life is the amount you can afford to lose. This means that you must be realistic about how much money you can really lose without impacting your emotional or financial state.
There is a good reason behind this practice of setting up limits, and it is not because of your inability to contain yourself. Gambling has a powerful effect on the brain, and you may not even realise you are already stuck in a toxic mindset.
So, it is compulsory to know when to back out before things get too messy. The best for you would be to take immediate action when reaching one of the financial limits. At the same time, no matter how tempting it may be, do not chase your losses. If you are in for the fun, there is no reason to think about that, so do not try to win back the money you lost.
With the proper mindset, you would never even get close to feeling negative emotions when gambling. However, mastering brain mechanics is easier said than done. Gambling should only be about fun and giggles. Negative emotions may interfere with your balanced state of mind and lead to "not-so-good" financial decisions.
If you are in the middle of your betting session, and you do not actually feel joy, or you feel like you are slowly sliding on the opposite side of the happiness measuring bar, please stop. Take a break to reconsider the reasons you are there for.
You see, even with the stringent measures and backup measures and strict rules, gambling is fun and thrilling because it increases your dopamine and serotonin levels. If you did not know, these two are responsible for all of your addictions.
So, spending too much time under the influence of dopamine and other neural components may lead to addiction, so set a time limit before you even place your first bet and do not expose yourself to this kind of environment more than you need to.
Please remember that gambling only has to be about having fun. The first slot machine was initially created for entertainment purposes, and it would reward you with chewing gum. Nowadays, considering it a source of income is only going to damage your finances eventually.
We know that you see catchy titles everywhere and colourful interfaces, and due to their aggressive marketing, casino games only promise fast profits. At the end of the day, casino games are algorithms designed to generate random results. Each game is luck-based, so do not force yourself into thinking that this visually appealing game can help you earn anything at all. Just enjoy the thrill and have fun.
Responsibility is about being aware of the risks gambling brings to the table and making decisions to lower the risk of developing an addiction. You can only do that with a clear mind, so we insist you do not gamble under the influence of any substances. It will interfere with your ability to estimate how risky your next bet is going to be. Avoid alcohol or any other substance that has any effect on your dopamine and serotonin levels.
We cannot stress enough the fact that you should prioritise yourself and take care of your mental health. If you are already in a situation and gambling has turned out to be a bad habit, you can ask for professional help.
If taking action may seem too difficult at this point, go and talk to a close friend or a family member. The fight against gambling addiction is not something you should do by yourself. There are plenty of institutions and professionals who can guide you in the right direction.
Do you know why the majority of experts in this field call gambling addiction a "hidden illness"? Well, because it does not affect you physically. Alcohol or any other substance addiction can immediately be identified due to its side effects. However, identifying gambling addiction is a process of introspection.
You are the only person who can keep you away from this type of addiction. If it is too late, it is still your responsibility to recognise the signs and take action. Both regular and occasional gamblers can develop an addiction to gambling, and the best way to prevent or cure it is to identify it first.
Here are 10 extra common signs that may indicate you have a problem with gambling.
You go over your head with spending money in the casino without considering if you can really afford to.
You are stuck in a race to chase your losses, willing and hoping to retrieve the money you have lost.
You have the tendency to lie about how much you spend in the casino or how much you lose.
You ignore your social life, avoiding your close folks and family.
The only thing you think about is your next betting session.
You tend to gamble everything you have until you run out of finances completely.
The only thing that excites you about gambling is increasing your wager.
You borrow money, so think about borrowing money from your friends with the purpose of winning back your money.
Lying, stealing, or cheating are now part of your daily life.
Thinking about gambling or casinos in general makes you feel depressed or anxious.
If our responsible gambling guide helped you realise that it is time to take action, you are very close to finally solving your gambling problem. Admitting it is not easy, and it only says a lot about how strong and resilient you are.
Luckily, the UK betting environment is very much under control, and we have to give credits to the UKGC for that. They monitor the iGaming sector tirelessly, regulating it with strict and health-oriented rules and laws.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission also has a list of all the organisations that can help you fight against your gambling problem. More than 10 institutions are ready to provide counselling and support. Pick one from the official list, or access one from our list of recommendations below:
National Gambling Treatment Service by GambleAware.
National Gambling Clinic with free services anywhere in the UK for people aged from 13 to 18, and 18 or more in London and South East.
We perfectly understand the struggle and how difficult it can be to make the first step and get in touch with an expert. We want to facilitate the dialogue and help you out. If you are a BetBrain member and you feel safer asking for help from this community, get in contact with us, and we will guide you.
Send us a message at [email protected], and we will make sure to give you the right suggestion and lead you in the right direction.