Gambling can be a source of fun and a form of entertainment, provided it’s approached responsibly and with self-control. Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine how much time and money you’re willing to invest in gambling at the casino. It’s important to only spend what you can afford to lose and to take breaks from gaming machines periodically.
Responsible gambling entails:
Exercising control over the amount of time and money spent.
Viewing gambling as a form of entertainment.
Avoiding bets that exceed your financial limits.
Understanding and accepting the odds.
Maintaining awareness of both winning and losing probabilities.
It’s crucial to recognize that gaming machines and games rely on chance and randomness, with no guarantee of consistent winning outcomes.
Potential signs of problem gambling include:
Wagering more money than you can afford to lose.
Attempting to recoup losses by further gambling.
Prioritizing gambling over work responsibilities.
Resorting to borrowing money for gambling purposes.
Sacrificing important family engagements for gambling.
Experiencing feelings of depression, anxiety, or hopelessness.
Keeping gambling habits hidden from others.
Accumulating unpaid bills due to gambling expenditures.
Manipulating others to conceal your gambling issues.
Help
If you suspect that you have a gambling problem, it’s essential not to ignore it, as it’s unlikely to resolve on its own. There are various avenues for seeking help, and the choice of action or combination of actions is entirely yours.
If you or someone you know exhibits signs of excessive gambling, such as gambling with money they can’t afford to lose, chasing losses, missing work due to gambling, keeping gambling habits secret, or experiencing emotional distress, support is available.
If gambling causes you or your family problems, please visit the NHS Help for Problem Gambling page. You can take an assessment to determine if you have an addiction problem.
Gambling addiction can be successfully treated in the same way as other addictions.
GamCare and Be Gamble Aware offer free information, support, and counseling for problem gamblers in the UK, and Gamblers Anonymous can do the same in the US and Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858 or gamblinghelponline.org.au in Australia.