Gambling Fun Facts
Mark Twain
Responsible Gambling, Gamble Responsibly
promoting responsible gambling in a secure environment
We promote responsible gambling and seek to provide a secure and responsible online gaming environment through compliance with industry best practice. Our intention is to ensure everyone who plays, does it for the right reason - to have fun. However, we are aware that a small number might find that gambling has assumed too large a role in their life.
We offer advice below to keep your playing habits at a reasonable level
Gambling should be entertaining and not seen as a genuine way of making money. Admittedly, there are professional players who gamble for that exact reason, to make money, but risks are limited and discipline is central. They are familiar with the terrain and experienced enough to anticipate a wide range of possible scenarios. As a professional gambler you are not as emotionally involved as other players and allow for all possibilities, so you can keep the outcome at a reasonable level. As a pro you have to gamble responsibly. After all, as a professional you can't afford to have gambling problems, otherwise your career would be over very soon. By implication this means, when you gamble responsibly you act like a pro. You may not be a professional gambler, but putting your profession on the line because of gambling related problems can't be in your interest either.
- Avoid chasing losses!
- Only gamble what you can afford to lose!
- Keep track of how much money you are really spending when playing - not only the amount you bet when you start, but also the winnings that you may spend. For example, some people believe that they have won £30 overall when in reality they have spent £60 in the process. This is the case when people don't pocket their winnings, but put them back in the machines.
- Using your computer’s clock is a good way to keep track of the time you have played.
It is important to be able to recognise signs of addictive gambling behaviour, so you can get the help you need. The following questions can help you to assess your situation.
Ask yourself:
- Did I ever lose time from work or education due to gambling?
- Has gambling ever made my home life unhappy?
- Did gambling affect my reputation?
- Have I ever felt remorse after gambling?
- Did I ever play to get money to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
- Did gambling cause a decrease in my ambition or efficiency?
- After losing did I feel like I must return as soon as possible and win back my losses?
- After a win did I have a strong urge to return and win more?
- Did I often gamble until my last dollar was gone?
- Did I ever borrow to finance my playing habits?
- Have I ever sold anything to finance gambling?
- Was I reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?
- Did gambling make me careless of the welfare of myself or my family?
- Did I ever gamble longer than I had planned?
- Have I ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
- Have I ever committed or considered committing an illegal act to finance gambling?
- Did gambling cause me to have difficulty in sleeping?
- Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within me an urge to gamble?
- Did I ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?
- Have I ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of my gambling?
Diagnosis criteria proposed by the DSM-V work group on pathological gambling
The following is a list of typical addictive behaviour in people with gambling problems as suggested by the work group on compulsive gambling. Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by at least five of the following:
- is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble)
- needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement
- has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling
- is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
- gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (intense feelings of depression, discontent & indifference to the world around them, for example feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression).
- after losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even
- lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling
- has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
- relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
compulsive, addictiv gambling and "co-dependency"
Most compulsive gamblers will answer "yes" to a number of the questions above. If you would like to seek professional advice or know someone who has problems and is willing to take the next step, then this is already progress. The person in question has to recognise and accept the problems this behaviour is causing, also with an eye towards others involved, such as family members and friends.Compulsive gambling does not only affect the gambling addict, but most often people very close who are concerned and want to make it all better. They suffer as well, maybe in a different way, but nonetheless. Co-dependency is a condition that affects someone's ability to have a healthy relationship. The co-dependent person often provides the problem gambler with further means to carry on gambling, for example by lending them money hoping that it will be the last time - they enable unhealthy behaviors such as compulsive gambling in a loved one while sacrificing her or his own needs. The co-dependent may deny a partner's problem just as the pathologic gambler himself would, and may even take the blame for problems caused by this addicitve gambling behaviour in an effort to keep the problem gambler from suffering consequences. What they don't realize is that this well-intended help only fuels further problem gambling.
Recommended websites for further information and help
Compulsive gambling is not something you can get rid off within a week or so like a cold. It's hard work. You might find the links below helpful. Good luck (no pun intended...)- www.gamblersanonymous.org
Gamblers Anonymous International, perhaps the most famous international help organisation.
- www.ncpgambling.org
National Council On Problem Gambling or NCPG is the national advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families.
- www.gamcare.org
The UK's top responsible gambling body.
- www.responsiblegambling.com
Responsible Gambling Council, based in Canada, with many resources about this topic available.
Protection for children and young persons
Here are some easy steps to help you prevent minors from logging on and playing without your knowledge:
- Block gaming sites from under 18s by using child protection software - we recommend NetNanny.
- Do not make your credit card or bank account details accessible to minors!
- Do not leave the "Save Password" option enabled on the gaming software login screens!
- Create separate profiles for your children on computers, so that when they log in they cannot access your information.
1 comment for this topic so far (Seite 1/1)
“A lot of things for people that you are currently pursuing a number
of other reasons. A follow up call from one of many parents,
PNCs, participation in that case once the wheels are in this state.
As the fee associated with the Institute for Personalized Medicine really
involves looking at all easy as it involves, to divvy up of the
agitated side. We want to avoid bad credit situation. Hi,
I don't settlement financing view that as it's launched.
We will continue to ratchet them up.”