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This independent comparison website helps consumers choose the best available gambling products matching their needs. We offer high quality advertising services by featuring only established brands of licensed operators in our reviews. We receive commission for advertising the brands listed on this page. This may influence brand ranking. Please note that although we endeavor to provide you with up-to-date information, we do not compare all operators on the market.

Responsible Gaming: Know Your Limits

First and foremost, we would like to make it clear to our readers that gambling is a form of entertainment. This means that any person involved in a gambling activity should be able to enjoy the thrill and excitement of wagering their money on a particular outcome – whether it be sports or casino related – and come away feeling as though they’ve taken part in a fun and exciting pastime: winning or losing aside.

Needless to say, gambling is a major passion of ours, and we would love to see as many people get the same pleasure and excitement out of gambling that we do. This is precisely why we’ve gone ahead and compiled this page to warn our readers about all the possible dangers of gambling addiction, and also provide a number of solutions for people who may already suffer from an addiction problem. All the bookmakers we’ve covered in our reviews are obliged to comply with the UK’s strict rules and regulations with regard to promoting responsible gambling. This means that if you’re ever in doubt and feel as though you’re starting to develop an unhealthy gambling habit, you can refer to the page footer of your favoured bookmaker or online casino, check the list of responsible gambling affiliated organisations, and start seeking assistance.

How to Spot Signs of Addiction

Is Gambling Always On Your Mind - Spotting The Signs of Gambling AddictionWith so many operators offering their betting services via mobile and tablet, as well as on desktop and inside retail outlets, access to online and offline gambling in this day and page is easier than ever. With this in mind, it can at times be difficult to distinguish a gambling habit from a real addiction to gambling. For instance, a great number of punters out there will feel as though they’re able to enjoy the odd bet every now and again, or even perhaps a few times a week without really becoming addicted.

Habitual gambling can however turn into dependency and addiction quicker than you might like to believe, and if you already have a gambling habit, the signs of a real addiction problem can be a little harder to notice. For this reason, we’ve listed a few important signs to look out for that will help you spot when you or someone close to you has a real gambling problem.

How to Combat Gambling Addiction

If you’ve started to recognise a few of the symptoms listed above either in yourself or a person close to you, and you’re starting to question whether or not it’s because of a gambling problem, it’s extremely important that you be honest and express your worries with somebody you can trust. The first step to overcoming an addiction is for the person to first admit that they have a problem; then and only then can they begin accept the help and assistance they need and work toward a solution.

After this, we would recommend contacting the preferred bookmakers of the person in question and go about setting up a period of self-exclusion, or an extended timeout period so that they can take some much needed time away from gambling. Many bookmakers will also have systems in place that will not only prevent a player from accessing their online account, but with a passport check or proper identity verification procedure, they can also prevent that person from entering into a betting retail store. After this, the next recommended step would be to contact one of the organisations listed here and seek professional help. Each of the listed companies can provide free and confidential support in which experienced staff are on-hand to offer expert advice, useful information, and counselling in your local area.

Preventative Measures

Keep A Gambling Diary - How To Prevent Addiction To prevent what should be a fun and sociable habit turning into a harmful addiction, there are a number of precautionary measures that can be carried out to help you stay within your limits and maintain control of your gambling activities. While there are of course no surefire methods or techniques that can guarantee a person from ever developing a habit, the short points listed below go a long way to encouraging a sensible, and slightly more cautious approach to gambling.

Remember: although gambling by its very definition involves a risk, this should always be a well calculated, responsible risk that never puts you or those around you in danger of accumulating financial debt, or that calls into question your physical and or mental health.

Anonymous Testing

As is the case with most types of addiction, coming out and admitting that you have a problem is often the hardest, and first step to recovery. The organisations listed above not only provide completely anonymous help and support, but they also offer anonymous self-assessment tests that can gauge the seriousness of your gambling habit. No registration or identity verification is required; all you need do is be completely honest and answer a series of questions as accurately and as truthfully as you can. These tests can be found on the GambleAware and GamCare websites, and are course completely free of charge.