Responsible Gambling
Do You Have a Gambling Problem?
In this article, we’ll look at the most common signs of gambling problems and what you can do to take steps to combat the problem so you can live a better life, have healthier relationships, have more control over your finances, feel less stressed and worried about the consequences of your addiction, and help deal with the emotions underlying your online gambling behavior.
Risk Behavior
Check how many of these behaviors you recognize in yourself. You:
- Spend more money gambling than you planned.
- Get easily annoyed if something bothers you while gambling.
- Chase your losses, trying to win back the money you lost.
- Lose your sense of timing and stay in the game longer than planned.
- Don’t tell the truth to people close to you.
- Don’t quit when you get up, but keep playing until the money is gone.
- Have a firm belief that you will achieve big wins.
- Think you’ll lose because you didn’t play well enough.
- Spend more and more time gambling and thinking about gambling.
- Need to play higher to get the same excitement.
- Spend more time gambling than you let your friends know.
Places to Get Help
If you think your problem is so serious that you can’t control it on your own, there are many different groups and organizations that can help you through this difficult process of controlling your gambling problem so that it doesn’t ruin your life.
There are people who understand where you are and who can really help. For example, you can find a Gamblers Anonymous group near where you live. Pick up the phone and have a short chat. It can make a difference in your life. Seeing how you got on this page, you should be proud that you have taken the first step toward admitting that you have a gambling problem. Then you need to take the step to call one of the numbers below and start getting control of your life. Remember, there is no shame in having a problem and asking for help, in fact, it is the kindest action you can take for yourself and those around you to get professional help.
Below is a list of sites that can help you get rid of your addiction:
- BeGambleAware: https://www.begambleaware.org/
- GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
- RGC: https://www.responsiblegambling.org/
- Gamblers Anonymous: https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
