Gambling Responsibly simply means being in control of your own decisions, time and money in relation to gambling.
Many people practice responsible gambling without even thinking about it, although loss of control can happen quickly. There are a few key ways you can identify if you’re in control of your gambling:
- You understand gambling is not a way to earn a living – it’s a form of entertainment
- You don’t gamble under the influence of alcohol or other drugs to the point where your decision-making is affected
- If you lose, you let it go; trying to win back your losses doesn’t work!
- You set yourself limits for what you want to spend, and you stick to them
- You don’t let gambling take priority over things like work, family, and friends
- When people begin to lose control of their gambling, they can become at risk of problem gambling.
SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
The potential for developing a risk of problem gambling can vary dramatically as a result of many factors that people can encounter in everyday life. This Self-Assessment tool can be an effective way of understanding your personal circumstances regarding your participation in gambling.
SIGNS OF DIFFICULTY
Problem gambling or gambling addictions can form when you are no longer able to control the amount of money, or time you spend gambling.
While problem gambling occurs in a very small percentage of the population, it affects a wider circle of people around them. Different societal situations and changes in circumstances can quickly cause gambling to go from being fun and enjoyable, to being out of control and having negative impacts.
Some signs you may be at risk of problem gambling can be:
- When you lose a bet, you try to win it back
- You gamble more money than you can afford to; or originally wanted to spend
- You keep losing track of time when gambling
- You’ve been staying away from work, university, family or friends to gamble
- You’re gambling to escape feelings of stress, boredom or depression
- Other people start commenting on how much or how frequently you gamble
- You start thinking of things to sell, asking to borrow money or consider stealing to find money to gamble
- You start earmarking future gambling winnings for bills, or household expenses
Chasing Lost Money
Placing bets for the sole purpose of ‘winning back’ money lost on previous bets
Missing important financial obligations
Betting should be a recreational activity undertaken with discretionary recreational money within your personal financial means. If you notice yourself having difficulties meeting financial obligations, consider reducing your betting, taking a break, or ceasing betting.
Exceeding your own limits
Setting limits can help you to manage your betting. If you find yourself breaking your limits, this can be an indicator of difficulties managing your betting. We provide ways to help you set limits through the ‘Deposit Limit’ tool.
Intruding on work, home or social life
If you find yourself being unable to balance betting with other parts of your life, it may be time to have a break or reduce your betting activity.
Getting Stressed or anxious about bets
Betting should be a recreational activity. If you find yourself getting upset or worried over the outcome of results, or betting for long periods on your own, these can be signs to take some time out and reassess the impact betting is having on your life.
Neglecting other responsibilities
Spending too much time involved in betting activity, or thinking about betting, while there are other things you should be focused on, such as work or study.