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Problem Gambling Mobile
As a gambler, probably one of the hardest things to spot is when gambling begins to overtake your life. It’s something you often don’t even realise is happening to you. You may even be reading this and think “Well that’s not me” and hopefully it is not, but it could be that you need to just stop for one second and assess how much you gamble and whether you do have a problem that you are failing to recognise.
Here we have put together a basic guide helping you wither reduce your mobile gambling so it doesn’t become a habit; while, it this guide can also help you cut out gambling altogether.
Recognising you need to start the healing process
If you do decide that gambling has been taking up a lot of your time, and you could actually be better off and stop missing paying the bills and actually have some money to buy some decent clothes, then should think about starting the healing process and get yourself back on track.
1 in 6 Australians have picked up some kind of gambling problem
Some statistics suggest that roughly 17% of Australians have picked up some kind of gambling problem. This may not seem like a large number, but if you are within this statistic, then the problem can be momentous and the stats means nothing.
The ways to spot whether or not you have a problem is to take a good look at some strong issues that can affect your day to life due to gambling.
· Losing sleep at night thinking about gambling
· Ignoring your responsibilities such as work or schooling
· Gambling for longer than the time you set yourself when you start
· Chasing your losses by often betting more than your original budget for that day
· Gambling as a means to hopefully pay a bill or pay off debts
· Missing meals and not eating properly because you spend too much time gambling
· Mood swings and aggressive behaviour: punching walls, shouting at family members, abusing animals in your house, excessive arguing
· Health problems such as panic attacks, breathing difficulties, high blood pressure
You could have all 8 of these, or just 1 or 2 of them. The point is that all of these are forms or tell tail signs of addiction to gambling.
Any single facet here can negatively affect your life. However, you first reaction may be denial, but if we told you that you are not alone, would that make you reconsider your initial answer and make you feel better?
And don’t worry if you do come under one of or several of these categories because there are plenty people out there fighting exactly the same habits and plenty that have been successful in doing so.
Over Half Million Australian Gamblers Have a Gambling Problem
Despite half million being such a high number, this only represents a very small number of the wider population. Nonetheless, the 500,000 out there that do have a problem still need to take that magical step and say “Yes” I do have a problem. This is the first step to recovery.
On a global level obviously the stats are far higher and so the problem is not just applicable to Aussies alone. In the UK and US gambling addiction is also a major problem.
Using Tools at Your Online Casino to Reduce your Gambling
Online casinos are well aware that they can attract gamblers that have a problem. There have in fact been several cases of people attempting to sue their casino for allowing them to compulsively gamble; however, many of these claims are unsuccessful. With that being said, some have managed to get some losses back, but it’s probably going straight back to another casino.
With this in mind, online casinos give their players plenty of opportunity to break their habitual gambling or at least reduce it. All you need to do is find the ‘Responsible Gambling’ section of your online casino. In here there are several tools and resources that can help you reduce or stop your gambling.
There are options to temporarily or ban yourself for life from the casino
This is known as the self-exclusion tool and is incredibly useful because the casinos are very strict with the tool, and give their members several options to take up.
· 24 Hours
· 48 Hours
· 1 Week
· 1-6 Months
· 1 Year
· Lifetime
These options are irreversible even if you happened to select them by mistake. No amount of complaining or pleading will change the casinos decision, so the results are permanent, which for those addicted to gambling is actually a blessing in disguise.
As online casinos do not allow players to have multiple accounts, and if found out your balance will be wiped off, you cannot get back onto the casino once you have ban yourself.
Financial restrictions can also be used
Other tools available are deposit limits that can be set to minimise the amount of money you can deposit. Yes – admittedly these limits can be changed at any time, but they come with a time restriction.
This is basically the perfect tool for those that like to chase their losses. Once the deposit maximum has been reached, you will have to wait for the specified time period that you set until you can deposit again.
· Daily Limit
· Weekly Limit
· Monthly Limit
If you do decide to change the limit, you still cannot chase your losses because it usually takes around 48 hours for the system to update any changes made. By then, hopefully anyone that is hot headed and chases their losses will have calmed down.
Getting a Breather
Effectively, these tools give you a breather from online gambling. For those that find themselves addicted to online gambling, they may even find that after a few days of not playing they feel better, don’t feel like they need to gamble and most importantly usually find other less costly activities to fill the time once used to gamble online.
Fixing Your Gambling Problems
Despite the many tools online casinos offer to help their more bet happy punters, there are still plenty of other resources available out there to gamble such as live bookies on the street and casinos.
Breaking the habit means actually not going to these casinos or establishments that take wagers for games. However, if you are far enough away from any such temptations, then you will not be tempted to slip back into your old routine. Nonetheless, there are many people that live in towns and cities where they can still access the means gamble.
How do I avoid gambling altogether?
Take up an activity that will fill void or need to gamble. If you like the adrenaline of gambling, then take up a sport that gives you the same rush. Go karting, visit a theme park, water slide park or even spend some of the cash you could have used gambling to do something outrageous such as learn to fly or better still sky dive.
Other options you have are to take up a hobby like horse riding, football, rugby or simply make time to regularly visit the gym.
It doesn’t take long to break the habit if you take it step by step
Every day you go without making a wager is a step closer to feeling better about yourself. Admittedly, gambling can be an escape for those that are in debt, but ultimately it makes debt worse.
Each day you realise that you have more money to pay off debts and the money you have spare gives you the chance to take up a new hobby. Even if that means trying every new cuisine possibly available to you by eating out.
What if I am in so much debt gambling feels like the only way out?
Honestly, there are so many people in debt that gamble that they need a release from reality. Gambling is that release despite the fact that gambling is a partial or major contributor to that debt. The bottom line is that if you are in debt, then you should not be gambling.
However, there is a way out of this. Tell you bank that you have a gambling problem – then visit a Citizens Advice Centre provided by your government to help negotiate a way to pay back the debt while freezing the interest.
Don’t worry if you have a mortgage. The last thing the government wants is for you to be homeless. Help is at hand, and as long as you can agree an affordable payment plan with your banks with the assistance of free government help, you will keep your house.
In addition, your banks will freeze any access to credit, so you cannot get further in debt, plus you will not be able to make any outgoing payments to companies known for representing online gambling transactions.
It may take a few days, weeks or months to get used to the fact you cannot gamble because you have totally restricted yourself; however, in the long run you will have more money, and eventually you will have paid off all of your debts gamble free.
I’m losing sleep because all I think about is gambling
Visit your local GP or doctor and seek help. You will not have been the first and you will not be the last person visiting your doctor regarding physiological problems as a direct result of gambling.
Attend support groups for those with addictive traits
Should you have made that brave step to not gambling, but you feel depressed, then think about it this way – you are not alone. There are plenty of groups out there for those addicted to a bad habit.
Gamblers anonymous is one of the most popular routes to take, but there are also many talk groups and support groups for addicts.
Support groups for addicts are for everyone. Not only drug addicts and alcoholics – gamblers are also welcome. It takes a lot of courage to attend, and equally admitting that you have an addiction takes courage. The people attending these groups are all in a similar situation where their addictive personality or traits have landed them in a position where they have all been brave enough to seek help.
Even though it sounds very harsh saying this, you may actually find that listening to the stories of others at the support group may even make your gambling habit trivial, which can actually give you a positive lift in the right direction.
Hopefully one positive side to your addiction is that you still have your health relatively intact aside from maybe heightened blood pressure.
Seeking advice through one of the many online help websites
Without a question of a doubt, there are plenty of people online that do gamble beyond their means. Some way more than others, and therefore recognition of this has produced several websites that offer help for those that want to read up on gambling addiction.
Websites such as these can often be the first port of call in order to seek advice on how to beat their gambling habit.
Many of these websites or advice centres have online chats and hotlines available as well as email addresses that you can use for communication.
Here some of the most well-known:
Global:
www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/gambling-addiction-and-problem-gambling.htm
www.smartrecovery.org/addiction/gambling_addiction.html
Australia:
www.gansw.org.au Gamblers Anonymous help page for Australia
United Kingdom:
www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk Gamblers Anonymous in UK
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/addiction/Pages/gamblingaddiction.aspx
For those that have gambling debts:
If you are in debt due to gambling, try having a look at the following site for advice on what you can do to get out of debt and reduce the financial constraint gambling has had on you:
As a very last resort, you may have to declare yourself bankrupt and take on a finical blacklist penalty. This would mean you would not be able to have a regular bank account, and you would not be able to finance any online gambling activity.
Although, we do advise do not go straight to the courts applying for bankruptcy without seeking professional and legal advice as the laws in your country could go against you if you are filing for bankruptcy as a result of a gambling problem.
There will be stipulations involved, such as visiting a support group and showing that you have made a real effort to rid yourself of your unwanted habit.
Seeking help using resources available through your company
It may seem crazy telling your boss or human resources department that you have a gambling problem. Nevertheless, many companies these days offer private and confidential consultation and have a responsibility to help you beat your addiction.
This especially applies to larger corporations that are bound by law to help you. If you cannot afford to seek help, then check with you companies HR department whether you qualify for assistance.
Everything, by law, must be kept confidential, and you cannot be penalised in your job or career prospects either. In addition, this cannot go on your record as a blemish as the people responsible for helping you within the company could get in a lot of trouble for revealing to any third party that you have approached them or are actively being helped directly due to a gambling addiction.
What happens if you know someone with a gambling problem?
Of course many people reading this will not have a gambling problem and you are reading on behalf of someone you are trying to help or want to try and help. We know that it is very difficult to get someone to agree to help or even admit that they have a problem.
Maybe one of these 2 sites below will be able to help you:
Stories of people who have battled and are battling gambling addiction
Another very useful website for those with a gambling problem, for gamblers in general and for those trying to help someone with a gambling problem tells the stories of those that have directly been affected by gambling addictions.
www.gamcare.org.uk/forums/recovery-diaries
A Final Word
We really hope that the information, resources and advice on this page has helped you. There are so many people out there today that either do not know or cannot admit that they have a gambling problem, and we know how difficult it can be to take those major steps to recovery. We hope that for all those negatively affected by gambling can find something here that improves their life and the lives of those around them.
Remember to stay strong and always think about the long term results of being able to rid yourself of a gambling addiction that has been bringing you down.
