Responsible Gambling
Betcodes are committed to keeping gambling fun and enjoyable by helping people to stay in control and gamble responsibly.
Please note that it is against the law for anybody to gamble UNDER the age of 18.
Tips and advice on how you can stay in control of your gambling to keep it fun and ensure you are always gambling responsibly can be found below. If you are concerned about your gambling or that of a friend or family member, there are some tips on where to seek professional help and how Betcodes can help you gamble responsibly.
Betcodes Responsible Gambling Tips
- Only gamble with money you can afford to lose – Never gamble with money that you need for essentials, such as rent, bills or food.
- Don’t chase losses –Don’t try and get money back by betting more and going over your limit. This usually leads to bigger losses.
- Take a break – If gambling is no longer fun then take a break.
- Set a money limit in advance – Set a limit on how much money you are willing to lose before you bet or play. If you reach that number, it’s time to walk away.
- Set a time limit in advance – Set a time limit for how long you can afford to spend gambling and stop when you reach it.
- Never put gambling before friends or family – Don’t put gambling before other social activities or seeing friends and family.
- Gamble for fun and not a way of making money – Think of gambling as an entertainment expense – like going out for dinner or to the cinema. Gambling establishments are set up to take in more money than they pay out.
- Don’t gamble if you are angry, upset or depressed – You can’t make good decisions if you aren’t in the right frame of mind.
- Don’t drink or take drugs when gambling – Decisions that are made under the influence are often regretted after so don’t mix gambling with drugs or alcohol.
- Seek help – If you find yourself gambling when breaking any of the above tips then please scroll down for advice on how to get help.
Gambling Problem Signs To Look Out For
- Gambling more money than planned in an attempt to win back money lost (chasing losses)
- Spending more money and time on gambling than planned
- Lying to family or friends about the amount of money or time you spend gambling
- Losing interest in usual activities or hobbies like going out with friends or spending time with family
- Always thinking about gambling
- Gambling until all of your money is gone
- Needing to increase the stake of your gambling to feel the same excitement or buzz
- Borrowing money off friends, family or money lenders to use for gambling
- Resorting to theft or fraud to get gambling money
- Feeling anxious, worried, guilty or depressed
Your Bookmaker Can Help Responsible Gambling
Every bookmaker has tools built into their site to help you stay in control and gamble responsibly:
- Deposit Limits – Cap the amount you want to deposit over a certain time period from 24 hours, 7 days up to 30 days. Deposit limit decreases happen immediately but increases take 24 hours to be applied.
- Reality Checks – You can monitor the amount of time you’ve been playing by setting up reality check alerts which will pop up and alert you how long you’ve been logged into your account for.
- Cool Off Period – Some bookmakers such as William Hill have a ‘cool off’ feature where you can block access to their website for a set period of time, whether it’s one day or 30 days.
- Account History – Account history features will allow you to track your betting history, deposits and withdrawals so you can keep an eye on every transaction you make.
- Self Exclusion – If you want to take a longer break, you can ask bookmakers to block you from all products for a longer period of time, such as six months or a number of years.
Professional Help
According to the statutory British gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission, “Safe and responsible gambling comes from an industry that takes care of its customers, customers who are empowered with the knowledge to manage their gambling and a regulator that ensures the consumer is at the heart of everything we do.” The information contained here is intended to address the first two of these criteria. As we promote the services of gambling providers on this site, we believe it is important that our customers are made aware of the risks that can be associated with gambling, as well as information about where they can find further advice and support should they require it.
BeGambleAware
BeGambleAware aims to promote responsibility in gambling. Get key information to help recognise problem gambling, and where to find help & support if you need it.
Gambling Therapy
Gambling Therapy is a completely free online service which provides practical advice and emotional support to those outside of Great Britain affected by problem gambling. Gambling Therapy is part of the Gordon Moody Association.
Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous provide face-to-face and confidential counselling to everybody by sharing their experiences of problem gambling. In doing so users of this service are able to find strength and hope as a group to conquer their common problem.
GamCare
GamCare is a registered charity that provides confidential support and counselling via telephone for anybody affected by problem gambling.
GAMSTOP
GAMSTOP is a national online self-exclusion system.
Safer Gambling
Safer Gambling allows people to make sure they can gamble safely with licensed businesses as well as how to gamble responsibly by using tools to manage their activity.
National Gambling Helpline
National Gambling Helpline is a service that offers confidential advice for anyone affected by gambling problems. Calls are free on 0808 8020 133 and this service is available 24 hours a day.
