Responsible gambling basics: Staying in control
Playing online slots, handling cards in table games, betting on sport and bluffing people in poker are all hugely entertaining activities, but they also involve an element of risk.
Put simply, nothing is ever guaranteed in the gambling world. One minute you could be up, the next things aren’t going your way. That’s what makes gambling exciting, but it can also create problems. Avoiding these problems while still having fun is the goal of every responsible gambling strategy.
You need to know when to play and when to stop. This guide explores the thorny issue of problem gambling and how it can sap the fun out of betting. We’ve also listed the best ways to implement a responsible gambling strategy and stay in control at all times. So, if you want to enjoy the thrills of gambling in a safe and responsible way, scroll down now.
🤔 What is responsible gambling?
Responsible gambling is the art of control in gambling. All forms of gambling, from casino gaming to sports betting, involve a certain amount of risk. That’s why you can’t bet recklessly. To put things in metaphorical terms, a bankroll is your lifeblood. It’s the thing that keeps you alive in the gambling world and allows you to not only play for cash prizes but claim bonuses.
Therefore, you need to keep your bankroll safe. You do that by practising responsible betting, which means you have to be controlled at all times. Of course, it’s easy to say that you need to control your gambling habits, but it’s another thing to do it. You need ways to stay in control. It all starts with an understanding of what responsible gambling means and, in turn, what the signs of problem gambling are.
From this foundation, you need betting strategies and tools to remain in control. We’ll outline the best ways to gamble responsibly later in this guide. For now, just know that a responsible gambler is someone who thinks about every bet they make, how they make bets and how they approach betting in general.
☢️🎲 What is problem gambling?
Betting beyond your limits and losing control is the result of a gambling problem. They’re the symptoms of problem gambling, but the issue is slightly more complex. In essence, we can use the terms problem gambling and compulsive gambling interchangeably. Why? Because gambling activities can be addictive. That’s understandable. You can win money and there’s an element of uncertainty that triggers endorphins. Basically, it can be fun to gamble.
However, people can get addicted to these emotions. That’s when problems occur. People keep gambling, even when they shouldn’t because they’re chasing certain highs. This won’t happen to everyone, but it does happen. The good news is that a problem isn’t inevitable or unsolvable. The best online gambling sites offer a wealth of responsible gaming and betting resources, including tips, advice and tools to help you stay in control.
Put simply, the more you know, the more chance you’ve got of spotting a problem and fixing it before it gets out of hand. Gambling can be fun, but it also has an element of risk. All gamblers need to be aware of these risks, which is why we’ve created this guide. We want you to know everything there is to know about problem gambling and the controls you can use to, firstly, prevent a problem and, secondly, fix one if necessary.
🔔 Why is gambling awareness important?
Gambling awareness is important because it shows you’re thinking about your bets. When you’re thinking, you’re at less risk of losing control and doing things that could be harmful. Being aware doesn’t mean you automatically stop after a loss, or you only take bets with the shortest odds.
It simply means you understand the importance of gambling responsibly, you know what the implications of losing control are and you have a strategy in place. As long as you’re aware of these things and stick to your own betting strategy, you’ll be able to enjoy the best online casinos, sportsbooks, poker and bingo sites.
🚩 How to recognise a gambling problem
As we’ve said, knowledge is power when it comes to avoiding problems when you gamble. According to the NHS, in collaboration with organisations such as Gamblers Anonymous, these are the common signs of a gambling problem:
- You spend a lot of time thinking about gambling and, in particular, chasing losses
- You spend an increasing amount of money on gambling activities over time
- You start chasing losses more frequently
- You get irritated easily when you’re gambling, or when you’re thinking about gambling, or when you’re trying to stop gambling
- You’ve had arguments with people and/or lost relationships with family and friends over gambling
- You’ve seen a decline in your job performance
- You’re less social than you used to be
- You’ve committed a crime/been tempted to commit a crime in order to fund your gambling habits
- You’re spending more money than you’ve got/you’re borrowing money to gamble
- You use gambling as a way to escape your life/as a cure for boredom and stress/as a way to cheer yourself up
- You lie about the amount of time you spend gambling
- You hide your gambling from others
- You’ve tried to stop gambling but can’t
There could be other signs of problem gambling that are specific to you. However, if you’ve experienced at least one of the above symptoms, you may be at risk of developing a gambling problem.
👨🏫 Steps you can take to gamble responsibly
Safer gambling is a combination of theory and practice. You need to know what the issue is and how to spot a potential problem. However, you also need practical tips and strategies to keep yourself safe. The following online gambling tips will keep gambling fun and help you stay in control.
Spending tracking
You won’t know if you’re betting beyond your limits if you don’t track your gambling activity. The good news is that you don’t have to do this manually. Leading online casinos and betting sites provide a complete breakdown of your account activity, including the amount you’ve bet, the money you’ve won and the money you’ve lost. Make sure you keep track of these figures on a regular basis.
Timeouts
Self-exclusion is always an option. Licenced and legit online gambling sites give you the chance to take a timeout whenever you need it. These timeouts can range from a few hours, days or weeks to a permanent ban. You should make use of self-exclusion tools whenever you feel like you’re losing control or betting isn’t fun anymore.
Blocking gambling transactions
If self exclusion isn’t enough to keep you from betting, you can block transactions to online gambling sites via your bank or financial institution. For example, if you bank with Santander, you can go into your online banking account and restrict deposits to all recognised gambling sites.
Walking away
Another way to stop gambling addiction in its tracks is to simply walk away. This could mean physically walking away from the table in a land-based casino or metaphorically backing away from betting online. This, of course, requires a lot of willpower. You can start by identifying the triggers that cause you to gamble.
Once you’ve done that, work on ways to take action. You can also try to replace gambling with another activity, create healthier habits and use relaxation techniques to fight the urge when you want to gamble. You can on how to combat addictive behaviours.
Getting outside help
A problem shared is a problem halved might be a cliched saying but it’s based on a logical foundation. You may be capable of solving the problem on your own but why not lean on others if you can?
Having a network of people to keep you in check is a great way to ensure you’re always gambling responsibly. These people can be family and friends or experts at one of the UK’s various problem gambling organisations. You’ll find links to reputable gambling charities in the final section of this guide.
🩹 What responsible gambling measures do UK casinos and bookies implement?
The onus to gamble safely is, primarily, your responsibility. However, you’re not alone. Licensed operators, including Betway, Ladbrokes, 32Red and Unibet, all have an obligation to help. In fact, it’s a regulatory requirement that gambling operators licensed in the UK provide responsible gambling tools. Therefore, when you use a top-rated bookie, casino, poker or bingo site, you’ll have access to these tools:
Self-exclusion
You can disable the login option for your account if the urge to gamble is too strong. This restriction can be put in place for a few hours (cooling off), it can be for a few days or weeks, or it can be permanently (complete account closure).
Setting deposit limits
A good way to control the amount you bet is by limiting your deposits. You can do this by restricting the amount of money you can deposit per day, week or month. You can also block certain payment options and the number of deposits you’re allowed to make in a given period of time.
Reality checks
Having a prompt that tells you how long you’ve been active is a great way to maintain control. This feature is available at all gambling sites, but it’s particularly useful when you use online casinos. That’s because it’s easy to lose track of time when you play online slots, watch cards fly in table games or spin the prize wheel in live games. A reality check will tell you how long you’ve been playing based on time intervals you set.
Session limits
If a reality check doesn’t stop you from playing/betting longer than desired, use a session limiter. You can set the amount of time you want to be active for and, once it’s reached, the software will automatically log you out.
Loss limits
You can limit the amount of loss you incur in a given session, day, week or month. The limit you set will be based on the amount of money you’ve got to gamble with and your personal tolerance level. However, as a general rule, you should aim to stop before your losses reach 5% of your total bankroll.
🛑 What is GamStop?
is a free service that allows you to implement various controls when you gamble online. Once you’ve joined, verify your identity and use it to disable the login options for all sites associated with GamStop.
Essentially, GamStop allows you to implement the self-exclusion options across multiple sites using a single portal. The organisation also offers tips and advice on how to gamble responsibly, as well as contact details for gambling helplines.
🦺 What is Safer Gambling Week?
Safer Gambling Week UK, a pivotal annual campaign, promotes responsible betting and casino practices through education within the gaming community. Its biggest point is preventing gambling addiction by providing information about tools and resources for self-control.
Safer Gambling Week's focus is on online gaming and participants are taught how to set limits, utilize self-exclusion tools, and seek help when needed. By providing comprehensive information and advice, Safer Gambling Week ensures that players are equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their gambling habits.
One of its biggest highlights is the importance of community participation, especially in terms of support available for those at risk. Through a strategic blend of promotion and awareness, Safer Gambling Week contributes significantly to building a safer and more responsible gambling environment in the UK.
🆘 Who to call when you have a gambling problem
Licensed UK online casinos and bookies are built on a foundation of safer gambling. Part of this foundation are organisations that focus on customer safety. Each gambling helpline listed below has experts on hand 24/7. This means you can contact them at any time and get help. Finally, and most importantly, you don’t have to pay for any of these services, so it makes sense to use them. Click the following links any time you feel like gambling has become a problem:
Gambling should always be fun. This guide has given you an overview of the potential pitfalls of losing control and how to address problems before they arise. As long as you’re aware and know how to stay in control, you’ll enjoy the excitement of gambling in a safe and responsible way.
About the author
Daniel Smyth
Daniel Smyth has seen the online poker, casino, and betting industry from every angle. He previously played poker semi-professionally before working at WPT Magazine as a writer and editor. From there, he transitioned to online gaming where he’s been producing expert content for over 10 years.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare –
- GambleAware –
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
