Responsible Gambling Week 2019: A Checklist
While we encourage our players to gamble responsibly all year round, Responsible Gambling Week gives us a chance to reflect on our gambling habits to ensure that we play within our means, and safely. This annual awareness week opens up opportunities for conversation between players, brands and organisations within the gambling industry, but please be aware that you can chat to us whenever you need us.
Responsible Gambling Week 2019 runs from the 7th to 13th of November, so you might see more advertising and discussion around the topic than usual, such as across social media or on the news.
In this blog, we have provided some pointers on what you can do in this special week to give your gambling habits a check-up and ensure you are playing within your means. Each of us has different habits and different situations, so it’s not a case of one size fits all. You should reflect on your personal circumstances to make sure that you are gambling responsibly.
1. Set a Budget
One of the first things to consider should be setting limits. Whether you stick to smaller value bets or are a high roller, you should be budgeting your gambling expenses properly.
It is advised that once you have paid all of your essential bills and budgeted for the usual monthly expenses, that you then budget from what is left over for your hobbies. Whether you are going out for a meal with friends, visiting family or gambling, you will need to factor in spending money.
Setting a comfortable budget will mean that you are always in control. When the monthly or weekly budget is used up, then that’s your lot until next time.
Betable provides the option for players to limit the total amount deposited over a daily, weekly or monthly period. Click the link for more information on how to do this.
Remember that there are no guaranteed wins with gambling, so it is best to consider your budget as an expense, and anything you may win could be considered a bonus.
2. Time Limits
In addition to budgeting, it can also help to set a time limit for your gameplay, whether it be so many hours a week or a daily maximum time.
Generally speaking, the longer you play, the higher the chance of losing more money. To keep yourself in check and to make sure you don’t spend time chasing losses, which you shouldn’t do anyway, a time limit can help you to stop when you should.
The Play Safe feature of Betable means that you can set session limits to keep track of the amount of time spent playing.
3. Take a Break
If you think that you need to take a break for a while, the Betable Cool Down service makes this easy to implement. You can help manage your gambling by taking a short break for up to 30 days.
Are you unsure of whether gambling has become a problem for you? GamCare has an online self-assessment tool that can help you to find out how much of an impact gambling is having on your life. From these results, you can reflect on whether you are gambling responsibly or not. This will help you to decide if it would be best to take a break, or even to self-exclude for up to 5 years.
4. A Clear Head
You may have seen the adverts regarding the BetRegret campaign. This highlights the danger of gambling when under the influence of drink or drugs, as it can cloud your judgement and you might make decisions you will regret the next day. This may involve going beyond your budget by overspending or placing a bet just for the sake of it.
It is also advised that you only gamble when you are feeling positive and in a happy mood. Making decisions when feeling depressed or sad could also lead to later regrets.
5. Valuable Resources
Whether you are a seasoned gambler or are relatively new to it all, it is worth taking some time to read through the available resources this Responsible Gambling Week. It won’t take much time, but could save you from landing in a difficult situation if you stop gambling responsibly.
You can check out resources from GamCare, Gamble Aware and Gamblers Anonymous. There are many more organisations, but this is a selection to get you started.
Always Gamble Responsibly
We want you to have fun when you’re playing at Hot Streak Casino. We also need you to be responsible and consider your personal financial and time budgeting to make sure that you can have the best possible experience with us.
Please make sure that your time spent at Hot Streak Casino is part of a healthy and sociable lifestyle. Spend time with family, friends and loved ones. We are here when you want to play, but we also want you to enjoy the variety of life, making the most of the people and experiences around you.
Consider these five points on our checklist this Responsible Gambling Week, and remember that there is always somebody to talk to, no matter how big or small your concerns.
Remember, when the fun stops, stop.
