Responsible Gambling – How to Regain Control

Here at myracing.com, we are strong supporters of Responsible Gambling week – which runs from the 7th November through to the 13th.

Responsible Gambling is the principle that gambling should be enjoyable and helps to identify any warning signs for those that feel like their betting levels are becoming out of control.

We are determined to help our followers to use our Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Tips in a responsible manner, with the aim of helping you to gamble in a positive and unproblematic fashion.

Our focus today is on how to regain control of your gambling so that it remains an enjoyable, fulfilling past time, rather than a pernicious waste of time and money that places pressure and stresses on your life.

Set A Budget

It isn’t the first time that we’ve mentioned budgeting and it certainly won’t be the last, as it provides the easiest way of keeping gambling enjoyable.

By staking money that would be better served used elsewhere in your life on gambling, you are embracing a risky strategy that will inevitable lead to problems developing, both personal and financial.

Gambling what you can afford to lose, rather than that which you cannot, takes the stress away from gambling and leaves it still feeling like an enjoyable past time. Have a budget and stick to it, whether that be per day, per week or per month. By setting a Deposit Limit, as well as looking at your Account History, you can regain control of your finances.

Reduce Your Focus

There is now no sport on earth that we cannot bet on, with many bookmakers offering odds on events as varied as kabbadi, table tennis and Futsal, as well as the virtual world of motor racing and football.

It is easy to get carried away, even if your tastes are more mainstream, particularly with the return of the football season, the non-stop action from the world of horse racing and greyhound racing from various tracks morning, noon and night.

If you do feel yourself becoming involved with too many sports, then it may be best to reduce your focus. By betting on fewer sports, you will be able to save money and reduce the time you spend researching, betting and watching.

Time Management

Gambling every day of the week, or at least most days, has two effects – it will be a burden on your finances and your time. Reducing the amount of time you spend gambling will enable you to enjoy a more stress-free life, and will make the times at which you do gamble all the more enjoyable.

Try gambling only on certain days of the week, perhaps just on a Saturday, or wait for the big Festivals. Similarly, there is no obligation to bet on horse racing in order to enjoy it. The sport can be enjoyed just as a spectacle of equine and human achievement and enjoyed without any focus on gambling.

More permanent solutions

If you find yourself unable to monitor your own gambling through these solutions, then perhaps it’s time to reach out for help. This can involve reaching out to your bookmaker to help you limit your access, or to organisations which are focused on helping you stop gambling.

Bookmakers themselves offer two features which enable you to take time away from gambling. The first is the Cool Off Period, which prevents access to a site in the short term, most often a period of around a month. This can also be extended through Self Exclusion, which usually lasts a year and can last indefinitely.

If these options don’t help you reduce your gambling, then you should consider reaching out for professional advice. This is available from a number of sources, including groups such as BeGambleAware, Gamblers Anonymous, GamCare and Gambling Therapy.