Problem Gambling
Are you a "Problem Gambler"? Do you have an addiction to gambling?
If you came to this page, chances are you do have a problem.
Gambling is a past time. It is entertainment like watching a movie or playing a video game. Like all entertainment, you need to budget for it and stay within your budget.
Gambling itself should be the focus, not really winning or losing. If you gamble because you think you can better your financial situation, you have a problem.
Casinos offer a wide variety of games for entertainment. Playing the games itself is fun and relaxing, and of course there is the chance you might hit something big. That chance is admittedly better than hitting the lottery, but it's still a pretty small chance.
So if you are playing to make money, you definitely have a gambling problem. Gambling means spending money on entertainment.
Most addictions are triggered by a feeling of well being, be that alcohol, nicotine, drugs, extreme sports, sex, chocolate, you name it. People become addicted to all sorts of things. In gambling, a nice win can start a succeptible person down the road of addiction.
Some of the warning signals of a destructive gambling habit are
- You spend increasing amounts of time gambling
- You spend increasing amounts of money gambling
- You are trying to "win your money back", you are chasing your losses
- You are trying to hide your activities from others
- Your gambling interferes with work
- Your gambling interferes with your social life
If any of the above points apply to you, you should stop gambling.
Some of the steps to take to help you stop
- Tell all the casinos where you have played to close your accounts. This applies both online and offline.
- Open a new email account, tell your friends and those businesses you want to do business with about it, and close your old email account.
- Start a new hobby. You need to replace the destructive habit with a constructive one.
- Get help!!! Below you will find a list of places that will help you.
Here are links to organizations that provide help to problem gamblers
- Gamblers Anonymous
- GamAnon
- GamCare (UK)
- GamBlock blocks access to online Gambling
Below please find additional, more specialized listings
- Gambling Help in Australia
- Gambling Help in the US
- Gambling Help in Canada
- Gambling Help in New Zealand
- Gambling Help in the UK
- Gambling Help in Europe
