Gambling Resopnsibly
Gambling responsibly means being able to exercise control over your gambling activity and not letting it negatively impact other areas of your life.
People gamble for many reasons. Some people gamble for excitement, the thrill of winning or to be social.
From two-up on Anzac Day to an annual plunge on the Melbourne Cup, many Australians are able to enjoy a flutter without losing control. This is gambling in a responsible manner.
Gambling responsibly is when you:
- Are you in control of how much time and money you are spending
- See gambling as a form of entertainment
- Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose
- Know and accept the odds
- Keep sight of your chances of winning
- Accept that your spending limits may be less than others
- Don’t go back the next time to try and win back your losses.
However, gambling is becoming far more widespread and difficult to avoid. We can now play the pokies on our smartphones, and we are subject to sports betting advertising throughout our sports broadcasts.
This makes it easier for Australians to gamble, and harder for some Australians to say no. This can make it harder to gamble responsibly.
If you are worried that you are not gambling responsibly, consider chatting to a counsellor they can help you!
If you want to gamble more responsibly or cut down on your gambling try some of the following:
- Think of gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money
- Only gamble with money you can afford to lose
- Set a spending limit in advance
- Set a time limit in advance
- Don’t drink or use drugs when gambling
- Take a break
- Don’t gamble when you’re depressed or upset
- Balance gambling with other activities
- Never chase your losses
- Don’t take your ATM card with you.