Punting in Australia has grown exponentially in recent years, and for the vast majority it is purely a form of entertainment, often a way to add an extra element of excitement in a social setting. For many, however, it can quickly spiral out of control, and have a significantly detrimental impact on the life of both the punter and those around them. At AustralianBettingSites, we are strong advocates for responsible gambling, and while the hope is that you’re never touched by addiction, for those who are there are plenty of valuable tools out there to help provide the necessary support.
Signs of Problem Gambling
There is no one particular feature of problem gambling, but there are many consistent habits of those who struggle to control their punting. Keeping an eye on your own habits is an important way to prevent your own gambling getting out of control. Below are some signs which you’ll regularly see associated with problem gambling.
Chasing Losses
Plenty of people have an immediate urge to put another bet on when one fails, but this tendency to chase your losses is a habit which generally leads to gambling without thought, and often only compounds your losses.
Lying About Your Gambling
Whether it be to your family, friends or work colleagues, lying about how much money you are gambling or how often you are doing it can be a sign that you are not entirely in control of your punting habits.
Needing to Increase Spending to Maintain Interest
Part of the slippery slope into problem gambling is a need to spend more money to get the same buzz. Like with many addictions, it can be easy to fall into the habit of gradually upping your dose to get the same buzz, and if this happens to you it might be time to take stock of your habits.
Feelings of Irritability
Nobody likes to lose, but finding yourself engaging in arguments with those around you, or generally feeling irritable after gambling is another sign that you might need a reset.
Borrowing Money in Order to Gamble
If you’re gambling more than you can afford to lose then you likely need to take stock of your habits, and if you need to borrow money to punt then it’s safe to say that you’ve crossed that boundary. Borrowing money, taking out loans or asking others to bail them out is a common feature of a gambling habit that has gone beyond the parameters of responsible.
Gambling to Escape Problems
Another sign of problem gambling which is consistently mentioned relates to the reasons for doing it. Looking to add an element of excitement to a sporting event, or a social outing with your mates is not generally an issue, but gambling as a means to escape from reality can be.
Responsible Gambling Tips
There are plenty of things that you can do to keep your gambling in check, and the tools outlined in the next section are a great place to start. But short of actually seeking professional help, these are some easily actionable responsible gambling tips to help ensure you are gambling responsibly.
Don’t Gamble What You Aren’t Willing to Lose
This might be easier said than done at times, but this is a pretty straightforward way to look at things. As great as your bet might look in theory, losing happens – more often than not for most people – so before you bet, think: am I willing to lose this money if my bet doesn’t get up? If the answer is no, don’t place the bet.
Set Spending Limits – and Stick to Them
Spending limits are a great way to keep your gambling in check, provided you actually stick to them. This might be a weekly, monthly or yearly limit – whatever works for you, but make sure you have a method in place to ensure you don’t exceed it, whether that be something you devise personally or the use of the Deposit Limit feature available on Aussie betting sites.
Take Breaks from Gambling
When it comes to gambling, a break can be a great way to reset your mind and if necessary, wean yourself off it. Take a little bit of time away from the bookies – be it a few days, a couple of weeks or a few months – and there’s a good chance you’ll find that you feel less of a pull to gamble if or when you return. If you find it too difficult to even take any sort of break at all, then this is a sign that it’s time to take a look at some of the responsible gambling tools outlined in the next section.
Try Not to Gamble Under the Influence
It’s no secret that we lose a little control of our inhibitions when drinking, and unsurprisingly this extends to gambling too. This isn’t always an easy one to control, particularly if you’re out and about with your mates and looking to put on a social bet, but be aware that your decision-making is impacted, and your likelihood of winning is probably further diminished than usual, so if you must bet after a couple of beers make sure to keep your spending well and truly in check.
Utilise the Responsible Gambling Tools on Offer
There are a plethora of responsible gambling tools available to punters in Australia, some of which have been around for a long time and many of which are relatively new. Below, we take a closer look at some of those on offer.
Responsible Gambling Tools
While the popularity of gambling has grown significantly in recent years, so too has the prevalence of tools available to assist in gambling responsibly. Below are some of those you can lean on.
Deposit Limits
Deposit limits have been a requirement for Australian betting sites since 2023, and whenever you create an account you’ll be prompted to create one. You can choose the parameters yourself; how much you want to be limited to over what time period. Utilising this feature is highly recommended, though bear in mind that given the plethora of new betting sites popping up in Australia, setting a deposit limit with one bookie might not necessarily be a particularly difficult barrier to get around.
Self-Exclusion
Self-exclusion is a step beyond a deposit limit. This is also available with all Aussie betting sites, and simply involves you choosing a time period during which you will not be able to access your betting account. Bear in mind that again, if you do this for one betting site you will only be excluded from accessing your account with that bookie.
BetStop
BetStop is a national self-exclusion register which makes it a whole lot easier to stop gambling cold turkey if you feel that’s what you need. Rather than needing to go through all of your betting accounts and self-excluding or setting limits on each of them, with BetStop you simply register for a period of your own choosing, and you’ll automatically be unable to access any of your Australian betting accounts.
Professional Help Resources
Various professional help resources have been available long before each of the above responsible gambling tools, and still remain invaluable for many. These include phone numbers if you want to chat to someone, as well as live chats. Some of the major gambling help resources are Gambling Help Online (www.gamblinghelponline.org.au), which can offer links to various articles, blogs and other forms of support, and the Gambling Help Hotline (contactable on 1800 858 858). These responsible gambling services are free and available 24/7.
FAQs About Responsible Gambling
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions that people have about gambling responsibly.
What are responsible gambling tools?
Responsible gambling tools are essentially any resource that can assist individuals in gambling responsibly. These include general responsible gambling services such as the Gambling Help Hotline (available 24/7 for free on 1800 858 858), tools that are available on every Australian betting site such as deposit limits and self-exclusion, and perhaps most significantly, a national registry called BetStop which enables individuals to lock themselves out of all of their Australian betting accounts for a pre-determined period of time.
What is responsible gambling NSW?
In New South Wales, the Office of Responsible Gambling is a branch of Liquor and Gaming NSW which focuses – as the name suggests – on gambling responsibly. This Office manages a support network called GambleAware, which provides various resources to help individuals to manage their gambling, and provides advice on funding responsible gambling initiatives.
What does responsible gambling mean?
There are no concrete parameters for what is and isn’t responsible gambling in Australia, but essentially it refers to remaining in control and gambling only what you are willing to lose. Gambling responsibly is punting for entertainment, rather than out of a feeling of necessity, and ensuring you’re doing it in a way that doesn’t have a detrimental impact on other elements of your life.
What is considered responsible gambling?
Like with the previous question, there is no objective measure for responsible gambling. But if you find yourself struggling to control your punting habits, lying to those around you about your gambling, chasing your losses or feeling irritable after gambling, these are signs that you may need to take a step back and potentially utilise some of the above resources.
What is the responsible gambling policy?
There are various responsible gambling policies written by different organisations and betting sites in Australia, but as a general rule bookmakers are required to ensure that responsible gambling tools – such as deposit limits and self-exclusion – are readily available and easy to access for their customers.
Why is responsible gambling important?
As mentioned at the beginning of this page, gambling is, for most people, an enjoyable pastime which can add a little extra flavour to a sporting event. It can, however, easily develop into an addiction, and one which can have a dramatic effect on the lives of both the punter and those around them if not managed. The various responsible gambling tools which have become increasingly prevalent in the industry are pivotal to ensure that gambling can remain a part of Australian sporting culture with as little detrimental impact on both the individual and society more broadly as possible.