Responsible Gambling

In the last five years, legal sports betting has expanded to more than half the United States, and other forms of legal gambling (both in person and online) are likewise becoming increasingly available. These new opportunities to bet bring an increased need to practice responsible gambling.

In addition to sports betting, many states have lotteries, horse racetracks, retail casinos, poker rooms, daily fantasy sports, charitable gaming, and other ways to gamble legally. Gambling can be a fun and entertaining activity for responsible adults, but it can easily turn negative if approached recklessly or without sufficient understanding of the risks involved. 

On this page, we’ll provide information and advice about how to practice responsible gambling as well as some tips for recognizing signs of problem gambling. We also provide links to resources for problem gambling treatment.

Bet smart, bet responsibly

Here at The Sporting News, we report on various aspects of legal gambling, especially legal sports betting. Placing a legal bet at a retail or online sportsbook can add excitement when following a game. Even the process of researching a bet beforehand can bring a lot of pleasure to those who enjoy delving into statistics and probabilities.

Not everyone approaches sports betting with that much study or rigor, but betting as a form of casual fun is fine, too. However much thought you put into your sports bets, don’t forget that any time you gamble there is always a chance you will lose. For that reason, it is important never to gamble with money you cannot afford to lose.

Responsible gambling involves being informed about these risks and always understanding the chances of losing your stake. There are more steps bettors can take to ensure they gamble responsibly. Meanwhile, those who provide betting opportunities, such as sportsbook operators, can follow guidelines to make it easier for their customers to be smart about their wagering and avoid the pitfalls of problem gambling.

Let’s consider some of the tips and recommendations bettors can follow to gamble responsibly as well as some of those best practices that can help gambling providers create a safe and positive gambling environment. 

10 responsible gambling tips for bettors

Gambling only with money you can afford to lose is crucial, but that’s not the only thing bettors can do to make sure they are gambling responsibly. Much as a sports bettor will pay close attention to the game at hand, you should also monitor other aspects of your gambling activities to make sure you don’t fall prey to potentially destructive habits. 

If you keep the following 10 recommendations in mind every time you gamble, you will put yourself in a favorable position to bet responsibly. 

1. Never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose. Set aside “discretionary” funds with which to gamble and restrict yourself to using only that money.
2. Relatedly, never gamble with money you need for food, bills, rent, mortgage payments, healthcare, savings, or any other expenses of a stable life.
3. Don’t borrow money with which to gamble, and don’t gamble on credit.  
4. Keep track of your spending when gambling, including chronicling your wins and losses. This can help for tax purposes but can also help you remain mindful of how much you are betting.
5. Self-impose limits, if needed, on your gambling, both in terms of the money you spend and the time you spend gambling. Be aware that many online sites have tools allowing you to limit your deposits, betting, time spent on the site, and so on. 
6. Be aware of the odds and probabilities when you gamble. Understand exactly how much you need to spend to place a bet and what the potential payouts are should you win. You cannot weigh risk versus reward without educating yourself about the particulars of your bet. 
7. If you win, don’t automatically “let it ride” and bet your winnings (or bet more going forward than you normally would have). 
8. If you lose, don’t “chase your losses” and try to win back what you’ve lost. 
9. Don’t gamble when you are less than alert from tiredness, stress, anxiety, or other distractions. It is important to be able to think clearly when you gamble. 
10. Relatedly, don’t gamble if you are intoxicated or otherwise impaired. You wouldn’t drive if under the influence as you could hurt yourself or others. You can also cause harm if you gamble in such a state. 

Following all 10 of those recommendations is a great start toward making certain you are being responsible when you gamble. 

10 responsible gambling recommendations for providers

Entities that provide legal gambling opportunities have to secure licenses in the jurisdictions where they operate. For example, in a particular state that allows online sports betting, operators have to apply for and receive licenses from state regulators before they can launch their sites and start accepting bets. Then, they have to abide by the state’s rules or risk losing their licenses. 

In a lot of cases, states will require providers to follow responsible gambling guidelines. Whether mandated to do so or not, sportsbooks and other providers should always strive to create conditions that make it easy for customers to practice responsible gambling. Keeping gambling a positive experience is not just good for business; it helps the community as a whole, which is also something gambling providers should be invested in supporting.

Here are 10 examples of responsible gambling guidelines providers can follow to keep their games safe for customers.

1. Be crystal clear with customers about odds, probabilities, payouts, and other details. Sportsbooks, for instance, should post the odds, lines, and payouts clearly to make sure bettors know what they are risking and what they might win. 
2. Relatedly, providers should be transparent when offering bonuses or other promotions. Online sportsbooks often offer “bonus bets” (and the like) to new customers. Operators should make sure the terms and conditions of such offers are understandable and clearly communicated. 
3. Provide tools to players to limit their spending and/or time gambling, and go ahead and impose limits for everyone in situations where it is necessary.
4. By the same token, make it easy for players to self-exclude either for a period of time or permanently.
5. Don’t advertise in ways that might encourage reckless or “degenerate” gambling. Never promote your product in a fashion that might be construed as being anything less than serious about problem gambling. 
6. Keep track of bettors’ activity, including tracking patterns and remaining alert for signs of problem gambling. Train staff to help them recognize such signs when they arise.
7. Be ready to act if needed to prevent problem gambling from occurring such as by limiting a customer’s betting or refusing to accept bets from the customer. 
8. Never allow illegal or underage gambling.
9. Refuse to allow patrons who are impaired or drunk to gamble.
10. Actively educate bettors about responsible gambling and provide information regarding where they can go to help prevent or treat problem gambling. 

Even those on the customer side can benefit from reading and being aware of these tips for providers, as they all indirectly highlight certain dangers that can befall bettors. As noted, in many cases, providers have to follow some or all of these tips as part of their licensing.

Common signs of problem gambling

Problem gambling can mean different things to different people. Indeed, when it comes to gambling, what might be genuinely problematic for one person may not be such an issue for another. 

Essentially, gambling becomes “problem gambling” whenever it introduces any sort of negative consequence into the gambler’s life and/or those who care about that person, no matter how small. Problem gambling can produce relatively insignificant irritations, only bothersome in a fleeting way. It can also cause catastrophic outcomes such as the loss of personal savings, the creation of insurmountable debt, or harm to one’s mental or physical health. Particularly grievous examples of problem gambling often affect the gambler’s loved ones as well. 

When a person fails to practice responsible gambling, there is automatically an increased risk that some form of problem gambling might occur. Gamblers should be aware of common signs of problem gambling and watch for such signals in themselves, and friends and family members of gamblers can also keep an eye out for these signs in their friends and loved ones. 

Here are some common signs of problem gambling. Some might be visible in those close to you, and some only gamblers themselves can know. Either way, clocking these signs can help prevent a slide into problem gambling. 

1. Experiencing feelings of guilt or regret about gambling.
2. Acting angry or irritable when asked about gambling, or when not gambling.
3. Misrepresenting one’s gambling, such as lying about wins or losses.
4. Being overly emotional about gambling (too high after wins, too low after losses). 
5. Having trouble enjoying any activity that doesn’t involve gambling, including socializing with others.
6. Gambling as a way of avoiding other obligations or life stressors. 
7. Spending more money gambling during a particular session than intended, or more time than intended.
8. Missing school or work or other obligations without explanation.
9. Not taking care of one’s health or hygiene. 
10. Not paying bills on time or at all. 
11. Withdrawing money unexpectedly or selling possessions to raise money.
12. Stealing or committing other crimes to raise money.

As noted, with some of these indicators, you can see them in others, but not always. As with other forms of addiction and self-destructive behavior, the problem gambler might actively try to conceal these signs from others, making it all the more difficult to detect the problem.

When assessing your own gambling, be honest with yourself. If ever you notice any of these signs or feel any doubt whatsoever about possibly becoming a problem gambler, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. 

National resources for problem gambling

There are a number of organizations throughout the US focused on providing help preventing and/or treating problem gambling. No matter which state you are in, you’ll find there are local resources dedicated to problem and compulsive gambling. In many cases, you can receive help and treatment at no cost. Meanwhile, national problem gambling organizations can be a good place to start as they can direct you to local resources.

Here are a few of the most prominent national organizations that connect individuals with problem gambling services and support. 

National Council on Problem Gambling

The best-known national organization focused on preventing and treating problem gambling is the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). The website contains a wealth of information that includes how to find treatment facilities, programs, counselors, and more. The site also has a page focused on responsible gambling resources useful both to gamblers and gambling providers. 

The NCPG website has a handy map where you can click on your state to find local resources. Many states have affiliates of NCPG, but those that don’t still have state-run organizations and other nonprofits for which the NCPG provides information and links. 

The NCPG also maintains the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network. The network operates 24-7 and includes a phone helpline as well as other ways to chat or text with NCPG agents. You can contact the network in the following ways:

• Call: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
• Text: 800GAM
• Chat: www.1800gamblerchat.org

Gamblers Anonymous

Fashioned after Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous provides a way for problem gamblers to assist one another. The fellowship-style organization enables members to join support groups and forums where they can share their experiences and strategies for recovery. There are no fees required to participate, only a commitment to work toward overcoming the negative effects of problem gambling. 

The Gamblers Anonymous website provides information about its 12-step self-help program as well as other materials such as a 20-question yes-or-no questionnaire that can help users diagnose whether they are suffering from problem gambling. There is a detailed FAQ, plus a page where you can search for meeting locations and times across the country as well as how to join virtual meetings.  

The Gamblers Anonymous Hotline number 1-855-2CALLGA (1-855-222-5542) is available in most states. The site also has a state-by-state list of problem gambling phone numbers where you can get help.

Gam-Anon

Another useful national organization is Gam-Anon where the focus is not on problem gamblers but on family members and friends affected by someone’s problem gambling. Gam-Anon connects such affected people with counselors and health providers who can guide them through the difficulty of dealing with a loved one or friend’s problem gambling. 

The Gam-Anon website provides a lot of literature regarding problem gambling and how to prevent and/or treat it, information about service and sponsorship, and how to find both in-person and virtual meetings where you can receive support. There’s information as well about how to get more concrete help via pressure relief and budget meetings.

Besides the website, you can phone Gam-Anon at 718-352-1671 or reach them by email at [email protected]. 

GamTalk

GamTalk is another helpful organization that seeks to connect problem gamblers to support one another. On the website, you’ll find chat rooms, a discussion forum, a page of shared testimonies, and a Community Wall where people can find and interact with one another. 

There is other information and links on the website letting visitors know where to find treatment and support in their areas. 

State-by-state resources for problem gambling   

Every US state (and the District of Columbia) has its own resources for those needing help with problem gambling. In some cases, these state-level organizations are nonprofits that operate on donations. In others, they are state-funded and part of the state’s department of health or another government agency. 

Here are links where you can find local resources for help preventing and treating problem gambling.

Keep it fun and safe by gambling responsibly

With sports betting and other forms of legal gambling continuing to become available across the country, focusing on responsible gambling becomes more important. Gambling can be great fun and provide lots of entertainment to those who approach it in moderation and with full attention to the risks involved. However, gambling can become negative and even destructive to those who fail to gamble responsibly. 

Always take care to study and understand the risks involved when gambling, and be ready to impose limits on yourself to ensure gambling remains a positive activity. Never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose. Most importantly, if you ever feel as though gambling might be becoming a problem for you or someone you care about, don’t hesitate to seek help from the resources described above.