Gambling Advice

Get advice on how to avoid gambling problems, or find confidential help and support if you or someone you know has a problem.

Gambling can be a harmless pastime but can become a serious addiction for some people. It can affect physical, social and mental wellbeing as well as creating debt.

Gambling problems can affect anyone, at any age, whether you have got money or not. Young people aged 16 to 24 are most at risk.

Stay Safe - Stay in Control

If you choose to gamble, take care to avoid problems by gambling responsibly:

• Remember gambling is simply a form of entertainment, not a way of making money or increasing your self-esteem

• Before playing, set strict limits on how much time and money you are going to spend

• Quit while you are ahead - be happy and walk away

• Only gamble with money you can afford to lose

• Do not spend more money on gambling with the hope to win back money that you have lost

• Keep up other interests and hobbies – do not let gambling take over your life

• Do not gamble in order to escape from stress or boredom

Gambling can become unhealthy when you see it as an easy or quick way to make money - it is not. Over a long period of time you cannot win at gambling because the odds are always stacked against you. This is the reason why casinos and betting shops make so much money.

It is unhealthy if you gamble to make yourself feel better about yourself or to escape from problems. You may start feeling better at the beginning, but you could end up feeling a lot worse - see Gambling Addiction.