Responsible Gaming

This has become a huge part of the online gambling industry recently as authorities and regulators push to make sure that every casino that can be found online under their jurisdiction is actively promoting Responsible Gambling, something that we here at DivineJackpot.co.uk take very seriously.

Responsible Gambling Overview

After a certain amount of sway from several organisations, Responsible Gambling was introduced in the UK, when the UK Gambling Commission UKGC was formed. This, essentially, is an independent body that has ties to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS.) It was created to regulate every bookmaker and casino as well as bingo halls and the national lottery.

DivineJackpot.co.uk takes Responsible Gambling very seriously and because of this, we urge players to not gamble with more than they can afford to lose and even come up with a strategy to have a budget in place. It is also vital to not commit to gambling as a way of trying to make money and certainly not use it as your main source of income. Furthmore, NetEnt also firmly promotes Responsible Gambling and is one of the most notable software providers in the industry.

The introduction of Responsible Gambling implemented significant alterations to the gambling industry because of this.

It meant that the UK government decided to protect future customers who did not know the risks of gambling. Since this was established, the UKGC has kept a close eye on all gambling companies who have a license with them and are constantly making sure that they abide by their strict regulations.

What are the organisations associated with Responsible Gambling?

The gambling industry has many different groups that exist with the sole purpose of helping those who have been impacted in a negative way by gambling. The establishment of such groups was thought of as a crucial and fundamental measure.

It was also a decision that was welcomed by the gambling commission. Below are just a few of the main ones that are available which we highly recommend:

BeGambleAware

Created as a way of helping those who had a significant problem with gambling they are funded by a charity called BeGambleAware (which is their own). They exist to make sure vulnerable people are kept safe from gambling activity.

They are an independent charity and they commission prevention and treatment services across England, Scotland and Wales. As well as this, they operate in association with expert organisations and agencies that we know do things properly. These are, the NHS across three key facts:

Commissioning the National Gambling Treatment Service Producing public health campaigns on a national scale and providing practical and functional support to local services Commissioning research as well as evaluation to improve knowledge and the methods that work in the prevention of gambling.

Regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Charity Regulator and is completely independent, having a framework agreement with the Gambling Commission.

Their job is to provide and carry out the National Strategy to decrease Gambling harm within the guidelines of the arrangements that were implemented, following donations from the gambling industry.

Each gambling operator that is licensed by the UKGC has the BeGambleAware logo, often in the footer of their website. This promotes that they operate in conjunction with the charity, though it does not mean that GambleAware promotes an actual gambling operator, product, or service.

BeGambleAware actively encourages all gambling entities to include their logo since it is a priority to make sure that the people who need the relevant resources that they provide are able to find them as conveniently as possible.

Gamcare

Founded in 1997, Gamcare can boast as being arguably one of the primary resources from the perspective of providing information and support to the people who have been affected by problem gambling, and it could be an active gambler or someone who knows a problem gambler.

Running the National Gambling Helpline, it also means that they provide treatment as well as helping to increase and distribute awareness about all elements of responsible gambling. In addition to this, they also encourage approaches that are instrumental when it comes to promoting responsible gambling across the industry as a whole.

They apply a set of aims and goals which means they can give the best service possible:

• Providing high quality and effective advice and support that is fundamentally non-judgemental for problem gambling and those associated who have been affected by it across the UK. Ensuring that problem gamblers throughout the UK have access to effective and responsive treatment to help combat their problem.
• To become globally recognised as a Centre of Clinical Excellence on a global scale in leading the development of best practice in research, education and communication.
• Make sure that young people and other vulnerable groups have the relevant access to the advice, support, education and treatment that they need to cure themselves.
• Assisting in the support of operators and regulators to enable them to develop and put into place measures, effective responsible gambling policies and practices, as well as training, certification and also consultancy.
• Make sure that GamCare is operated efficiently

Gambler’s Anonymous

This fundamentally is a global fellowship of people who either currently or have previously had problems with gambling and have been subject to the negative effects first hand. They exist in small groups around the world in order to provide the necessary support by way of using their own experiences to help others.

They are not aligned to any charity, organisation, or institution and do not engage in politics, remaining 100 percent neutral. The core majority of members are those who at some point have had to admit to themselves that they have had a problem with gambling and as a result have dedicated a portion of their life to helping others who are in the position that they have been in, to overcome their problem.

While this is by no means licenced therapy, the members do exist as a support group for others and hold regular meetings whereby they encourage current addicts to make a recovery, often acting as ‘sponsors’. They typically act as non-judgemental ‘confidants’ and can be a great source of strength for those in need. It is sometimes the case that gambling addicts feel more comfortable talking with others who have been in their position because they know that they understand what they are going through more than anyone else. The ‘sponsor’ will help to set goals for them and help them to try and achieve these by being available as and when they are needed.

This is not necessarily for gambling addicts, but also for those who have been affected as a result of knowing someone who has been, or is a problem gambler because there are usually people who are in this situation as well.

Gambling Therapy

This is essentially a helpline that exists to provide advice through many different mediums, whether this be via Live Chat, Email or forums, with gambling advisers working around the clock to be able to do this.

Operational also as a multilingual service, visitors can access support from people about every kind of problem gambling situation and it can be a good place to start as it is more informal than GamCare or BeGambleAware.

Their website GamblingTherapy.org features how a problem gambler or those affected by problem gambling can get in touch. Fundamentally, everyone involved is non-judgemental which can be an important factor for those people who do not know whether to reach out or not, with all queries dealt with in a warm and friendly way.

GamAnon

This ultimately exists for those people who have been affected by someone who they know that has a problem with gambling, whether this be a family member, friend, or colleague. Quite often, people do not take into account the toll that this can have on those who know someone who is a problem gambler.

The emotional effect that this can have on someone just through worrying about someone’s health and wellbeing because of the negative effects of gambling can be emotionally destructive. It can cause strains in relationships and put them at breaking point.

As a result, GamAnon exists in the form of meeting groups and they are usually groups of people who come together to share their experiences about someone they know and the difficulties that they are having with trying to help them.

Gordon Moody

This is a company that operates as a registered charity and in turn, it has more than half a century of experience in providing residential support and treatment for those who have suffered from problem gambling and who have severe addictions to this. With residential treatment centres across the UK, they rely on donations and grants for the vast majority of their services, and most of this is provided by the affiliated charity GambleAware, though there are also donations from individuals and companies who want to help.

The main aim of the organisation is to address the extremes in the behaviours of problem gambling as well as developing treatment interventions for those who have been severely affected.

How a gambling addiction can be identified

Being able to identify a gambling addiction can be quite a difficult task, though here at DivineJackpot.co.uk we have provided an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for you to be able to do so. This is particularly true for those who are affected because they know someone who has a problem. Despite this, there are signs that can help you to identify one:

• People who are always on their phone a lot; they could be spending their time gambling, with it never being easier to access gambling online
• They might ask to borrow money frequently, often from different sources
• Make excuses not to do things socially
• Avoidance
• Change in behaviour and erratic responses to perfectly innocent questions
• Preoccupied in their thoughts
• Pathological lying

What has been implemented to try and counter problem gambling?

Because problem gambling is such a considerable issue, it has meant that the UKGC has put a wide variety of measures in place as a way of trying to combat this. This has been a well thought out strategy and it essentially covers the whole process of a gambler’s journey from when they first land on the site.

When a player first shows interest in registering, as they go through the sign up stage, they are now required to complete what is called a ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) check. What this does is allow the online casino to make sure you are who you say you are and as a result will ask you for a number of things.

These include, name, address and email address, while some may also ask for proof of funds to make sure that you have the means to gamble, such as what your occupation is. This also helps to eradicate the possibility that you do not obtain your funds as a result of illicit gains.

Every operator is also now required to include a ‘self-exclusion’ policy which means that players can tick this box at any stage of their gambling experience and make the decision to ‘opt-out’. It means that their account will be automatically closed, any funds returned to them, and also they will stop receiving marketing offers.

Furthermore, each operator is required to have information about Responsible Gambling on their website and links to organisations such as as ‘Be Gamble Aware’, while also adivising players that they should not gamble more than they can afford to lose.

What you should do if you or someone you know is not gambling responsibly?

There are many different actions that you can take if you recognise that you or someone that you know is not gambling responsibly. If it is yourself then the first thing that you should do is admit it to yourself, or at the very least, someone who is close to you, that you trust. If it is a person that you know then the key initially is to be supportive and let them know that you are there for them as emotional support.

The next step is make sure all gambling accounts are deleted so that you or the person that you know is not tempted to gamble, while it will also help to delete all of the apps from any handheld device. There may be instances where there are still funds in your account that you cannot withdraw because it is less than the minimum withdrawal amount. The most important thing to do is to leave it and not be tempted to gamble, because if you win it could lead to you becoming euphoric and thinking your problem has passed.

Following this, seek professional advice in the form of one of the gambling charities who can provide you with the best course of action. If it is someone that you know, then either encourage them to do this, or reach out on their behalf (the first one is more ideal). Tihis expert advice and support can help in implmenting steps to recovery. A gambling addiction is a mental illness and is nothing to be ashamed about, though getting help as soon as possible is key.

Crucially, what you should never do is try and chase your losses or fall into the trap of thinking that your luck will change, because this can lead to significant problems further down the line and make things a lot worse.

For more information about Responsible Gambling, please do not hesitate to reach out to us here at DivineJackpot.co.uk and we will be more than happy to guide you in the right direction.