Online Betting
What you can do
You Have More Influence Than You Think
- There are lots of things you can do to reduce risks with betting.
- Family and friends have a significant influence on young people's betting attitudes and behaviours.
- Whether you're worried about your own betting or concerned about a friend, there are practical things you can do to help.
Seeking Help
It can be very hard to know when and how to seek support. Research shows:
- 50% of young people are too embarrassed to ask for help
- 25% of young people don't seek help because they feel hopeless and helpless
This is why the support of family and friends is so important.
Things you can do
The risk and harm of betting will decrease if you, and your family and friends can:
Be honest and curious about betting
- Think about why you're gambling - is it really fun or are you chasing losses?
- Work out how much time and money you've spent on betting in the last week or month
- Consider what else you could be spending that time and money on
- Reflect on times you've regretted betting - what happened and why?
Use strategies to manage betting
- Money: Have a plan, tell others, and stick to your budget. Don't chase losses or borrow money for betting
- Time and place: Avoid gambling alone. Decide when, where, and with whom you can bet most safely
- Products: Reduce the number of betting apps on your phone
Use Available tools and Help
- Opt out of notifications and promotions on betting apps
- Use spending trackers or gambling blocks on your bank accounts
- Consider using BetStop to exclude yourself from all licensed online and telephone wagering services
- Access free counselling (online, phone, or face-to-face)
Things you can say
You don’t need to be an expert to help a friend.
Show You Care
- Call or text regularly just to say hi
- Go out of your way to meet up
- Listen instead of telling, judging or arguing
Start Simple Conversations
- "I wonder what the odds of winning really are?"
- "I wonder how betting companies can make massive profits when they spend billions on advertising?"
- "Sometimes I think all this betting talk distracts us from actually enjoying the game"
- "We spend so much time talking about betting - I can't remember what we used to talk about"
- "I'm finding it hard to avoid betting when I'm with mates, how are you going with it?"
- "I've noticed you've been a bit down lately, are you okay?"
Offer Practical Support
- Suggest meeting up at venues without gambling options
- Offer alternatives when they're bored: "Give me a call if you want to hang out"
- Invite them to join new activities: "I'm thinking of joining this gym, want to come with me?"
- Let them know where they can go for more information or support</span
Practical tools
A Quick Self-Check
Take a quiz to find out how concerned you should be about your gambling
Self-Exclusion & Blocking Tools
Practical ways to set limits on your gambling