Anyone who knows a gambling addict or suspects a loved one of gambling addiction at non GamStop bookmakers will certainly feel the desire to help them. The problem, however, is that, as we’ve just pointed out, gambling addicts only become aware of their problem very late. By then, the problem has usually already been solved. Because gambling addiction often leads to the loss of a partner or a circle of friends, open confrontation can lead to the loss of the gambling addict you were actually trying to help. Nevertheless, we would like to offer you three suggestions for dealing with the problem or providing support.
Support or Get Support!
If one member of a family develops a gambling addiction at UK sportsbooks not on GamStop, it automatically affects the entire family. So, if you notice a budding addiction in a friend or family member, it’s important that you support not only the person affected, but also the rest of the family, as the addict spends less and less time at home, and money becomes increasingly scarce.
If you are a direct member of the family, you should immediately contact an addiction counseling center or family counseling center to receive firsthand, professional help. In both cases, be sure to follow the following advice!
Never Lend Money to the Addict!
The addict’s inner compulsion for the next game is now similar to a heroin addict’s desire for the next fix. This means they will do anything to get the money. If you signal your support at this point, the addict will potentially tell you anything to get you to lend them money.
Lending money to an addict never alleviates their problems; it only exacerbates them. What the addict needs now is an account that is protected from access to payments such as basic social security, minimum income support, or even child benefit, so that they don’t gamble away this money as well.
Instead, a clear boundary must be established! The sooner the addict’s financial resources are cut off, the faster they can receive help. If relatives or friends pay off their debts, this further supports and encourages their addictive behavior. This invariably only postpones the disaster. Always remember that all promises like “just this one more time” are made out of addiction. You will NEVER help the addict if you agree to them!
Take Care of Yourself!
Despite all the support and offers of (non-financial) help, you should never forget that the gambling addiction is the problem of the person affected. Some friends and almost all partners allow themselves to be increasingly drawn into this problem, so that sooner or later it becomes their own problem. This not only makes the person’s addiction worse, but it also prolongs it considerably.
The best way to help a gambling addict is to take care of yourself. The responsibility for gambling always lies with the gambler, not those around them. Therefore, set clear boundaries. An addiction counseling center can help you with this!
Conclusion
Gambling addiction is a very serious issue, the causes of which have not yet been fully researched. The fact is, however, that the number of addicted gamblers is steadily increasing year after year. This may also be due to the lack of regulation on the internet.
Never forget that even betting on sports at non GamStop bookmakers can lead to a severe downward spiral – especially if you gamble without any sense or reason. When the initial pleasant thrill of the games you bet on becomes a habit. And especially when the losses reach sums that you no longer have in reserve, but are missing from other sources. Therefore, please always gamble responsibly! And that means, on the one hand, that you only place sports bets that result in a positive expected value and that you observe the rules of money management in sports betting at non GamStop bookmakers. On the other hand, that you make a firm promise, even before these elementary conditions are met, to only spend money on sports betting that you don’t lack elsewhere, but that you would be 100% bearable even if you lost it all.
We wish you much success with your future sports bets and ask you to always keep a sharp mind. Anyone who notices that they are fundamentally susceptible to gambling addiction, and who has also placed bets without even conducting any analysis of the match, will demonstrably be among the 95% of all gamblers who incur losses at the end of the month. If, out of an inner compulsion, you then bet on any match that is currently on – as long as the results are settled promptly, which is why you might bet on the third American league on a Saturday morning and the fourth South Korean league on a Sunday night – you should pull the emergency brake as soon as possible. As a first step, almost all online bookies have a function that allows you to block your account for a specific period of time. After this immediate self-protection measure, you should contact addiction counseling as soon as possible.