Gambling Awareness & Help


For most of us, gambling is a pleasant passtime , a way of whiling away the time when we're not working, or perhaps a method of injecting extra excitement into a televised game that we're watching. Many of us can think of times when we've gone on the chase, placing stupid bets in an attempt to make back our day's losses. Generally it ends there. But for a for a few unfortunate people, the odd bout of indiscipline is just a prelude to a descent into gambling hell. The impulse to bet again and again takes over, and the player splashes their money on anything and everything they can get a price on, stopping only when their funds have been slashed to zero.

While drug and alcohol addiction now receives plenty of attention and sympathy from parts of society, a gambling habit is often seen as rather more frivolous, a lifestyle choice that loungers and spongers opt into - and, supposedly, can opt out of at any time. In reality, the different types of addiction are different strains of the same problem, and a gambling junkie needs an understanding ear just as much as somebody with a drugs or drink habit.


At the forefront of the movement to change hearts and minds on this subject is GamCare. This company has spearheaded campaigns to advise not just gamblers themselves, but authorities and businesses - it has even trained casino staff to recognise problem gamblers and take action. The company's Gambleaware web-site is stuffed with information, and a number of carefully researched pages give tips and advice about understanding, identifying and handling gambling addiction. The quiz lets you determine whether you're letting your betting run away with you, while the online calculator makes it easy to estimate your likely spending and losses, often bringing home the cold hard truth about the true cost of your seemingly harmless pastime.

For those with serious problems, though, a few pages of advice probably won't be enough. Luckily, GamCare runs a free telephone hotline and online service from 8 am to midnight, seven days a week, ensuring that addicts have a friendly but practical voice ready to help them tackle their demons. These are manned by experienced counsellors who can remain neutral and non-judgemental at all times. GamCare also offers Face to Face counsellors, giving gamblers and their family a more substantial form of contact that allows them to fully discuss the issues, and explore the options open to them.


Also of immense use are the forums on GamCare's site. These allow addicts and their friends and family to read stories and advice posted by people who've been there and come through it. It may help for problem gamblers to see that they're not alone, and that lots of other people up and down the country are struggling with the same compulsions. In many cases, being faced with other people's hard luck stories will be the best way of recognising that action has to be taken.

Most gambling sites now have self-exclusion options, and many also let you adjust the amount you can deposit or lose over a certain time period. Problem gamblers should make strong use of these facilities.

• 
  http://www.gamcare.org.uk - Internet chat and Freephone Helpline 0808 8020 133 (8 to Midnight, 7 days a week)


• 
  http://www.gambleaware.co.uk - Information