RECOGNISING A PROBLEM
If you have consumed any gambling-related content in the last couple of months, you will have noticed the increase in messaging at the end of media. You’ll have heard phrases like:
You win some, you lose more and is this a bet you really want to place?
These new taglines are part of the approach to gambling harm minimisation, and they are just one part of a wider initiative to prompt people to stop and reflect on their own gambling practices, to ensure they are staying in control.
So, what are the types of things we should be reflecting on?
One such area is our ability to recognise any potential problems that may be developed, potentially without us knowing. For a large percentage of the population, gambling is a recreational activity. Generally, recreational activities are done for enjoyment, amusement or pleasure, and are considered to be ‘fun’. Gambling can have the ability to lose its enjoyment in the following ways:
The thought of gambling preoccupies you
It is important to control your spending, and one way to be able to reflect on this is asking yourself how preoccupied you have become with the thought of gambling. Does it distract you at work, or at family events? Do you need to know what is happening with your pending wager? Is your gambling keeping you up at night? These can be signs that a problem is developing.
The need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same ‘thrill’
When you gamble, the thrill of winning or the disappointment of losing can drive your desire to keep playing. Your wager may win in a photo finish in a horse race, after the siren in the AFL, or at the buzzer in the NBA. However, the urge to chase losses, such as betting on the final race of the day in an attempt to recoup earlier losses, can become a pattern. Over time, this pattern may lead to an increased tolerance for risk, as you seek to replicate those intense moments.
Trying to cut back gambling unsuccessfully
Problems with gambling can be hard to recognise for yourself or others. Trying to cut back on gambling habits and behaviours without success is a sign that there is a larger problem requiring further support.
Lying to hide the extent of your gambling, or asking others who are unaware of your struggles to bail you out of financial trouble
As the world becomes more technologically advanced, it becomes easier and easier to deposit money to gamble. A good way to assess the impact of gambling on your life is to reflect and acknowledge if you are needing to lie to people close to you about your gambling or your financial situation, or to ask for financial help from loved ones due to extensive gambling losses.
Recognising the warning signs of a problem for friends or family.
Gambling problems may be more difficult to detect than, for instance, alcohol or smoking addictions. These addictions appear through outward behaviours, such as engaging in drinking or smoking, whereas gambling addiction may appear in a less obvious manner. A friend or family member who is experiencing financial difficulties may frequently ask for money, have unpaid bills, be without food or other household necessities, or be missing valuable money or household items. They may also have unexplained absences from work or family events, withdraw socially, or show changes in personality and mood. If you see these behaviours in a family or friend, there are a number of different resources available.
Tools / Resources
You can set a deposit limit or loss limit to your account, allowing you to pre-commit to amounts for your account. This can assist in controlling spending day to day, or week to week.
There is also a budget calculator which can help to work out your monthly spending. You can also take a self-assessment questionnaire, allowing you to reflect on how many common signs you may be experiencing.
Other offerings include taking a time out, or a short break, allowing you to block access to your account for 24/48/72 hours, 7 days, or 30 days. This can be set by logging into your Betfair account and going into the ‘My Account’ section. From here you can click on ‘Player Protection’, and then ‘Time Out’. Alternatively, our Customer Service Team can set a Time Out on your account at your request. You can call us on 1300 238 324 or send an email to service@betfair.com.au.
There are also some longer term interventions, including self-exclusion, or registering on the Australian National Self-Exclusion Register (Betstop). For further information, please visit the responsible gambling page on our website.
Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7)
For assistance with financial challenges, please contact the Financial Counselling Hotline at 1800 007 007 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm).
