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Responsible Gambling

Freebets.com supports and is committed to responsible gambling. We care about the safety of our users because if it isn’t safe, it isn’t fun. We are committed to preventing young people, children and other vulnerable individuals from being hurt or exploited by gambling, especially in terms of gambling advertising.

While the vast majority of punters view their betting as an enjoyable leisure activity, some may experience loss of control. Here at Free Bets we believe that everyone should be mindful of this and encourage you to always bet safely and responsibly.

This page provides advice about responsible gambling and the steps you can take to reduce the harms associated with problem gambling as well as provide information on where you can get additional help and support if necessary.


What is problem gambling?

Problem gambling is defined as gambling that is harmful or disruptive to you or your family, or that interferes with your daily life. According to a survey done by YouGov for the charity GambleAware, up to 2.7% of adults in the UK, or about 1.4 million people, have a gambling problem.

While there are no physical symptoms of problem gambling, the negative effects can interfere in many aspects of life.


Signs of problem gambling

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell whether your gambling habits are becoming dangerous, so we’ve compiled a list of some of the warning signs.

  • Spending a lot of time thinking about gambling
  • Gambling more money than intended or that you can afford to lose
  • Bad moods or affected emotions stemming from gambling losses
  • An immediate urge to continue gambling to recoup losses (known as ‘chasing’)
  • Being unable to cut down or stop gambling
  • Gambling to get away from problems in your life
  • Lying about how much time or money you have spent gambling
  • Stealing money to fund gambling
  • When gambling starts to interfere with your work, home life or relationships

What can you do to reduce problem gambling?

If you think that your gambling is becoming a problem, or if you simply want some expert advice, there are numerous services available to you.

Here are some steps you can take to help you gamble more responsibly.

  • Only gamble what you can cheerfully afford to lose. Set yourself a budget.
  • Be mindful of the amount of time you spend gambling and take regular breaks, even when you’re winning. You can set deposit and time limits with most bookmaker sites.
  • Don’t let gambling consume your life. Balance it with other activities.
  • Never chase losses. Chasing is placings bets that you normally wouldn’t do in an attempt to quickly recover losses quickly. Always better to take a time out and come back another day.
  • Do not gamble when you are agitated, depressed, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as this can impair your decision-making.
  • Be aware that you can call a problem gambling support organisation if you ever need to talk to someone.

Tools Available

There are also a number of tools available to help you keep control of your betting activities.

Deposit Limits

This tool allows you to set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits. It takes 24 hours for an increase in your deposit limit to kick in but reductions happen immediately.

Cooling Off Periods

Cooling off tools help you to take an enforced break from gambling for up to 30 days.

Profit & Loss Records

Some bookmakers can show you how much you’ve won or lost over a certain period of time which can help you stick to your betting budget and know when it’s time to stop. Alternatively you can keep your own records of your P/L in a spreadsheet for example.

Reality Checks

Reality Check tools give you intermittent reminders about how much time you have been gambling. You can set reminders from every 20 minutes up to two hours. After getting your reminder, you have the option to log out, check your transaction history, or keep playing.

Self Exclusion

Self-exclusion is a tool utilised by gamblers who think they may have developed a gambling problem and helps you to quit gambling. You can request self-exclusion if you believe you are spending too much time or money on gambling, whether online or at physical locations such as betting shops and casinos. Once you self-exclude it’s important to stick to it and the gambling establishment or betting site must reasonably prevent you from gambling during that period.


Support Services

There are several places where you can get help and support if you feel your gambling is becoming a problem.

GamCare

The majority of people gamble within their means but for some, gambling can become a problem. GamCare is a nonprofit organisation that offers assistance and counselling to persons with gambling problems. If you want advice, or have any questions about your gambling difficulties, or are concerned about someone you know, please contact GamCare online or by phone.

You can visit www.gamcare.org.uk for more information and help or contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. (24 hours, 7 days a week). You can take a self assessment at GamCare where you answer a few questions to find out how safe your gambling is.

GamCare Contact Address: GamCare, 2nd Floor, 7-11 St John’s Hill, London, SW11 1TR.


BeGambleAware.org

BeGambleAware.org provides free, confidential help and support to anyone who’s worried about their, or someone else’s, gambling.

GambleAware is funded by the Responsible Gambling Trust, an independent national charity that raises money from the British gambling industry to fund research, education and treatment activities for problem gamblers.

They provide information to help people make informed decisions about their gambling. They can also help you to find out more about gambling and what responsible gambling means, to understand and recognise problem gambling, and show you where to go for further information, help and support should you need it.


Other Support Services

  • Gambling Therapy website or call 01384 241292 for details of the help and treatment they provide.
  • Gamblers Anonymous website or call 0207 384 3040.
  • Gam-Anon website or call 08700 50 88 80. Gam-Anon deals specifically with friends or family of people who have issues with their gambling.
  • The Samaritans website or call 08457 90 90 90 (UK) or 1850 60 90 90 (ROI).
  • If you are looking for information and advice on dealing with debt, you can speak to Citizens Advice or the National Debt Helpline, call 0808 808 4000.

How We Rate Our Bookmakers

At Freebets.com we take into account a range of factors when we rank our betting sites, to ensure they’re tried, trusted and perfect for having a punt with. The biggest factor for us when recommending bookmakers is the safety and security of sites. Read more to see how we rate our bookmakers!

Responsible Gambling

Freebets.com supports and is committed to responsible gambling. We care about the safety of our users because if it isn’t safe, it isn’t fun. We are committed to preventing young people, children and other vulnerable individuals from being hurt or exploited by gambling, especially in terms of gambling advertising.

Free Bet Regulations

Freebets.com supports the advertising regulatory authorities in their aims to ensure gambling advertising is clear, fair and socially responsible by complying fully with current regulation. We share the same goals as the Gambling Commission, Committee for Advertising Practise (CAP) and the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) among others in regard to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling advertisements.