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October6October 6, 2022

6 Practical Things You Can Do To Stop Minors From Gambling

Kids and gambling should never mix. We all know that’s true. But at the same time, it can be difficult to know how to practically try to make sure kids stay away from gambling.

We’re going to give you a few straightforward tips that you can use in your life. Nothing difficult to follow. Just things you can keep in mind to give you a little more peace of mind when it comes to kids and gambling.

1. Familiarize yourself with age limits in your jurisdiction

Depending on where you live, the minimum age limit for gambling can vary. In some places it’s as low as 18 years of age, meanwhile other places it can be 21 years of age. So at the start of your journey to discourage kids and gambling, know the correct age limit you’re dealing with.

2. Keep your passwords to yourself

We’ve all been there before. Your teen wants to use your phone for something or other. So you just shout out your passcode so they can type it in. And that’s fine. But if you also have online gambling accounts that you’re logged in to on your device, or if you use the same passcode or password for those accounts, you’ve just given them access to your online gambling accounts.

So remove the temptation straight away by not giving your child access to passwords they can use to access gambling accounts. And also remember to log out every time you use your online gambling accounts too.

3. Make use of parental controls

Parental controls are an extremely easy thing that you can use on any device your child uses. Whether that’s their own smartphone, yours, tables, laptops or smart TVs, they can all be a little more secure when a parental control is put in place.

It’s usually fairly self-explanatory in settings, but if you can’t find out how to do it yourself, a quick Google should clear things up.

4. Get external software for extra security

If you feel like you need an extra layer of security, you can get external software to keep kids and gambling separated. NetNanny covers a wide range of different not-safe-for-children areas. Meanwhile GamBlock is specifically for gambling.

5. Report minors using your account (or creating their own)

If you suspect a minor is using your account or that they have created their own, report it immediately to the online gambling site. They are compelled to shut down and suspend all activity on accounts they think are used by underage players. Winnings will be forfeited and they’ll be banned.

Because of age verification software, this should not be happening too frequently. But there’s always a chance, so definitely report it if you are suspicious.

6. Know when to talk about kids and gambling

Talking to kids about gambling is also really important. It might feel like it’s the last thing you should do, but talking to them in a straightforward way about it will mean they’ll get the facts from a trustworthy source. Tell them that gambling doesn’t make sports more exciting. Tell them that gambling is designed so that people lose more than they earn, therefore, it’s not a smart way to make money. And tell them that it’s possible to get addicted to gambling.

7 Things You Should Know About Time Outs In Online Gambling

By ChristineIn

All About Darts Darts Betting Sites Darts Betting Tips

Online gambling time outs might seem a little confusing at first, but really they’re not.

Whether this is the first time you’ve ever heard of them or you’ve been thinking about taking one yourself, we hope these 7 facts will help illuminate things for you.

1. You can’t place bets or deposit during a time out

This might seem pretty obvious, but during the time that you’ve chosen to take a break, you can’t place any wagers on your online gambling site.

And you also can’t deposit to fund your account during this time either.

2. Online gambling time outs are short breaks

Unlike self-exclusion, online gambling time outs are designed to be short breaks, after which you typically resume gambling.

3. Typically, a time out is between 24 hours and 30 days long

Depending on your online gambling site, a time out last anywhere from a day to 30 days.

4. You can also set custom and recurring time outs

Now this is a feature we love. In many online gambling sites, you can decide to set your own custom time outs. For example, it could start on a Monday morning and finish up on a Friday evening, for those who don’t want to gamble during the working week. And it can be recurring so it always starts and ends at the same time every week. Very handy.

5. There’s no way to reverse a time out

Once you’ve chosen a time out, you can’t cancel it. The only way to gamble again is to wait until the time period has lapsed.

6. You can withdraw whenever during an online gambling time out

It’s really handy that you can withdraw whenever you want during an online gambling time out. It’s not like your available funds are locked up. Simply log in and get out however much you need.

7. Time outs are for everyone

As you can see, time outs are handy responsible gaming tools that you can set to suit you. It’s a really smart way of time (and budget) management and keeping it straight in your head when you want to gamble and when you don’t.

Whether you set a custom time out for the working week, like we previously discussed, or you set one in the run up to a vacation to save or for any other reason at all, it’s a great idea to set a formal time out.

Just try it out and you can see how it works for you.

Get the help you need if you think you have a gambling problem

While online gambling time outs are brilliant for people who want to take a casual break from gambling, they aren’t designed to tackle a gambling problem.

If you think you have a gambling problem or you’re worried about a loved one, you need to get help from professional organizations. They are equipped to guide you or your loved one through dealing with a gambling addiction.

There are many excellent resources all over the world, including the National Council on Problem Gambling in the USA. As well as brilliant online resources, you can also phone them directly at 1800 522 4700.

In the United Kingdom, you can call 0808 8020 133 or visit the Be Gamble Aware website for help. And if you’re outside of the USA or the UK, there are lots of other organizations all over the world that are ready to help you.

December17December 13, 2021

8 Warning Signs That Your Loved One Has A Gambling Problem

By ChristineIn

All About Darts

A gambling problem is a scary thing to come to terms with. If you suspect someone you love has a gambling problem, it can be hard to know where to start.

We’re going to give you some of the common warning signs of gambling problems. And then you can try to identify if you’ve seen those signs in your loved one. But keep in mind, if you are worried at all, don’t ignore that feeling. You should still seek help if their gambling makes you uncomfortable.

1. Do they find it difficult to stop spending?

If they often lose the run of their spending, particularly while gambling, this can be a big warning sign.

2. Do they spend a lot of time gambling?

While most people gamble for a relatively short amount of time in their week, some people can spend hours upon hours gambling. This can be an indication they have an issue.

3. Do they lie about their gambling?

If they try to hide the fact they’re gambling from people or lie about it, this can show they are covering up a larger problem.

4. Do they borrow or even steal to fund their habit?

No one should ever gamble with more than they can afford. People who borrow money in order to gamble, simply shouldn’t be gambling. And, of course, stealing is an even worse sign.

5. Does gambling cause friction in their relationships?

Whether it’s with you or someone else they’re close to, when gambling is a constant source of arguments and conflict in general, it’s not good.

6. Are they becoming increasingly withdrawn?

Is your loved one cancelling plans with family and friends and becoming more and more insular? This might mean they have or are developing problem gambling.

7. Have they lost interest in their hobbies?

Similarly, we all need a variety of things to keep us going in life. If gambling begins to eclipse hobbies and activities they used to enjoy, that is a bad sign.

8. Has their work or studies began to suffer?

Constantly calling in sick to work or university, underperforming in areas they used to excel in, failing exams, missing deadlines, getting cautions. All of these things indicate something major is happening in their life. If that is gambling, it needs to stop.

Answered yes to any of these questions? Get the help you and your loved one needs

The sad truth is that you cannot force your loved one to stop gambling, even if you suspect they have a gambling problem. But you can talk to them frankly and honestly about their concerns and encourage them to get the help they need.

Before you have that difficult, but necessary, conversation, seek some help from expert organizations. They are here to support you and have appropriate resources to help you start this conversation.

If you’re in the United States, the National Council on Problem Gambling can help online or via phone on 1800 522 4700. For those in the United Kingdom, visit Be Gamble Aware or call 0808 8020 133. And for other countries and regions, here’s a comprehensive list of international gambling help websites.

And remember, if you know your loved one has a problem and they are still gambling online, you can contact that gambling website directly via customer services to voice your concerns and, potentially, get their account shut down.