Problem Gambling - How To Spot It & What To Do

Our team at Gambling.ca views online real money gambling as a fun and enjoyable leisure activity that brings people a great deal of pleasure.

Providing you’re legally old enough, we’re here to help bring you the best experience possible. In fact, we’ve carefully compiled a shortlist of the very best Canadian online casinos and have found that Jackpot City is the very best or the very best.

That being said, we also understand the potential dangers of real cash play. We are acutely aware of the issues associated with problem gambling and just how damaging the effects can be to an individual and their family.

On this page we hope to provide some useful information about problem gambling.

Only gamble with cash that you can afford to lose
Carefully manage your bankroll and set limits so that you can continue to enjoy gaming action
Use our site to better understand how to control your betting and ensure you have a quality experience

What Is Problem Gambling?

Problem gambling affects an estimated 2-3% of Americans according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. It’s not always easy to spot a friend or relative with a problem, and many who are struggling with a gambling problem find it hard to reach a place where they’re open to getting help.

Gambling becomes a problem when it negatively impacts a person’s life, and/or the lives of people around them. It might be that your gambling has got so out of hand you can no longer afford to pay your mortgage. Or, perhaps you’ve become so attached to gambling that you’re not giving your family and friends the time and support they need.

In some cases problem gambling can spiral into other issues, such as drug or alcohol abuse. It can make for difficulties in your personal relationships and cause an individual to experience stress and anxiety.

How To Recognise When Gambling Becomes An Issue

The best advice we can give here is to look for changes in behaviour patterns. There are a few signs that can indicate the beginning of a gambling problem, it's good to know these for both yourself and fellow online gamblers.

Drastic increase in time spent online
Agitated or stressed behaviour
Borrowing money more often than normal

It is important to note that there is no one symptom of problem gambling. People react in different ways to the strain of an addiction, and it’s even possible that somebody could show no outward signs you would recognise.

Getting Treatment For Problem Gambling

The good news is there are lots of ways to treat problem gambling. Some people choose to utilise a free public counselling service, while others will pay to see a specialist who deals in gambling addition.

There are also clinics set up where individuals can go for rehabilitation and to treat addiction over a concentrated period of time.

Canada Based Help Resources

There are some great resources for those in Canada, and many of them come very highly recommended:

The Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario provides a free, confidential helpline and has a wealth of information designed to help those affected.
The British Columbia Responsible and Problem Gambling Program is another such resource you can lean on. Again, all their services and advice is offered free of charge.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has a very thorough section related to problem gambling, which includes a tutorial and a list of resources you can access in Canada.

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