Responsible Betting

Betting should be entertainment, not a way to make money or solve problems. While many gamble responsibly, some can develop a gambling addiction that is silent and can affect finances, relationships, and health. This guide will teach you all about responsible gambling.

How to Always Remain in Control

  • Create a budget and stick to it. Only bet on amounts you can afford to lose
  • Never borrow to bet, and never use money meant for rent, food, bills or school fees
  • Don’t chase losses. Losses are part of the entertainment
  • Always set a time frame and take regular breaks
  • Don’t bet when you are frustrated or after consuming alcohol
  • Betting should be separate from your source of income. Gambling is not a job or an investment
  • Stay away from "sure bets" and "fixed matches". Nothing is ever guaranteed

Signs You Should Look Out For

Ask yourself honestly:

  • Do you find yourself gambling more than you intended?
  • Do you gamble in order to recoup losses made in the past?
  • Have you borrowed money or sold anything in order to gamble?
  • Do you lie about how much you are gambling?
  • Do you feel guilt, anxiety, or irritation after gambling?
  • Is gambling negatively impacting your job, education, sleep, or interpersonal relationships?

If you have answered yes to several of them, then you might want to contact a service for help.

Helpful Tools

Most legitimate bookies provide you with the means in the settings of your account. Take advantage of them before it gets out of hand:

Deposit limits

set maximum deposits per day, week, or month

Loss and stake limits

limit how much you can lose or bet

Time-outs

take a break from your account, from 24 hours to several weeks

Reality checks

reminders that show how long you’ve been playing

Self-exclusion

block your account for months or years. Ask the bookmaker to apply it to all its brands

Blocking software

apps such as BetBlocker (free) or Gamban block gambling sites across your devices

Protecting Under-18s

Only adults can gamble: 18+ or above the minimum gambling age in your jurisdiction if higher. If you allow children access to your devices, use parental controls and log out of all your gambling accounts, never revealing your passwords or verification codes.

Where to Get Help

Support is free, confidential and available without judgement:

  • Gambling Therapy: free online support for anyone affected by gambling, available internationally and in several languages
  • Gamblers Anonymous: peer support groups and meetings in many countries
  • Local support services: see the help organisations listed for your country below (added in each local edition)

Our Commitment

While BookieScout does not accept any bets, we do take responsible betting seriously. We:

  • Rate all betting firms by their responsible gambling features (10% of our review score)
  • State bonus terms in simple language to prevent any betting offers from encouraging you to bet more than intended
  • Never advertise "guaranteed wins" or present betting as a form of income generation
  • Do not post any materials targeting persons under the legal betting age