How to Prevent Online Gambling

Online Gambling – the $9.5 billion per year business of casino games, sports betting, poker, fantasy sports, and lottery-style gambling — can be fun, but it can also lead to trouble, including addiction. For many, it starts with casual online gambling and gradually turns into a more serious habit. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association has classified gambling disorder among its list of mental health problems, along with other substance and gambling-related disorders.

Identifying triggers – things that prompt a person to gamble excessively – is a key step in preventing problem gambling behaviors. These may include stress, boredom, or financial difficulties. Identifying these triggers and finding healthy ways to manage them can help individuals keep their online gambling in check. For example, by taking steps to find alternative ways to relieve stress or by establishing support networks to combat feelings of isolation.

Another common symptom of online gambling is an inability to stop or reduce gambling activities, even after repeated attempts. This inability to control one’s gambling activities can have severe consequences, including significant financial losses and mounting debt. In addition, deteriorating health due to poor sleep and irregular eating habits can also be a consequence of excessive gambling.

It can be difficult to abstain from online gambling, especially when the activity is marketed on TV, radio and billboards. In addition, spending time with friends and family members who gamble can be a temptation. However, it is possible to control and limit one’s online gambling activities by using self-exclusion tools that can block access to thousands of gambling websites and apps.