Tools That Help You Limit Gambling

Gambling can be a fun and safe pastime—as long as you know when to stop and take a break. It’s when gambling stops being fun, or you find yourself unable to stop, that it becomes dangerous. Luckily, there are many tools that can help you limit your gambling to safe amounts.

Timers, self-imposed account limits, and asking friends to check in can all be tools to help you limit your gambling. Read on to learn more tools that help you limit gambling to ensure you only gamble at safe levels.

1. Timers

One of the biggest issues problem gamblers report is that they lose track of time while playing. While it might seem easy to set an alarm and plan to walk away when that alarm goes off, sometimes it isn’t enough for someone who has addictive behavior.

Luckily, there are gambling-specific timers that will encourage you to think when they go off and others that will lock your screen to force you to walk away. These can also just be great time management tools for those who find themselves sucked in when they turn their attention to a screen.

·      Take Time to Think (based in the UK)

·      Screen Time Lock (native to iOS devices and controlled in settings)

·      Timed Screen Lock (Android)

Timers work well for those who simply want to gamble less, or those who tend to become time-blind while gambling, but are still able to stop themselves on a base level.

2. Self-Imposed Account Limits

Many gambling websites allow users to set their own daily gambling limits. While these typically aren’t time-based, they are usually money-based—meaning you can say you only want to gamble $10 a day, and when your account is empty, it’s empty, and you aren’t able to reload until tomorrow.

While these account and deposit limits tend to work better than a timer (since undoing them isn’t always possible on short notice), they are set by you in the beginning, and if the online casino where you play doesn’t have robust ways to ensure you don’t violate your own restrictions, they can be violated more easily than a screen lock (typically). That being said, most casinos are willing to help you stay within your limits as long as they are established well in advance.

If you don’t like the idea of a deposit limit, most casinos allow other types of limits like loss limits, and cool-down time periods. You just have to ask customer service to find out what is available to you on their site. Remember, most casinos also allow you to self-ban if a deposit limit or a timer isn’t enough.

3. Ask Friends for Help

The thing about timers and self-imposed account limits is that they generally have easy workarounds, which limit their effectiveness. If you already find yourself researching these workarounds, then you are better off asking for real-life help from friends or family who are willing to intercede.

Instead of a timer, you can ask a friend or family member to call you (or come over) at certain times to force you to stop gambling and engage with them. Most report that this works better than digital timers, as a person isn’t easily silenced or brushed off. Beyond just having them come by, you can ask them to encourage you to go somewhere with them, whether it is for a walk or to run errands.

Of course, this method requires a really good friend or neighbor, but once you find one, you will be surprised by how much fun you can have with them while not gambling!

Also, check out our article How to Build Good Gambling Habits Early.

4. Unsubscribe From All Marketing

Maybe it’s easy for you to walk away, but you are easily roped into heading back to a website when you see an email about a deal or double points. In these cases, the best thing you can do for yourself is unsubscribe from all gambling marketing emails.

Unsubscribing from emails is typically easy, and it will save you from being bombarded with the idea of gambling when you aren’t at your computer. Plus, due to advertising laws, if you find yourself struggling to unsubscribe, the company has to help you do so. Just reach out and let them know you no longer want their emails or notifications.

This probably sounds silly, but you’ll be shocked at how much easier it is to focus on other things when you aren’t receiving constant reminders in your inbox.  

5. Gambling Website Blocker

When you gamble in person, there are many people watching you and your habits, some of whom may approach you if you start to seem like you may have a problem. With online gambling, all of this goes away. So, if you find yourself unable to keep your gambling in check when not being watched at a casino, it may be worthwhile to block all gambling websites.

Yes, this is the most extreme option on our list, but some people can’t manage with only the aforementioned controls, meaning an all-out website ban may be the only way. The good news about these blocking tools is that you can still gamble in person; you just won’t find yourself sucked into an online world you can’t pull yourself out of.

·      BetBlocker (can also be used to set healthy time limits)

·      Gamban (can also be used to schedule cool-off periods)

·      Gamblock

·      Betfilter – blocks on all devices, but costly

While we don’t personally recommend any of these (as they all have a cost associated) they are some options you should be aware of if you struggle to limit your gambling and need a more permanent solution.

Overall, when done on a limited basis, gambling can be safe and fun. That being said, if you find yourself losing track of time or unable to stop, it may be time to set timers, impose limits, and ask your friends to help. Make sure you also unsubscribe from marketing emails, and if you still can’t stop, consider a blocking app to force you to take a break from gambling.