It is very common for beginners to feel concerned about the safety of online gambling. People often have concerns about whether it is safe to deposit money, whether their winning bets will be paid out, or whether the games will be fair.
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The majority of people who gamble online do not have any security concerns. However, there are a few things you should be aware of. By being aware of the risks involved, and taking a few precautions, you can ensure that you have a fun and positive experience. Our article on online gambling safety will help you do this.
The first thing you need to do if you want to try online gambling is to register with a gambling site. Most sites are pretty decent, but only a select few will give you the best experience. The top sites have a lot more to offer, and they know how to take care of their customers very well.
Ideally you want to join somewhere that is a good fit for your specific needs too. We can help you with this, as we have ranked the top sites in a number of different categories.
If you are not sure what to look for in a site, then you should read our beginner's article on choosing an online gambling site. This will give you an idea of how to decide where to join.
There are a few other things you should know before you start gambling online. These include how you can make money online, and how to earn extra money through bonuses and rewards. We have written a beginner's article that covers both of these topics, so be sure to check it out.
It’s also worth reading our top tips for beginners . It gives you some great advice to get you started. If you have any specific questions, you should check out our FAQs.
In addition to the advice on this page, and all the articles in this section, we have also provided comprehensive guides to each of the main forms of gambling. These guides contain lots of helpful help and advice for beginners.
There is also plenty in there for the more experienced gambler too. They can help you get the most out of your gambling experience and even increase your chances of winning some money.
There are many US sports betting sites on the web where you can get sports betting advice or picks. At Sports Handle, we enjoy covering sports betting laws and regulations as well as providing analysis on sports law and the industry as a whole.
We are also avid sports bettors ourselves. This gives you insight that traditional media coverage can’t. We offer predictions and breakdowns for most major sports and strive to help both casual and experienced bettors, without charging you for picks and access to the latest odds in the market. We also offer a two-part sports betting glossary — here’s a 101 for beginners and intermediates and a 201 for more experienced sports bettors.
Everyone has a different betting strategy, whether they are betting on NFL games, NBA games, MLB games, or any other sport. Our team of writers will provide you with solid, fact-based analysis of the games that will make you a smarter bettor so that when your state finally offers the opportunity to bet on your favorite sport, you will be locked and loaded with a lot more insight than the average Jane or Joe.
Problem gambling can happen to anyone from any walk of life. Your gambling can go from being a fun, harmless diversion to an unhealthy obsession with serious consequences. Whether you bet on sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slots—in a casino, at the racetrack, or online—problem gambling can strain your relationships, interfere with your work, and lead to financial ruin. You may even do things you never thought possible, like get into huge debt or even steal money to gamble.
Gambling addiction—also known as pathological gambling, compulsive gambling, or gambling disorder—is an impulse control disorder. If you’re a compulsive gambler, you can’t control the urge to gamble, even when it’s negatively impacting you or your loved ones. You’ll gamble whether you’re up or down, broke or flush, and you’ll keep gambling no matter the consequences—even when you know the odds are against you or you can’t afford to lose.
Of course, you can also have a gambling problem without it being completely out of control. A gambling problem is any gambling behavior that interferes with your life. If you are preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences to your life, you have a gambling problem.
Gambling addiction or problem gambling is often associated with other behavioral or mood disorders. Many problem gamblers also suffer from substance abuse problems, unmanaged ADHD, stress, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. To overcome your gambling problem, you must also address these and other underlying causes.
While you may feel powerless to stop gambling, there are many things you can do to address the problem, improve your relationships and finances, and ultimately regain control of your life.
Fact: The problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent gambling can also lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems including depression and anxiety, and even suicide.
Fact: Gambling problems affect people of all intelligence levels and backgrounds. Previously responsible and strong-willed people are just as likely to develop a gambling problem as anyone else.
Online CasinoFact: Problem gamblers often try to rationalize their behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what it takes to overcome the problem.
Fact: A quick fix may seem like the right thing to do. However, bailing out a gambler from debt can actually make matters worse by allowing their gambling problem to continue.
Gambling addiction is sometimes called a “hidden disease” because it doesn’t have obvious physical signs or symptoms like drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers also often deny or minimize the problem—even to themselves. However, you may have a gambling problem if you:
Feel the need to keep your gambling secret. You may gamble in secret or lie about how much you gamble, feeling that others won't understand or that you'll surprise them with a big win.
Having trouble controlling your gambling. Once you start gambling, can you stop? Or do you gamble until you have spent your last dollar, increasing your bets in an attempt to win back the money you lost?
Gambling even when you don't have any money. You may gamble until you've spent your last dollar, and then turn to money you don't have—money to pay bills, credit cards, or things for your children. You may feel compelled to borrow, sell, or even steal things to get gambling money.
Are family and friends worried about you? Denial perpetuates the problem. If friends and family are concerned, listen to them. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Many older gamblers are reluctant to contact their adult children if they have gambled away their inheritance, but it is never too late to make a change for the better.
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The biggest step in overcoming a gambling addiction is to admit that you have a problem. It takes incredible strength and courage to admit this, especially if you have lost a lot of money and strained or damaged relationships along the way. Don’t give up hope, and don’t try to do it alone. Many others have been in your shoes and have been able to kick the habit and rebuild their lives. You can too.
Learn to relieve unpleasant feelings in healthier ways. Do you gamble when you are lonely or bored? Or after a stressful day at work or after an argument with your partner? Gambling may be a way to relieve unpleasant emotions, unwind, or socialize. But there are healthier and more effective ways to regulate your mood and relieve boredom, such as exercising, spending time with friends who don’t gamble, taking up a new hobby, or practicing relaxation techniques.
Strengthen your support network. It’s hard to fight any addiction without support, so reach out to friends and family. If your support network is limited, there are ways to make new friends without having to visit a casino or gamble online. Try reaching out to coworkers, joining a sports team or book club, enrolling in an educational class, or volunteering for a good cause.
Join a peer support group. Gamblers Anonymous, for example, is a 12-step recovery program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. A key part of this program is finding a sponsor, a former gambler who has experience of being free from addiction and can provide invaluable guidance and support.
Seek help for underlying mood disorders. Depression, stress, substance abuse, or anxiety can trigger gambling problems and be made worse by compulsive gambling. Even when gambling is no longer a part of your life, the problem will still be there, so it is important to address it.
For many problem gamblers, the biggest challenge is not stopping gambling, but staying in recovery—making a permanent commitment to stay away from gambling. The Internet has made gambling much more accessible and, therefore, much harder for recovering addicts to avoid relapse. Online casinos and sportsbooks are open 24/7 to anyone with a smartphone or access to a computer. But maintaining recovery from a gambling addiction or gambling problem is still possible if you surround yourself with responsible people, avoid tempting environments and websites, let go of control of your finances (at least initially), and find healthier activities to replace gambling in your life.
One way to stop gambling is to remove the elements that are necessary for gambling to occur in your life and replace them with healthier choices. The four elements that are necessary for gambling to continue are:
Decision: For gambling to occur, you need to make a decision to gamble. If you have an urge: stop what you are doing and call someone, think about the consequences of your action, tell yourself to stop thinking about gambling, and immediately find something else to do.
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