Responsible Gambling In New York

Learn about the concept of responsible gambling, the tools and institutions available to aid gamblers, and the responsibilities gambling operators have towards customers.

Gambling is a huge amount of fun, but only when done responsibly. We are fully committed to advocating responsible gambling, as are all licensed gambling establishments in New York. Casinos, bookmakers and so on, have a responsibility towards their customers to provide tools to aid responsible gambling and to help prevent gambling addiction.

Furthermore, bettors should make the most of the safer gambling tools provided to them by gambling institutions to ensure that their betting remains enjoyable at all times.

What is Responsible Gambling?

When people talk of responsible gambling, they are referring to gambling in such a way that it does not put the bettor at any risk. In its broadest sense, this means that people are only gambling with money that they can truly afford to lose.

This means that bettors should set a gambling budget and never exceed it. It means being able to stop gambling when the money runs out, even after a losing streak. Players who begin to chase their losses or gamble with money they need for other purposes may fall under the definition of problem gamblers and should consider seeking help to prevent an addiction developing.

Signs of Gambling Addiction

It is up to both gambling operators and players to monitor for signs of gambling addiction. It is something that can develop slowly without the player being aware and as such it requires particular vigilance. Furthermore, there are no obvious external signs, which means that those around the person suffering from an addiction may be entirely unaware.

Any of the following may be a clear indication that a person has developed a gambling addiction:

• An obsession with gambling to the detriment of other activities
• Personal relationships suffering as a result of gambling habits
• Lying about gambling activity to others
• Gambling with ever larger sums in search of a rush
• Risking money that is otherwise needed for day to day life
• Regularly exceeding a gambling budget
• Anxiety or anger when prevented from gambling
• An inability to hold back from gambling activities
• Borrowing money to fund gambling
• Regularly using gambling as a distraction from other issues
• Expressions of concern from friends and family members about gambling activity

The above are general guidelines; each person is different and gambling addiction can present itself in many different ways. However, if any of the above are observed, it is advisable to seek help as soon as possible.

How to Help with Gambling Addiction

There are many resources in New York for people who struggle with gambling addiction. Often the hardest part is making the decision to seek help and experts stress that it is important to address the issue as early as possible rather than waiting for things to come to a head.

There are numerous resources available to New Yorkers free of charge to help with gambling addiction. These include telephone help lines and institutions who can guide people towards more comprehensive help.

• National Council on Problem Gambling – 1-800-522-4700
• New York Council on Problem Gambling – www.nyproblemgamblinghelp.org
• New York State Office Of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services – 1-877-8HopeNY
• Gamblers Anonymous – gamblersanonymous.org
• Gam-Anon – gam-anon.org
• GamTalk – gamtalk.org

Responsible Gambling Practices

If you are a gambler there are many tools available to you and some basic rules you should follow to ensure that gambling remains enjoyable at all times.  You should consider all of the following:

• Set a gambling budget and never exceed it
• Set a time limit on your gambling sessions and be sure to walk away when the time is up
• Make sure you take regular breaks while gambling
• Never gamble when drunk, ideally you should not drink alcohol at all when gambling
• Make sure you fully understand the type of gambling you are engaged in
• Never chase your losses
• Only gamble when you are feeling positive and want to have fun, do not use it as an escape mechanism
• Consider making use of reality checks, deposit limits on your account, and the other tools provided by online bookmakers.

Gambling Operators’ Responsibilities

While ultimately it is up to the individual to seek help if they are struggling with problem gambling, gambling operators (bookmakers, casinos, etc.) also have a duty of care towards their customers. Gambling operators have several main areas of responsibility towards players:

1. Identification of vulnerable gamblers. Operators should have procedures in place to identify those who may be gambling irresponsibly and contact then to provide assistance and possibly block their accounts.
2. Prevent minors from gambling. Operators have a duty to verify the age of all gamblers and ensure that they are at least 21 years of age.
3. Money laundering and fraud prevention. Operators must ensure that their services are not being used for money laundering purposes or to commit fraud such as identity theft.
4. Privacy protection. Operators must ensure that customers’ personal details and gambling activity should be kept private at all times.
5. Safe payments. Operators must use only reputable and secure payment processors to ensure that customers’ money is kept safe at all times.
6. Responsible Marketing. Operators must ensure that they are only advertising to a suitable audience (i.e. not to minors) and that all adverts carry a responsible gambling message.
7. Dispute Resolution and Complaints. Operators must ensure that there are procedures in place for customers to make formal complaints and for disputes to be properly resolved.

Between these operator responsibilities and the tools available to players, the vast majority of people in New York should have no problem enjoying gambling in an entirely safe and responsible manner.