RESPONSIBLE GAMING

Take a Break

Lucky Punch looks at gambling as entertainment that can be enjoyed. If, however, at some point you no longer enjoy playing, as a result of which you remain angry, anxious or even depressed, then it’s probably time to take a break from playing and consider whether you are playing beyond your means.

Self-assesment Test

By evaluating your gambling habits, you can look back at how much time and money you spend on gambling. This can be useful for identifying risks and avoiding potential problems in a timely manner. Below you’ll find a self-assessment test that will help you understand your gambling experience over the past 12 months.

Various studies have shown that 95% to 98% of customers perceive gambling as entertainment and are able to stop on time. However, for less than 5% of customers, this activity can be addictive and disastrous. If you answer “yes” to even one question, you know that there is a reason to reconsider—and that perhaps, you may need help.

Test Questions

  1. Have you ever thought about what you’ve experienced gambling for more than two weeks, planned future bets and playing time, ways to raise funds to gamble?
  2. Have you ever experienced a period where you’ve placed bigger money bets to get the same feeling as before, when making smaller bets?
  3. Have you ever felt anxious or irritated when trying to stop, reduce, or limit gambling?
  4. Have you tried without success to stop, reduce, or limit gambling three or more times in your life?
  5. Have you ever used gambling as a way to avoid unpleasant feelings such as feelings of guilt, feelings of anxiety, helplessness, or depression?
  6. Do you often come back the next day after a loss to try to rebound it?
  7. Have you lied to family members, friends and others at least three times about how often you gamble and/or even how much money you’ve lost while gambling?
  8. Have you ever borrowed money to spend it on gambling?
  9. Have your gambling habits ever caused serious or recurrent problems in your relationships with family members or friends?
  10. Have your playing habits caused problems at school or work?
  11. Have you ever had to ask for a cash loan from family members, friends or loan institutions to solve money problems that are mostly caused by gambling?

Help

Feel like you might be at risk? The most important step is not to scold yourself for the lack of willpower, or that you cannot stop gambling. This is an illness that needs to be treated, and the more timely, the better. Moreover, this is difficult to do without the help of fellow citizens and professionals.

Often people are confused that, in case of a gambling addiction, they are referred to a narcologist, while indicating that they do not have any kind of drug problem. It is important to note that this is the name of the profession for specialists who deal with various types of addictive diseases, including a gambling addiction. Currently, meetings of anonymous gamblers could be found all over the world, which helps them cope with this problem.

Here you will find both guidelines for the recovery process and the latest information on meeting venues and times. We also recommend visiting the www.veseligsridzinieks.lv site, where a special section is devoted to the prevention of addictions and advice is given on how to act in acute cases.

Adults Only!

Gambling is entertainment for adults only. If children also have access to the computer, you can use special software that will prevent minors from accessing gambling. We recommend using CyberPatrol or NetNanny. Also, make sure that your access data and means of payment are not freely available to other people.

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