South African Responsible Gambling Foundation

Self-Exclusion and Intervention

The SARGF provides counselling and support for excluded individuals and immediate family members through its National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP). Via this program, individuals can exclude themselves from gambling activities, both online and offline. Self-exclusion sessions always come with a 6-month cooling-off period and within this period of exclusion, the excluded individual is provided with free counselling.

You can request self-exclusion at provincial gambling boards or through the online casino or bookmaker you're playing at. Note that it is the responsibility of the player who requested self-exclusion to ensure he or she complies with the terms of the self-exclusion. The self-exclusion period is usually between 6 months to 5 years depending on the severity of the gambling problem.

In the case that a player is denied access to a gambling venue because of being self-excluded and the player objects, the venue can deny the player future access and additionally charge the player for trespassing.

A self-excluded player can send a request for the upliftment of the self-exclusion order at any given time. However, the self-exclusion will only be uplifted if the player has been self-excluded for at least six months and has had at least one session with a SARG treatment and mental health professional.

What Other Measures Can I Take While Gambling Online?

Gambling is an entertaining and pleasurable activity but constant gambling can develop into a gambling problem. Many players wonder about the steps they can take to protect themselves from compulsive gambling and its negative consequences. Here are some of the steps you can take to promote responsible gambling habits during physical and online gambling sessions:

• Use Available Tools: If you enjoy playing at online casinos but don't want to become addicted to gambling, wager more money than you should, or play for longer than originally intended use the available responsible gambling tools.
• Set Limits and Self-Exclusion Breaks: Although the exact procedures differ from casino to casino, all of our top-rated South African casinos allow players to set limits for themselves. These include deposit, loss, and play time limits within your online casino account settings.
• Seek Help: Apart from setting limits, players are encouraged to call the available counselling line or contact organisations that provide free support if necessary. For example, you could speak to NRGP's mentorship programme manager. The mentorship service includes hands-on help for players with gambling problems.

When Are You Considered a Problem Gambler?

It often happens that those around you already suspect that you have a gambling problem, while you don't yet see or don't want to see it. Denying being a problem gambler is part of being addicted to gambling.

Are you wondering whether you might have a gambling problem, are you concerned about your gambling behaviour, or do you have gambling debts?

Then take note of the following: a gambling addict slowly but surely ends up in a vicious circle. At first, you play to win; if you lose, you play to win back your lost money (called chasing losses). This can go on for a long time, resulting in gambling debts.

Problem gamblers exhibit various warning signs that you can use to measure yourself and determine if you are addicted to gambling or not. You can also take the self-check quiz to determine if you display any of the symptoms. The most important characteristics of gambling addiction at a glance are:

• Constantly thinking about gambling: One symptom of problem gambling is always thinking about gambling. This has various negative effects on an individual's work and personal life.
• Lying about gambling: People suffering from gambling addiction usually lie to friends and family members about their gambling.
• No control over gambling: Problem gambling makes it hard for players to control the time spent during gambling sessions. Individuals suffering from problem gambling find it hard to stop gambling and it affects the person's life in various ways.
• Failed attempts to stop gambling: Problem gamblers may have tried to stop gambling but are unable to do so without external help.
• Neglecting social contacts: People gambling compulsively cannot create time for their friends and social obligations. These include not going to work, school, and religious obligations.

Causes of Gambling Addiction

There are several reasons why people who gamble become addicts or develop bad gambling habits. Sometimes, gambling addiction is the main problem, while it may be the symptom of an underlying problem.

Here are some of the causes of gambling addiction:

• Bipolar disorder and other personality disorders: make it easy for individuals to have addictive tendencies.
• Traumatic events: may make individuals seek comfort in gambling or other activities to drown out emotions. Traumatic events also make individuals dependent on external sources of support.
• Substance use and drug abuse: create conditions that facilitate gambling addictions.
• Personal characteristics: such as sensation-seeking or a negative self-image.
• Environmental factors: including friends, family, and acquaintances, the type of game you play, and other social factors.
• Some medications: can cause addiction as a side effect.

Consequences of Gambling Addiction

Gambling problems have numerous consequences on a person's life. Pathological gambling can affect your financial well-being, relationships with family members, and other interpersonal relationships. Here are some of the problems gambling addiction can cause:

• Rising debts: occur because they borrow more and more money, which impacts their financial well-being.
• Commit fraud or steal: to get money.
• Debts pile up: as the odds are not in your favour, so gambling costs money.
• Arguing by lying and downplaying problems.
• Fatigue: is another potential harmful effect that is accompanied by exhaustion or being restless.
• Job loss and fractured relationships: with immediate family members is another potential harmful effect of gambling addiction.
• Loneliness: due to neglecting social contacts and even suicide.

Frequently Asked Questions About SARGF