Beware before you gamble on that World Cup dream
The World Cup is now under way and, up and down the country, people will be settling down in front of the television to cheer on their team. however, the charity GambleAware has warned that an increased risk of problem gambling threatens to ruin the fun, especially given the cost- of-living crisis and the seductive dream of a big win.
The timing of the matches makes matters worse, not just because of the looming expense of Christmas, but because people are at home more often in winter, with easy access to online gambling apps.
New research has shown that 43 per cent of football fans plan to place a bet during the World Cup and, among those, more than a third say that financial pressures may drive them to gamble more than they intended.
In total, a third of all fans admit to feeling anxious about how much they might lose.
What’s particularly worrying is that many of these will be novices, with a quarter of people who don’t usually bet on football planning on doing so during the tournament in Qatar.
ANDit’s not just men at risk. About a third of all bets on sports events are placed by women. Though historically they’ve not tended to gamble on international fooball — one in ten bets at the last World Cup were made by women — it’s thought many more will use apps this year, because of the interest in the games generated by the Lionesses.
In fact, research data suggests that women with online accounts for casino-type games tend to bet more often, for longer, and spend more than men.
In response to these worrying statistics, GambleAware has launched a new campaign to help stop people spiralling into problem gambling.
It’s a topic I feel very strongly about, because I see many desperate gambling addicts in my clinic and I know how easily a few bets can escalate, especially if someone is down or stressed.
The damage it does is truly devastating: I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen someone come into A&e feeling suicidal after running up enormous debts.
And, yet, this kind of addiction, as opposed to a problem with alcohol or drugs, is often misunderstood. Frankly, it’s not taken seriously by the medical establishment. At medical school, I wasn’t taught a single thing about how to look after gambling addicts.
I’m no killjoy. It’s fine to have an occasional flutter, but when it starts to spiral, the fallout can destroy relationships, friendships and families.
The three key warning signs to look for in someone who may be struggling with gambling include losing track of time, spending more than they can afford and keeping it a secret from others. This addiction can affect absolutely anyone, which is why it’s so important to talk about it, since it might not appear that a friend or loved one has a problem.
If you are worried about someone, it can often be difficult knowing how to broach the subject. But one conversation can break the stigma and reassure the person affected that they are not alone. here’s my advice on how to bring it up.
IT’S easier to have the conversation during the day, when neither of you has had any alcohol. Avoid times when you’re both harassed or stressed because you’re less likely to have a meaningful, constructive talk.
IN AN important study from Oxford University, vapes have been shown to be twice as effective as nicotine replacement therapy in helping people quit smoking. I’m a strong advocate for switching smokers to vapes. While vapes are not risk-free, they are far better than traditional cigarettes.
TIMING can be everything — make sure you’ve both got the time actually to have a proper conversation and there aren’t any distractions.
SOMeTIMeS people find it easier to broach difficult subjects when sitting side by side in the car, as this avoids too much eye contact which can sometimes be perceived as threatening.
DON’T bring it up in the middle of an argument or as part of a list of complaints.
Be PRePAReD that they might react with annoyance or dismiss your concerns at first — but don’t give up. If you’re stuck and don’t know where to turn, there are a lot of online resources for advice and help.
Whether you are worried about your own gambling or someone else’s, you can get help and support from the National Gambling helpline on 0808 8020 133, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Alternatively, go to begamble aware.org for more advice.