As a part of the entertainment industry, gambling is designed to be an enjoyable leisure activity, and for the vast majority of individuals, it is just that. It is however important to remember to keep gambling fun and to bet in a responsible manner - be that in the sports betting or online casino spheres.

To gamble responsibly means to gamble in a manner which steers clear of any of the potential pitfalls suffered by a small percentage of gamblers. Such pitfalls may include financial problems, emotional issues such as depression, stress or anxiety, or indeed any negative impact resulting from gambling to excess.

As mentioned, for the majority of gamblers, betting remains an enjoyable past-time - a way to pit your wits against the odds compilers or spice up the sporting action. Sticking to the following tips can help ensure we keep it this way:

• Never gamble with money that you cannot afford to lose. This can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety in addition to potential financial difficulties.
• Do not chase your losses or gamble emotionally.
• Have a budget for your gambling and stick to it.
• Do not gamble when drunk or when your judgment is otherwise impaired.
• Keep track of the amount of time you are spending gambling and remember to take breaks.
• Make sure you understand the product or sport you are betting on prior to striking your bets.
• Keep it fun! If you are no longer having fun, it may be time to stop.

For a small percentage of people, gambling can become an addictive and problematic activity. Keeping an eye out for any of the following signs, either in yourself or others, can help to nip any potential problems in the bud.

• Chasing losses.
• Increasing stakes.
• Spending more and more time gambling at the expense of other activities.
• Lying to friends or relatives about the amount of time or money spent gambling.
• Becoming preoccupied with betting, and rarely seeming to think about anything else.
• Borrowing money in order to gamble.
• A change in mood as a result of gambling; e.g. becoming anxious, irritable or depressed.
• Attempting to quit or take a break from gambling but being unable to do so.

All of the top online betting sites contain the following tools; all of which have the aim of helping the customer stay in control of their gambling:

• Deposit Limits: This enables customers to restrict their maximum deposits to a specified amount. Limits can be set on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
• Account History: Enables customers to keep track of their gambling and their overall profit and loss.
• Reality Check: A timed reminder informing customers of how long they have been playing and their profit and loss for the session. This gives customers the opportunity to take stock and decide whether they wish to continue.
• Cooling Off Period: Allows a customer to deny themselves access from a site for a short period of time, often ranging from a couple of days to a month.
• Self-Exclusion: A more severe measure than the cooling-off period, this allows customers to effectively ban themselves from a site for a more significant amount of time, most often for a period of six months or longer.