With the proliferation of the internet and the surge of online casino operations in the world, it has rendered gambling to be more convenient today. However, what happens when one loses self-control and dwells too deeply into it? Any activity does excessively becomes a problem, and so does gambling. In fact, gambling addiction has plagued human society for as far as civilisation has begun. The spike in gambling addiction has triggered a series of both governmental and non-governmental responses, to tackle the issue.
In this article, We will be introducing one such response, known as Gamcare. Founded in 1997, Gamcare is the leading provider of information, advice, and support for anyone affected by problem gambling. They operate the National Gambling Helpline, provide treatment for problem gamblers and their family members. They also seek to create awareness about responsible gambling and treatment, encouraging an effective approach to responsible gambling within the gambling industry. In this article, I will be walking you through on how Gamcare seeks to provide help for people facing gambling issues, and so if you think you are susceptible to it or know anyone who is at risk of it, do read on to find out more!
How does it work?
The difference about Gamcare as compared to other gambling restriction programs is the fact that Gamcare takes on a wider and more holistic approach rather than a simple and direct restriction on users. While an immediate restriction on online casinos is critical, it is important to understand that gambling addiction spans beyond that of the online world. For one who has developed such an addiction, he would likely be gambling in real life, visiting live casinos as well. Therefore, a restriction in the virtual world may also resolve half of the problem. This is where Gamcare fills the gap. They understand that it requires more than just an outright restriction on access to online casinos or even land casinos. Hence, they have adopted a longer but probably more impactful approach of outreaching and educating gambling addicts.
Gamcare have a series of programs available catered to various needs. All you have to do is to go to their website and click on the ‘Get Support’ tab. On the webpage, there is various support available. There are advisers whom you can talk to over the phone or via live chat every day 24 hours a day. These advisers will listen to what is going on in your life and recommend options in resolving them.
For those who are looking for a more interactive process, why not give the group live chat a try where you get to listen to the life stories of other people as well. It is probably easier to overcoming something as a community rather than as an individual. For those who are seeking treatment, Gamcare offers one to one face to face, online or telephone therapeutic support and treatment. There are also group-based recovery courses lasting between 6 to 8 weeks. They’re also guided online treatment modules where gamblers can access at their own convenience over 8 weeks. Of course, this will require a little more disciple since it is up to the individual on abiding by these modules.
Watch – How does Gamcare work?
Pros & Cons
In today’s world, it is almost impossible to find a one-size fits kind of program. Gamstop tried to do so but even for them, players can still easily find casino sites not on gamstop and continue playing It is important to understand yourself and know what sort of treatment would be suitable for yourself. In this paragraph, I will be listing the pros and cons of Gamcare. Hopefully, this will help you in deciding whether or not Gamcare is the program for you, or perhaps some other programs out there would be better.
First and foremost, the good thing about Gamcare is the approach that it is adopting. In my opinion, curbing of any sort of addiction requires some sort of social support and a sustainable one. An outright restriction on the gambler in accessing gambling websites and land casinos may work temporarily. However, that is akin to putting a band-aid over a wound, rather than solving the root cause of the problem. Gamcare does exactly that by dwelling into the root cause of the problem, spending the effort in attempting to understand the root causes of one’s perennial gambling problems.
Another positive aspect of Gamcare is that it has a team of advisors that will hear you out and thereby propose options that one could undertake in resolving their problems. Therefore, whether or not you would eventually sign up for their program, it would be good to just hear them out. The only downside to Gamcare is that it does not have any restrictive programs to filter out any gambling-related online content. This is essential as such content could trigger the gambling tendencies of these problematic gamblers.
Period of time the program blocks/bans the gambler
The exact duration of the program depends on the type of program that you have signed up for regardless of wether you are playing in a US casino or in an EU casino site. Group based gambling recovery courses which could be delivered both offline and online lasts from 6 to 8 weeks. Online treatment modules last for 8 weeks as well. After this, you can continue to seek advice from Gamcare but it will not be part of a fixed program.
Q&A
All in all, it is important to adopt a holistic approach to curbing gambling addiction. While self- restrictions are important, for a longer-lasting impact, there needs to be some sort of social support. In this aspect, Gamcare does extremely well with its series of programs of preventing players from betting with bookies that are not on gamstop on any other bookmaker, be it online or offline, individual or group-based.
For individuals who are unsure of which program would they be more suitable for, you can always seek advice from one of their advisers, either by calling them directly or having a live chat session with them online. Their advisers have a vast amount of experience and will definitely be able to provide the appropriate solution that you can adopt. Furthermore, there are also group chats available where you can learn from the experience of other problematic gamblers as well. Therefore, if you are currently facing any sort of gambling issue or suspect that you may be susceptible to it, why not give Gamcare a try? It is free anyway.