Gambling Update
Posted on | July 7, 2010 | 1 Comment
At NORCAS, we deliver GamCare’s specialist individual counselling for people with gambling problems and their families and others who are affected by it. Our services are available in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Cromer, Ipswich and Lowestoft. The service includes an initial assessment followed by up to 24 sessions with regular reviews throughout this time. Counselling takes place on a one-to-one basis in a private and confidential setting. Within the gambling services that NORCAS offers, the highest demand is for one to one counselling. NORCAS is also currently experiencing a significant proportion of clients who are using Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. These ‘touch screen’ terminals which look similar to quiz machines in pubs and clubs, were introduced less than three years ago and have changed the face of gambling on the high street. They offer a number of games, roulette being the most popular, with a maximum prize value of £500 with each spin of the roulette wheel, which far exceeds that of traditional fruit machines. Many bookmakers claim that revenue generated from Fixed Odds Betting Terminals now exceeds over-the- counter gambling. One significant difference to fruit machines is that if you want to stop playing and cash in, you do not collect money directly from the machine. Instead a ticket is printed displaying the remaining credit (plus or minus any winnings or losses) which you then take to the shop counter to exchange. It is possible that this increases the likelihood that you will gamble until all your money has been lost.
The GamCare approach, which is fully endorsed by NORCAS, does not want to restrict the number of choices or opportunities for anyone to operate, or take part in gambling activities that are legally available in the UK. We do however ask that a few simple guidelines are kept in mind when gambling.
- You’re buying fun, not investing your money
- Before playing, set strict limits on how much time and money you’re going to spend
- Quit while you’re ahead
- Only gamble with money you can afford to lose
- Don’t spend money on gambling with the hope to win back money you have lost
- Keep up other interests and hobbies, don’t let gambling take over your life
- Don’t gamble in order to escape from stress or boredom
- Above all, if you can’t afford to lose, don’t play!
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August 3rd, 2010 @ 4:59 am
Great Gambling Update, I particularly liked the part highlighting the FOBT’s.
Keep up the good work. I’m keeping an eye on progress all the way in New Zealand