If you’ve made your way to this page, we’d really appreciate it if you took the time to read the below and familiarize yourself with some of the initiatives and organizations that can assist with gambling addiction, and help with ensuring that you’re gambling responsibly.
This whole page is dedicated to the subject and if you believe you may have a problem with your gambling we urge you to seek the help needed.
How do we View Gambling?
At Best Betting Michigan we believe that betting on sports, or playing at online casinos is for one purpose and one purpose only - entertainment. As soon as it goes beyond being a source of entertainment we need to put the collective breaks on, slow things down, and really assess why we’re doing it.
As a social pursuit, it can be a form of entertainment that enhances a sports match or event, and when played responsibly and within your means, a spin at a casino can be a worthwhile hobby.
As soon as betting and gambling goes further than this and starts to take over your life, then it’s time to seek help at one of the many organizations or helplines below.
What does Best Betting Michigan do to Assist?
We believe that part of our responsibilities of reviewing betting sites and casinos is to ensure that each brand has a robust responsible gambling offering and that you know all about it. If this is weak in any way, they will be marked down in our ratings and also we will tell you clearly about it in a dedicated section within the review.
How do I Know if I have a Gambling Problem?
Firstly, many people don’t realize they have a gambling problem so it’s worth constantly reminding ourselves of some great questions to ask ourselves:
- Does Gambling ever make me angry, or negatively affect my mood?
- Have I ever lost more money than I could afford whilst gambling?
- Have I ever missed a social event in order to gamble?
- Are my personal relationships affected by my gambling?
- Do I try to chase my losses by gambling more?
- Could I stop gambling if I wanted to?
- Could I take a break from Gambling?
There are obviously other questions, but if you can answer yes to any of these first five questions, or no to the final two, then it’s time to speak to somebody about it.
Responsible Gambling at Betting Sites and Online Casinos
Every online casino and online sportsbook has an obligation to ensure that it looks out for, preempts and acts on problem gambling.
Without measures in place to assist problem gamblers, operators could never get a license to operate. More importantly, an operator doesn’t want to see its customers destroyed by its own product.
There are measures at every brand licensed by the Michigan Gambling Control Board including:
- Time Out - you should be able to request a timeout for a period of time up to one year. This means you can’t deposit or wager at all during this period and the operator is obliged to honor it. Of course, you can still log-in and withdraw funds should you have some there.
- Self Exclusion and Disassociated Persons - you can request a complete self-exclusion at a State level so that no sportsbook or casino should let you play or target you with marketing. The most comprehensive way to a blanket stop on your gambling.
- Time Management - set limits on the amount of time you spend wagering or playing at casinos.
- Deposit limits - ensure limits are set against how much you can deposit on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis. This ensures you can’t deposit more than the limit you are setting.
- Spend limits - similar to deposit limits, set a limit on how much you can spend over a certain time period. Be aware this often doesn’t include winnings from wagers but overall still gives you a way to control what you’re spending.
Responsible Gambling Resources to Utilize
Below are some of the key responsible gambling resources for you to check out if you think you may have a problem, or someone you know has a problem and it’s affecting you. You’ll find some at a national level and some at a Michigan state level.
National Resources:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - a number to call when you’re in crisis and need someone to speak with.
- Gamblers Anonymous - an organization dedicated to assisting problem gamblers on a global level. Find a meeting near you and benefit from a peer-to-peer meeting as well as individual support.
- National Council on Problem Gambling - 1-800-522-4700 - treatment facilities, tools to assist you, and a general support facility. Call the number and speak to someone today.
- Gam-Anon - aimed at friends, loved ones and families of anyone experiencing a gambling problem.
Michigan State Resources:
- The Michigan Gambling Control Board - an overall view of the Michigan Responsible Gambling programs
- Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline - 800-270-7117 - whether you’ve got a problem or know someone who needs help, don’t hesitate to call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services helpline.
- MGCB Responsible Gambling Database and Voluntary Self-Exclusion List - all the info needed to understand how to enroll on a voluntary self-exclusion program for internet sports betting and internet gambling in Michigan.
- Michigan Disassociated Persons List - 1-888-223-3044 - call this number and add your name to a list of persons banned from all licensed Detroit casinos.
- Michigan Association of Problem Gambling - a non-profit organization with plenty of info and resources to assist with problem gamblers.