Monthly Archives: August 2020

How the five echelons of horse racing have been affected during lockdown

As sport works its way back into the public eye in the upcoming weeks, one sport has had to wait almost three months to welcome back its athletes. That sport is horse racing, whose last race came on a gloomy Tuesday night way back in March at Wetherby. Since then, the Grand National has been cancelled and Royal Ascot is planning to stage races behind closed doors. Finally, that period of an empty calendar will be over as 12 runners take to Newcastle for the Brenkley Handicap Stakes in the first race back.

For many supporters it has been a tough period with their evenings and weekends void of sporting action as well as the absence of a number of flutters that would normally be placed during the season. Naturally, as the horse racing world intends to get back to normal as much as possible, the promotions provided by bookmakers and online casino sites will likely be far and wide, so watch out for generous offers as the racing gets underway once more.

Aside from the spectators, there are a number of branches within the horse racing community that have also been seriously affected, but just how?

A moment on the lips…

For a jockey, racing is a tough endeavour. Riding five or ten races a day can be exhausting with the amount of calories being burned almost extreme. When that kind of exercise is thrown out of the window quite suddenly, it is almost impossible to replicate that through walking, resistance training or any other creative idea as most jockeys have had to stick to during lockdown.

Not only is it bodily excess that jockeys have had to contend with though, but money has also been an issue. The past few months are usually the busiest time of the year for riders, and some jockeys have earned nothing with many not being able to be furloughed either which has made things worse.

Frustration of trainers

For trainers that have got their horses in the best shape of their lives, the lockdown has been totally frustrating. With many important meets cancelled in the past three months, trainers have had to keep their horses and jockeys in the best shape possible without doing too much.

The lockdown and social distancing measures have, however, improved some functioning at stables. Because of social distancing, trainers have had to send horses out in twos or threes rather than in bulk, enabling more individual attention. Keeping contact with jockeys and owners has also been fairly easy too when considering the bulk of communication devices around nowadays.

Stable staff earning their corn and more

Of course, in such trying times with a pandemic engulfing the world, keeping clean is the most important method to keep safe. Everything that gets touched needs to be disinfected and that is now done twice a day with those succumbing to a higher temperature being sent home.

Though the absence of racing has affected stable staff in terms of ensuring everything is spick-and-span, the horses have not been troubled and still look healthy and ready to run.

Racecourse officials struggling

For racecourse officials that work around the grounds, the suspension of racing has had a massive impact financially. Their reliance on mass gatherings for income has meant that the past few months have been extremely lean.

A racecourse cannot just be shut up and left alone for months as maintenance of buildings and the track itself is vital to the game. With staff in short supply, on-going work and watering has had to be done by a skeleton workforce, making the job twice as hard.

Bookies losing out

For bookmakers and the best casino sites, the halting of races has been disastrous. Heavily reliant on the sporting market, they have lost out big time with the absence of key meetings at Aintree and Royal Ascot.

And, with only 300 independent on-track bookmakers left in the UK, some of them will not survive with only the Cheltenham Gold Cup providing big markets so far this season, especially when considering that the next few months will see races behind closed doors only.

Free-to-play leading the gaming industry

As the world continues on its journey through lockdown, one industry which has benefitted from the ‘stay-at-home’ message is the gaming world. With more time on their hands, people have gone to different lengths to ensure stimulation and entertainment. One very popular way to do just that has been to venture into gaming. But, one such area is beginning to thrive more than ever: free-to-play games.

Games with no upfront cost are a novel idea and transcend every sector of the gaming community, whether that be first-person shooters or online slots and French online casinos. In fact, the gambling industry has been at the forefront of this free-to-play concept for a number of years.

Naturally, offers entice people into the gaming and gambling world as they try to make use of a freebie, but the expanding scene of free-to-play games has been evolving for some time.

How Fortnite changed the game, quite literally

According to SuperData’s year-end report in 2018, games with no upfront cost generated a remarkable $88 billion, leaving more traditional games looking on in envy. That year of course witnessed the incredible rise of Fortnite as people of all ages flocked to the battle royale phenomenon.

The total gaming market amounted to $110 billion in 2018 with approximately $61 billion coming from mobile which is where free-to-play games tend to have their dominance. With the expansion of mobile technology too and the improvements in graphics, refresh rates and battery lives, free-to-play games can be enjoyed for hours on end and with little to no cost – if, of course, you don’t buy add-ons or wager more than your initial free promotion.

But, the number across all platforms was actually $88 billion, with Fortnite responsible for contributing most at $2.4 billion in revenue with PC, mobile, Asian and Western games following. And, that number is growing as “traditional” gaming continues to be challenged.

Traditional gaming on the way out?

A game you can pay over $60 for and then play without any need for shelling out further expenses is dubbed a “traditional” game, but that only amounted to $16 billion across PCs and consoles worldwide in 2018.

It was the late 1990s and early 2000s when the slow rise of free-to-play massive multiplayer online games, or MMOs, came into being. PC gaming grew too as a result of the internet giving game developers another platform, but by the late 2000s, many publishers had moved their MMOs to free-to-play instead of the original subscription-based models you’d find on platforms like online casino Australia.

That meant that money would be made through user-purchased in-game cosmetics and add-ons rather than the game itself. This trend not only appears to be dominating the current gaming era, but it is showing no signs of slowing down for the future.

Why casino operators are tying up deals with American sports franchises

The online casino industry is one of the most lucrative entertainment industries on the planet. Thanks to the internet, we can not only bet online on event such as the presidential elections, we can also play on exciting sports games. Perhaps the only thing that comes close to it in terms of reach and popularity in the United States is sport. Therefore, it is fitting that these two institutions of American culture have strengthened their bonds significantly in recent years. Whether it be in the NBA, NFL or MLB, more and more of the best online casinos are striking up partnerships with some of the US’s biggest sporting franchises, much to the delight of both parties.

This truly is a sports wide phenomenon. In the basketball world, the Philadelphia 76s have a deal with Caesars Entertainment which includes cross-party promotion on social media as well as prominent advertising hoardings in the Wells Fargo Centre. It’s a similar story for football with the NFL permitting their franchises to sign sponsorship deals with bookmakers and casino operators back in 2018. The Dallas Cowboys are among several teams to take advantage of this, currently enjoying a sponsorship deal with Oklahoma based Winstar Casino.

So, what explains the growth in casino operators wanting to tie up deals with American sports franchises?

First and foremost, the deals are massively advantageous to the casino companies. The sports market is massive and can provide a significant amount of exposure for their brand. Multi-billion-dollar television deals can broadcast their company name to a truly worldwide audience. This is a highly effective way to increase brand awareness and attract new customers to their sites – making many sponsorship deals profitable in the long run. In this way, partnering up for sports franchises makes perfect sense from a marketing standpoint.

Partnering with well-known US sports franchises also gives casino operators a degree of legitimacy. Historic sporting institutions such as the New England Patriots, LA Lakers or New York Yankees remain highly respected and beloved across the world. By associating their casino with these well-regarded brands, operators are trying to relieve some of the stigma that still exists around iGaming and casinos in general.

The deals also make sense from a sports franchise perspective. NBA and NFL teams in particular are able to demand huge fees from sponsorship thanks to their reach and popularity. They also have to charge this because of their long list of outgoings. An average NBA team’s annual salary bill is around $120,000,000 and that’s before all of their other costs have been factored in.

Because of these hefty prices, a significant amount of American companies has no chance of being able to secure a sponsorship deal. One of the few industries that can afford such figures is the casino industry. This means that by a process of elimination, casino operators are often the companies that end up securing sponsorship.

In summary then, the reasons for the explosion in casino operators tying up deals with American sports franchises are twofold. While sponsorship makes sense for the casinos from a marketing perspective, the franchises themselves also have a lot to gain from the increasingly common partnerships.

New Protocols For The MLB

What a difficult year to date for sport. Endless cancellations and postponements have taken place, leading to endless issues and complications for sides. You have the likes of the Olympic games and European championships, that were the first to be postponed and moved to 2021. The Euro 2020 betting has England as the general favourites at present, with both France and Belgium also at the top of the market. Punters can pick up a host of offers ahead of the event, including betting guides, with Turkey and Italy set to kick off the tournament on the 11th of June. Soccer is just one of the major sports to be affected, and it has been the same across the US, with endless sports continuing to return, following the extended break.

This past weekend saw the return of major US sporting events once again much to the delight of many punters – after initial cancellations and postponements started to roll out in late March, as many are now trying to catch up and finish their seasons before the winter in order to get the next campaign underway, a growing number of possibilities have become open. As we’ve seen with many other sporting events around the world this has led to a growing number of betting options and the increasing pace of sporting schedules means that there’s plenty of room for punters to play – there are some challenges to overcome, however, as not having fans in attendance for example has shown to really change the dynamic and has had an impact on some teams seen already as there have been some big upset results.

It doesn’t seem to be smooth sailing for all sporting events however, as it seems Major League Baseball may be the first at risk of having to cancel events once again following eighteen postponements on the opening weekend. Throughout the lockdown period there had been a growing number of stories of players testing positive for the coronavirus before the league had even been announced, which had been part of the reason for the longer delays. The bad news has continued after starting however as the number of players testing positive for the virus continues to increase in pace and now further protocols have been announced after the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals have shown the extent of how bad things are looking and 33 players would test positive.


(Image from USA Today)

A statement issued reads “Everyone must be accountable for their own conduct because the careless or reckless actions of a few can impact the health and well-being of everyone” amidst the new revised protocols – some of these changes are; all players and staff must wear a mask at all times including the dugout and clubhouse (with the exception of players on the field), players and staff members have been ordered to quarantine on the road, and clubs must also reduce the size of their traveling parties amongst other changes in protocols too – it is hoped that these adjustments will see a marked reduction in the number of positive cases and will help ensure the league can continue, but there are fears if cases continue on the path they have then this season may have to be scrapped.

It is expected that there may be some more cancellations or postponements however, in the case of the Phillies, they had played the marlins in the middle of the developing outbreak and although there has only been one confirmed case, it is possible this could also grow out of control and the same may be true for others who may have recently played against any team having an outbreak – the new protocols are certainly imposing and perhaps a little daunting for many, but it may be necessary to ensure the season can be completed.

NFL and MLB defy the bubble system used by the NBA and others

Which is the best way for major sports leagues to come back to action after the Covid-19 forced break? We are about to find out. Leagues like the NBA, WNBA, MLS and NHL have opted for the “bubble system”, which implies getting everyone involved and placing them in a single location for the remaining of the season. However, others like MLB and NFL have chosen a different path and will take their chances while traveling back and forth and hoping for the best, following hundreds of new safety protocols, of course.

Why have NFL and MLB opted out of the bubble system?

As in everything during this pandemic, decisions involve many different angles that most of us can’t even imagine, from local economics to merely sports related issues. Whatever the reasons are, the decision has been made and by now it’s practically impossible to change it, even though league officials are emphatic to remark that players and staff safety will always remain #1 priority.

It is a tough plan to follow and as people usually say, the chain is just as strong as its weakest link, meaning that, if you have 100 players, and 1 doesn’t follow the rules, then everyone else will automatically be compromised.

MLB started playing last Thursday, July 23rd, and on Monday, we already had a first setback, 17 positive Covid-19 tests among the Miami Marlins players, and games being cancelled throughout the whole week. The NFL faces exactly the same challenges and even bigger, considering that NFL teams and staff involve a lot more people to take care of and travel around, city by city.

One of the main reasons we can think about of why NFL and MLB chose a different system, is that these two will play their whole season and it’s hard to keep people in a bubble for so long, isolated and separated from their families. On the other hand, NBA and NHL are restarting and going right into playoffs, so the season will be over soon, while MLS and WNBA opted for a complete system change and are playing short tournaments, reducing the amount of days in the bubble considerably.

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Looking at Past College Football Betting Numbers

The big news in college football, of course, is that the Big Ten and the Pac-12 will not be playing this fall due to concerns with the coronavirus. The two Power 5 conferences are looking to play in the spring of 2021.

The remaining Power 5 conferences – the ACC, Big 12, and SEC – are planning on playing this fall. All three appear to be leaning toward a conference-only schedule, but a few non-conference matchups may take place.

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With that in mind, we take a look at a little betting history in these three conferences. Historically, which teams are your best bets straight up and against the spread?

THE ACC

There is one team that has dominated the ACC for the past five seasons. Clemson has won five straight ACC titles and two national championships in the past five seasons. They are the favorite once again to win the conference crown and will go down in sports history.

Heisman Trophy candidate Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne lead a powerful and explosive Tigers offense. Head coach Dabo Swinney’s defense will reload with a two-deep full of potential NFL draft picks.

The Tigers are normally huge favorites on the moneyline. While they are almost a sure bet – Clemson is 28-2 in its last 30 ACC games – the return simply isn’t there. What about betting against the spread?

While Clemson sees a number of double-figure lines during the course of a season, the Tigers are the best ACC bet ATS. In their past 30 ACC games, Clemson is 19-10-1 ATS. Recently, they have been on a run with a 14-2 record ATS in their last 16 conference games.

 

Looking for an edge this MLB Season? Take a look at the 2019 MLB Season’s Key Numbers

 

THE BIG 12

Like Clemson, Oklahoma has owned the Big 12 title for the last five seasons. The Sooners are 27-3 in conference play over the past 30 games. Bettors looking to capitalize on Oklahoma probably don’t want to back the Sooners against the spread. The Big 12 champs are just 12-17-1 ATS in their last 30 conference games. That includes going 1-5 ATS in their last six.

Bettors should keep an eye on Baylor. Yes, just a few seasons ago – 2017 – the Bears went 1-11. Last season, Baylor went 11-3 under head coach Matt Rhule, who is now the Carolina Panthers head coach. 

Dave Aranda, one of the game’s best defensive minds, takes over as head coach. Baylor is just 13-17 in their last 30 conference games, but they are 19-11 ATS. In their last five Big 12 games, Baylor has covered the spread in each game. 

THE SEC

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has said from the beginning that his conference is going to play football this season. When they do, Alabama will be a team to watch. The Crimson Tide are a perennial candidate for the SEC and national championships.

NCAAF against the spread bettors should prefer Georgia or LSU over the Tide based on their SEC histories. While Alabama is 27-3 SU against SEC competition, the Tide is just 15-14-1 ATS. In their last nine SEC games, head coach Nick Saban’s squad has covered just three times.

Meanwhile, rivals Georgia and LSU have fared much better against the spread. The Bulldogs (24-6 SU) are 19-10-1 ATS and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 SEC games. LSU is 19-9-2 ATS in their last 30 and 6-2-2 ATS in their last ten.

A Look Back at Kentucky Derby Past Performances


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The 146th Kentucky Derby is just a month away, and fans have never been this excited as the race is fast approaching. Horse racing enthusiasts have been waiting for months since the original schedule of the Kentucky Derby was moved due to COVID-19.

Now that the race is happening this coming 5ht of September 2020, fans are starting to recall past events to help them decide who to place their bet. So without further adieu, let us take a glimpse at Kentucky Derby's past performances in the last three years.

2019 Performances

Twenty horses have taken their post on the 145th Kentucky derby that was held last May 4, 2019, at Churchill Downs. It was a very controversial race as Country House was declared the winner after the disqualification of Maximum Security.

Maximum Security finished the race first and followed by Country House in second place. Maximum was disqualified as he came off his line and impeded War of Will. It was the first disqualification that happened on-track in the race's history.

After the disqualification of Maximum Security, Code of Honor was declared the second placer followed by Tacitus in the third place. In their winning order, the remaining contenders were Improbable, Game Winner, and followed by Master Fencer. War of Will was in 7th position, then Plus Que Parfait on the 8th.

The 9th and 10th position was Win Win Win and Cutting Humor, respectively. 11th was By My Standards, 12th Vekoma, 13th Bodyexpress, 14th Tax, and 15th was Roadster. Long Range Toddy was in 16th place and Spinoff in 17th. The last placer in the race was Gray Magician, positioned in the 4th post position with the odds of 50-1.

The favorites of last year's race were Game Winner, Roadster, and improbable who got the top odds. All three were trained by Bob Baffert, who already had five Kentucky Derby Winners, including the American Pharaoh last 2015 and Justify last 2018.

Omaha Beach of Richard Mandella was the Morning-line favorite at 4-1. However, Omaha Beach was not able to join the race due to a throat condition while Tacitus became 8-1 after opening at 10-1.

2018 Performances

Justify, trained by Bob Baffert, was proclaimed the 144th Kentucky Derby champion despite the watery, almost submerged track. Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia declared Justify to be the early favorite in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Justify was listed as 5-2 favorite by Westgate Las Vegas' odds.

According to Mike Smith, the second oldest jockey who won the Kentucky Derby, Justify is a very athletic horse, that he gets over the ground so easy and keeps on running. He also implies that Justify is an above-average horse.

Justify exhibits a spectacular performance in the 2019 race. He was the early favorite, and he proves it well. It was a tough ride, but he and Mike Smith sure gave their all and deserved the championship.

Good Magic landed in second place when he drifted out due to the slippery track while Justify ran clear and straight inside the track. The third spot was obtained by Audible and followed by Instiled Regard in the 4th place.

To know each of the contender's odds, you can check Kentucky Derby odds at TVG.com. The odds are important to predict the possibilities of the race.

2017 Performances

Always dreaming and jockey John Velazquez dominated the track of the 143rd Kentucky Derby last May 6, 2017. The champion Always Dreaming has been the favorite since the colt entered the race with 9-2 odds.

Always Dreaming's willful attitude and the Jockey John Velazquez's mindset for success, along with Todd Pletcher's expertise and guidance, resulted in their victory. Both John and Todd already had a history of winning the race, but it was their first time winning as a team.

The colt Splashed through the mud and won for a two and 3-fourth length victory against Lookin at Lee, who ended the race in second place. Always Dreaming ran one and one-fourth miles in 2:03:59.

Following Lookin at Lee was Battle of Midway for the third spot and Classic Empire on the fourth. Always Dreaming made the 2017 Kentucky Derby the fifth straight year that a favorite had won.

John Velazquez stated that Always Dreaming is the best horse he and Todd have ever brought to the Kentucky Derby. Velazquez used the colt's speed to get into the position earlier in the race against some horses, including Classic empire and McCracken.

It was a chaotic start for both Velazquez and Always Dreaming as McCracken almost knocked them over as they hit them, sending mud splattering everywhere. Always Creaming nearly tripped behind State of Honor during this clash.

It was a tight race for the champion. However, the colt managed to finish the race in the number one position. The determination of Always Dreaming and the experience of Velazquez helped them overcome the race.

Takeaway

Past performances are important as it gives bettors and fans a heads up on the race's possibilities. Past performance will give spectators an idea about a specific horse's performance and capability. This is how important understanding Kentucky Derby's past performance is.

Best odds for Champions League 19/20

With the Champions League due to start again Friday 7th August, we look ahead to see what odds look enticing for punters this summer. Lots of speculation and anticipation towards this years competition, mainly down to the long extended period the football season has been off for due to Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions. As seen below, it’s a very tasty couple of weeks we have as viewers.


[Image: Daily Sabah]

The two main favourites for the tournament are Manchester City (16/5) and Bayern Munich (7/2) look to be a good price on sites here that are not blocked by Gamstop. Allowed access for all users to find the best gambling and betting markets in the game, alongside deposit matches and unbeaten odds.

Both teams obviously have tremendous squads with some star players in there; City’s Kevin De Bruyne is at the heart of every that the blues do, whether that be stringing passes together, darting runs, clever set pieces or just general gameplay – De Bruyne possess it all. Munich talisman is none other than the formidable Robert Lewandowski, the current top goalscorer in the tournament also. Sides this season in the competition haven’t be able to contain Lewandowski at all, having scored an impressive 11 goals this season before the quarter finals. If Bayern are to succeed in this tournament, it is almost certainly be down to Lewandowski’s brilliance.

If you were looking for something a little more lucrative, I’d personally be looking towards the other side of the draw as shown above. RB Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid and then Atlanta BC vs Paris Saint-German. This side of the drawn is dramatically weaker than the other and paves a way for I’d say either Atletico Madrid or Paris Saint-German a guaranteed place in the final – and we all know anything can happen in the final. So if you fancy a punt at an outsider, you can get PSG at 5/1 and Atletico at 8/1; both healthy odds for the quality of their squads and the luck of the draw. My tip would be Neymar and Mbappe to take PSG to the final.

Orlando City SC v. Minnesota United FC Betting Preview

The second semifinal in the MLS is Back Tournament is set for Thursday night as Orlando City SC takes on Minnesota United FC. Orlando is favored in this game at +143 to Minnesota’s +162 despite entering the tournament as a massive +5000 longshot to win it all. Minnesota meanwhile was favored to win Group D, which they did not, and started the tournament at +1200 to win it all.

These teams have met three times since Minnesota United entered MLS in 2017 and Orlando City have never won. United won at home 1-0 in 2017 and on the road 2-1 in 2018 as Ethan Finlay scored twice. Nani put Orlando City on top last year but Abu Danladi, now on Nashville SC, earned Minnesota a 1-1 draw in the 90th minute.

Orlando City SC Outlook: Home Cooking

Orlando City is playing in their hometown but at definitely the Cinderella team still in the tournament after entering at +5000 to win it all. They have played themselves into a favorite role in the semifinals thanks to some timely goals and solid defense. The Lions went 5-for-5 in a penalty shootout Friday night to beat tournament favorites LAFC with captain Nani scoring the winning goal.

Orlando City won Group A with a 2-1 win over Inter Miami FC, a 3-1 win over NYCFC and a 1-1 draw against Philadelphia. Before beating LAFC in the quarterfinals they dispatched Montreal 1-0 in the round of 16. Christopher Mueller has three goals in the tournament while Tesho Akindele has two goals.

Orlando City has a flair for the dramatic with Nani scoring in added time to beat Inter Miami and Joao Moutinho scoring in the 90th minute to send the quarterfinal to penalty kicks. Goalie Pedro Gallese has 15 saves in the tournament and came up big in the shootout against LAFC to set the stage for Nani’s winner.

Minnesota United FC Outlook: Be the Underdog

Coach Adrian Heath and the Loons relish the underdog role as they upset Columbus Crew and San Jose Earthquakes so far in the knockout round. The offense was slow to start in the tournament but exploded in Saturday’s 4-1 quarterfinal win over San Jose. Robin Lod, Jacori Hayes, Luis Amarilla and Marlon Harrison all scored in the win.

The Group D favorite finished second in the group with a 0-0 draw against Real Salt Lake, a 2-2 draw against Colorado Rapids and a 97th minute winner from Kevin Molino in the group opener against Sporting KC. They had to go to penalties to beat Columbus after a 1-1 draw and keeper Tyler Miller made a save before Chase Gasper delivered the winning kick.

Finlay and Lod have two goals each in the tournament while five players have one goal each and MUNFC benefitted from an own goal against Sporting KC. Miller has 13 saves in the five games and the Loons have allowed just five goals despite playing without defensive star Ike Opara.

Orlando City SC/Minnesota United FC Betting Lines By Realbookies.com

Orlando City SC +142 to win
Minnesota United FC +167 to win
Draw +241
Over/Under 2.5 goals (O -113, U -116)

Both defenses have played great in the tournament and the offenses have taken advantage of opposing mistakes to grab late goals. Neither team will back down and the tactics from managers Health and Oscar Pareja will go a long way in determining which team plays for the MLS is Back Championship. Neither team has won a major trophy and don’t be surprised if this one heads to penalty kicks.

FREE PICK by Payperhead247: Under 2.5 goals (-116)

More information at: http://www.10starpicks.com/articles/Consider-This-Before-Becoming-a-Book

UK Casino self-exclusion – Everything you need to know

UK casino self-exclusion

As the casino world grows and there is an increase in gambling activities at land based and online casinos. This has led to an increase in the reported cases of gambling addiction across the world. The rate of increase poses a major concern for the authorities, and all the possible solutions seem to depend on the willingness of the players to overcome addiction. This is the reason self-exclusion was introduced. This is to help players find it easy to stop gambling. Also, this has led to the creation of several non-profit services like Gamstop and Gamban for more personalized self-exclusion.

Beginners guide to UK casino self-exclusion

Self-exclusion is the deliberate effort that a player takes to exclude himself from playing at an online casino. The time during varies depending on the exact program the player put in for. However, it typically takes between 6 months to 2 years. Unfortunately, addiction can not be measured which makes it hard to identify when a player needs to go for a self-exclusion program. It is, however, advised to self-exclude as early as possible. Especially, when it is getting to the point where the player overspends on bets. There are numerous self-exclusion services available to the player for both land-based casinos and online casino, such as Gamban.

Forms of UK casino self-exclusion program

Self-exclusion programs come in different forms, however, the widely recognised type in the UK is the SENSE program. The purpose of the SENSE scheme is to create a stress-free process for players to register their intention to exclude themself from a particular brick and mortar casino which will then be passed across to all other brick and mortar casinos in the UK. Other exclusion forms are online based and it involves blocking all your device from visiting casino website. You can make use of services like Gamcheck to get the collection of all gambling sites and ban them altogether.

Process of registering for UK casino self-exclusion

For players who would like to join the SENSE program, the process is quite easy. The first step is to visit a land-based casino and tell them about your desire to self exclude yourself from gambling through the SENSE program. A form will be given to you and you will be directed on other procedures. For players who bet online, the process is even simpler. When you log into your account, look for the section for responsible gaming and follow the steps highlighted. To avoid playing at other online casinos, NetNanny and some other filtering services will be useful in preventing you from visiting any gambling site.

Advantages and disadvantages of UK casino self-exclusion

Since the introduction of the self-exclusion schemes and services, there has been a huge number of players that have benefited from the program. If you take part in a self-exclusion scheme and follow the guidelines thoroughly, you will be able to concentrate on more vital aspects of your life outside gambling. However, the downside of self-exclusion is that some players still find ways to boycott their exclusion by registering with fake IDs at online casinos. In some cases, this leads to heavy fines on the casino. Also, casinos not on Gamstop can still advertise to players to register during their exclusion thereby tempting them to register and play.

UK casino self-exclusion: Final thoughts

Self-exclusion is currently the best way to tackle gambling addiction for players who are finding it hard to keep out. There has been a major breakthrough with regards to the SENSE scheme for land based casinos. Also, all online casinos, are mandated to give players the option to self-exclude through the responsible gaming section. There is a chance that the Gambling authority in the UK might want to become proactive by revoking the license to operate of casinos not on Gamban and other filtering services. However, regardless of all the programs that have been set up, players should only gamble when they are mentally and emotionally stable.