Responsible Gambling

Sports betting is a very popular form of entertainment in Kenya. A large part of Kenyan people, both young and old, bet on casino games every now and then. For most people this is just a form of entertainment, but it is no secret that gambling can get out of hand for other people. Luckily there is help for people that feel like they are playing a bit too much and in this guide we are taking a look at responsible gambling in Kenya and what help exists.

The Lure of Gambling

Many players try to solve their money problems buy betting or online casinos. This is not a smart thing to do as you will most definitely lose money in the long-run. This can turn into a bad spiral where some Kenyan players will bet more while trying to improve their economy or win back their losses. It is a recipe for disaster that can be very difficult to get away from.

Gambling addiction can also have roots in the brain activity. Gambling and winning is exciting which creates dopamine in the brain of the player. If this continues over a longer period the players can become addicted to the behaviour of gambling. While this is something that only creates excitement for most players, it can push some people over the edge to become addicted. There can be a fine line of entertainment and addiction within the gambling world.

Recognizing Problematic Gambling

It can be very difficult to see if someone you know has a problem with gambling. Many gambling addicts hide their addictions and sometimes it just hasn´t gotten serious enough to affect the person´s relationships with family and friends. Sometimes it can even be difficult for the player to realize they have a gambling addiction. It might not have gotten far enough to seem like a serious problem or the player is still in denial. Below you can find some signs that you or someone you know is suffering from a gambling problem.

• Playing every day.
• Playing to escape problems.
• Constantly talking about gambling.
• Playing for longer than initially planned.
• Playing for more money than initially planned.
• Gets restless if not playing.
• Borrows money to gamble.
• Get angry when asked about gambling.
• Cannot stop playing before all the money has run out.
• Aggressive behaviour.
• Isolation.

To see if you might have a problem with gambling we recommend you to do a gambling self-test at gamblingtherapy.org.

Getting Help With Gambling Addiction in Kenya

There are a few organizations in Kenya that help people suffering from gambling addiction. To get started we recommend that you visit one of the following websites.

• Responsible Gaming Federation of Kenya: An organization that is partnering with Kenya Betting Control and Licensing Board and Association of Gaming Regulators in Africa to promote responsible gaming. On their website you can find links to several resources that can help with problem gambling.
• Johnika Responsible Gaming Help: A foundation that helps Kenyans affected by gambling. They have several different programs to fight gambling addiction and they also have plenty of interesting research regarding the topic. They also have a Youthline you can contact at +254 748 321 607.
• Gamblers Anonymous Kenya: An offshoot of Gamblers Anonymous that organize weekly meetings in Nairobi and other Kenyan cities.

Tips for playing responsibly

There are also players that do not have serious gambling problems but still want to cut down on their gambling. Some Kenyan players might eventually have to quit altogether, but other players can try to play more responsibly. Here are some tips and tricks about how to continue playing responsibly.

• Always play for fun, never to try to win money.
• Do not try to win back losses.
• Make a budget for yourself and stick to it (some only casinos will give you this option).
• Set a time-limit for how much you can play per day or week.
• Count the money you spend on gambling and think about what else you could do with it.

Do Kenyan gambling companies take enough responsibility regarding responsible gaming?

We actually do not believe that most Kenyan betting sites take enough responsibility regarding responsible gaming. Many websites have very little information about problem gambling and several do not offer any tools to combat these problems. Because of this, we pledge that we will analyze the seriousness of these companies in our betting and online casino reviews. We want them to be responsible and if they are not we will call them out in our reviews. We take responsible gambling seriously, and so should all the other Kenyan gambling sites do.

When we check if a company takes responsible gaming seriously, we will check the following:

• Does the website offer self-exclusion?
• Can the player set deposit or loss limits?
• Do they have an extensive section with information about problem gambling?
• Do they follow up on players that seem to be playing too much?
• Are there any tests that players can do to check if they have a gambling problem?
• Are there links to resources like Responsible Gaming Federation of Kenya and Johnika Responsible Gambling.