UNDERAGE GAMBLING
It is illegal for anybody under the age of 18 to open an account or gamble. Fortunately, the majority of online gambling sites take their responsibilities in this area very seriously.
Most sites carry out stringent age verification checks on customers who use payment methods that are available to children. They will also suspend accounts while the appropriate documentation is requested. The majority of bookmaking / casino sites have a policy whereby anyone identified as being under 18 will forfeit their winnings, have their account closed and be reported to the police.

PARENTAL CONTROLS
It is recommended that if your computer is used by children that you limit access by the use of your own password and keep any account numbers and usernames confidential.
Parental control software such as netnanny (www.netnanny.com) or cybersitter (www.cybersitter.com) may prove useful.

PROBLEM GAMBLING
If you are concerned that gambling may have taken over your (or someone else`s) life then the following questions may help you find out:
Do you stay away from work, college or school to gamble?
Do you gamble to escape from a boring or unhappy life?
When gambling and you run out of money, do you feel lost and in despair and need to gamble again as soon as possible?
Do you gamble until your last penny is gone, even the fare home or the cost of a cup of tea?
Have you ever lied to cover up the amount of money or time you have spent gambling?
Have others ever criticised your gambling?
Have you lost interest in your family, friends or hobbies?
After losing, do you feel you must try and win back your losses as soon as possible?
Do arguments, frustrations or disappointments make you want to gamble?
Do you feel depressed or even suicidal because of your gambling?

The more you answer `yes` to these questions, the more likely you are to have a serious gambling problem.

How/Where to Seek Help
The following websites and confidential telephone helplines can provide further information and advice on problem gambling:
Gamblers Anonymous: www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk 08700 50 88 80
Gamcare: www.gamcare.org.uk 0800 5400 133


Deposit Limits
Many gambling sites offer this facility, which enables customers to limit the amount of money that they are able to deposit online into their account on either a 24 hour or a 7 day basis. These amounts may be revised downwards at any time but any increase will only be implemented after 24 hours following the request.

Self-Exclusion
Some sites provide the facility to allow a customer to self-exclude themselves from their account for a period of up to five years. Once this change has been made to an account for a set period, it will not be possible for the account to be re-opened for any reason until that period has expired.

Whilst it creates problems for some, for the vast majority of those who engage in it, online gambling and playing bingo online is simply a harmless recreation. Governments committed to freedom of choice for individuals should certainly not attempt to restrict opportunities for such entertainment on the bogus grounds that it will automatically lead to widespread problems. Still less should they contemplate restrictions on consumer choice on the (itself morally obnoxious) neo-puritan grounds that some activities should be banned because other people have moral or religious objections to particular kinds of private enjoyment. Recent studies show that the sensationalism and hysteria in some media about an impending epidemic of problem gambling was baseless.