Responsible Gambling

BetWest is dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience. We understand that for most of our customers, gambling is a form of entertainment. However, we also recognise that for a small number of individuals, gambling can transition from a harmless pastime into a serious problem with negative consequences. Our commitment to responsible gaming is integral to our operations and reflects our belief that customer welfare is paramount.

We are fully licensed and regulated by our licensing authority, and we adhere strictly to all relevant regulations designed to protect players. This page outlines the tools and resources available on BetWest to help you manage your play responsibly, maintain control, and seek assistance if you ever feel that gambling is becoming an issue. We believe in empowering our customers with information and practical tools to ensure that their time with BetWest remains positive and within healthy limits.

Problem gambling can manifest in various ways and often goes unnoticed by the individual experiencing it. It is important to be aware of the signs, both in yourself and in others, to address potential issues early. While not exhaustive, here are some common indicators that gambling may be becoming a problem:

• Spending more money or time on gambling than you can afford or intended.
• Feeling a need to be secretive about your gambling activities.
• Chasing losses, meaning you try to win back money you have lost by gambling more.
• Gambling affecting your relationships, work, or other significant areas of your life.
• Feeling restless, irritable, or anxious when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
• Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling.
• Neglecting responsibilities to gamble.
• Gambling as an escape from problems or unpleasant feelings.

If you recognise several of these signs in your own behaviour, or in someone you know, it may be time to consider seeking support.

Maintaining control over your gambling habits is key to ensuring it remains a fun and recreational activity. BetWest encourages all players to adopt a responsible approach to their gaming. Here are some practical tips to help you stay in control:

• View gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money.
• Only gamble with money you can afford to lose, never with funds allocated for essential expenses.
• Set strict financial limits before you start playing and stick to them.
• Set time limits for your gambling sessions and adhere to them.
• Avoid chasing losses, accept that losing is part of gambling.
• Do not gamble when you are feeling stressed, upset, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Balance gambling with other enjoyable activities and hobbies.
• Take regular breaks during your gaming sessions.

By following these guidelines, you can help ensure your experience with BetWest remains enjoyable and responsible.

BetWest provides robust tools to help you manage your spending and betting activity. You can set personal limits on deposits, losses, and wagers over specific timeframes. These limits are designed to give you greater control over your gambling budget and prevent you from spending more than you intend.

• Deposit Limits: You can set a maximum amount of money you can deposit into your BetWest account over a daily, weekly, or monthly period.
• Loss Limits: This allows you to define the maximum amount of money you are willing to lose over a daily, weekly, or monthly period. Once this limit is reached, you will be prevented from placing further bets until the period resets.
• Wager Limits: You can set a maximum total amount you wish to wager over a daily, weekly, or monthly period.

You can adjust these limits at any time through your account settings. Any request to decrease a limit will take effect immediately. Any request to increase a limit will involve a waiting period before it becomes effective, allowing for a cooling-off period to reconsider your decision. This measure is in place to support responsible decision-making.

If you feel you need a short break from gambling, BetWest offers Time-Out features. A Time-Out allows you to temporarily suspend your account for a defined period, typically ranging from 24 hours to several weeks. During a Time-Out, you will not be able to log in, deposit funds, or place bets on BetWest.

This tool is particularly useful if you are finding it difficult to manage your play, or if you simply wish to step away for a short period to reflect on your gambling habits without committing to a longer self-exclusion. Your account will automatically reactivate once the chosen Time-Out period expires.

For individuals who feel their gambling has become problematic and requires a more significant break, BetWest offers a comprehensive Self-Exclusion program. Self-exclusion allows you to voluntarily close your account for a longer, predetermined period, typically ranging from six months to five years, or even permanently.

During a self-exclusion period, you will be prevented from accessing your BetWest account, and we will take all reasonable steps to prevent you from opening new accounts with us. We will also remove you from all marketing communications. Once a self-exclusion period is set, it cannot be reversed until the chosen period has fully elapsed. Upon the expiry of a self-exclusion, you will need to contact our customer support team to request reactivation of your account, which will involve a further cooling-off period and a review process to ensure you are ready to return to gambling responsibly.

BetWest is strictly committed to preventing underage gambling. Our services are not intended for, and must not be used by, anyone under the legal gambling age in their jurisdiction. We implement robust age verification procedures during the registration process to confirm the age of all our customers. This involves requesting identification documents, and we may use third-party age verification services.

We urge parents and guardians to take an active role in protecting minors from accessing online gambling sites. Here are some steps you can take:

• Keep your BetWest account details confidential and secure.
• Do not leave children unsupervised when your computer or mobile device is logged into your BetWest account.
• Use internet filtering software to block access to gambling websites.
• Educate children about the potential risks associated with underage gambling.

If you suspect that a minor has accessed our services, please contact our customer support team immediately.

To help you monitor your gambling activity and maintain awareness of your time spent playing, BetWest offers Reality Checks. This feature provides periodic on-screen notifications during your gaming sessions. These notifications will inform you of the amount of time you have been playing and your net winnings or losses during that session.

You can set the frequency of these reminders to suit your preferences. The Reality Check serves as a useful prompt to take a break, review your activity, or consider ending your session, thereby supporting a more controlled and conscious approach to your gambling.

If you are concerned about your gambling habits, or simply wish to gain a better understanding of your relationship with gambling, taking a self-assessment can be a helpful first step. BetWest encourages you to honestly answer a series of questions designed to highlight potential areas of concern. This self-assessment is anonymous and provides immediate feedback.

Typical questions in a self-assessment might include:

• Do you spend more money on gambling than you can afford?
• Do you feel a need to be secretive about your gambling?
• Has gambling ever caused problems in your relationships or work?
• Do you gamble to escape from problems or feelings of boredom?
• Do you feel anxious or irritable when you try to stop gambling?

Based on your responses, the assessment will offer guidance and suggest whether you might benefit from utilising our responsible gaming tools or seeking further support. This tool is available in your BetWest account section and is a confidential way to reflect on your gaming behaviour.

If gambling stops being fun, free and confidential help is available. These organisations are independent of this site and of any operator:

National support: United Kingdom

• GamCare, National Gambling Helpline · Helpline: 0808 8020 133
• GambleAware
• Gamblers Anonymous Great Britain · Helpline: 0330 094 0322
• Self-exclusion: GAMSTOP

International support (any country)

• Gambling Therapy (free global online support in 30+ languages)
• GamCare, National Gambling Helpline · Helpline: 0808 8020 133
• Gamblers Anonymous (international 12-step fellowship, find local meetings)