One of the most anticipated times for fans of the beautiful game has just begun. After 4 years of waiting, the Football World Cup is back on televisions around the world and with it, huge coverage on social media and in the press—as well as sports betting. For a few weeks, there will be talk of little else, with constant news and updates on the results of some of the most important matches of the year.
Alongside the World Cup comes, as is now customary in the context of sporting competitions, an avalanche of adverts and offers inviting viewers to place bets. Mobile apps, websites, and above all, lots of offers, discounts and even promotional gifts that make it increasingly easy and accessible to spend money predicting results.
Betting is sold as just another form of entertainment, another game to take part in, or a way for fans to interact with matches. On the surface, it seems like simply a way to add more excitement to the competition and make money from the achievements of the best teams. Even so, sports betting poses a danger that is increasingly concerning authorities and healthcare professionals due to its addictive potential.
Betting very frequently as an indicator of gambling addiction
Although we usually associate this disorder with gaming arcades, sports betting is an important part of the games included in this addiction. While it is true that sports betting is not entirely based on chance, the dynamics created in participants are the same and just as dangerous.
All types of gambling addiction follow the same three stages leading to addiction, which are explained in this article. For this reason, it is very important to identify risky habits to prevent the development of the disorder. Spending too much money, feeling anxious when you cannot bet, or letting the outcome of games affect your mood excessively, among other things, are clear indicators that should make us step back from this activity or encourage us to seek help.
There are up to 7 profiles of people with gambling addiction, so no one should try to self-diagnose or rule out a problem based on other people’s cases. The right thing to do in these circumstances is to identify toxic and dangerous behaviours related to betting and, if in doubt, contact an expert to obtain a professional opinion and learn the best way to proceed.
At CC Adicciones, we have treatment centres in different cities across Spain where we offer help and guidance in these cases, both to the affected person and to their family members, if desired. We are a private clinic with specific experience in treating gambling addiction and are currently the number one centre nationwide, with an 86% recovery rate.
Small, not very effective gestures
In the last year, some details relating to the regulation of betting shops, both physical and digital, have been called into question. From the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the Gambling Act has been amended to restrict advertising during certain time slots or ban sponsorship on sports kits, among other measures.
Regulations have also been introduced stating that betting operators’ adverts may not be aimed at minors or encourage gambling among this group, and customer acquisition actions with promotions similar to welcome bonuses, for example, have been banned.
But the truth is that, since these restrictions began to be implemented, participation in betting and games of chance has increased. According to data from the first quarter of 2021, the amount of funds deposited by Spaniards into their gambling accounts rose by 6% compared to the previous quarter and by 40.4% compared to the same figures from the previous year. The total: €737.8 million, adding to the increase in new accounts and active accounts on betting platforms. The number of the former stands at 422,533, 7.9% more than in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Football, king of sports betting
Although there are many sports whose popularity among bettors is also notable, such as tennis or eSports—which are in second and third place in the ranking—football is undoubtedly the sport that attracts the most bets among Spaniards.
According to data from this same year, 38% of the 2,600 football fans surveyed in Spain bet on matches. Even so, it is an activity that is only profitable for a minority, as only 30% of bettors claim to make money from it.
It is easier not to do it alone
The truth is that this toxic relationship that can develop with sports betting when it becomes a habit that affects mood and the development of our routine is often not identified by others as gambling addiction. Since betting addiction is still a problem in a limbo between taboo and normalisation, the alarm takes longer to sound, which tends to delay diagnosis and worsen the problem.
For this reason, it is important to be aware of the risk this activity poses and to act at the first signs of danger, as falling into addiction can be terrible for those who suffer from it and for the people around them.
