18 and over only
You must be 18 or older to open a betting account. Expect to be asked for ID before a withdrawal.
Betting should cost you no more than a night out. If it stops being fun, stop. Betting is entertainment that has a cost built in: because of the bookmaker’s margin, punters as a group get back less than they stake. It is not a way to earn an income or to clear a debt.
Set limits before you bet
- Decide what you can afford to lose in a week or a month, and treat that money as spent.
- Set a deposit limit in your account before your first bet, and do not raise it after a loss.
- Set a time limit as well as a money limit, and take breaks.
- Keep betting money apart from money for rent, food, school fees and bills.
- Do not bet when you are upset, tired or have been drinking.
Warning signs
- Chasing losses: betting more to win back what you have lost.
- Borrowing money, or selling things, to bet.
- Hiding your betting from family or friends.
- Betting with money meant for essentials.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you cannot bet.
Any one of these is a reason to stop and talk to someone.
Take a break or self-exclude
Self-exclusion locks your account for a period you choose. Betting sites handle it themselves: look in your account settings for deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion, or ask the site’s support team to apply them. If you hold accounts at more than one site, do it at each of them.
Where to get help
Gamble Alert is a Nigerian non-profit that supports people affected by gambling. Talking to someone you trust, or to a doctor or a counsellor, is also a good place to start.
If you are worried about someone else
Raise it calmly, at a time when they are not betting. Say what you have noticed, without blame, and offer to help them set limits or contact a support organisation. Do not lend money to cover losses.
Betbook’s part
Betbook shows an 18+ notice on every page, does not present betting as a way to make money and publishes no tips. If you think something on this site presents betting irresponsibly, write to [email protected].
For practical help taking a break or stopping, read how to stop betting. Learn to recognise fixed-match and sure-odds scams before responding to a seller.
