Editor’s note: Birches Health is a leading national provider of Problem Gambling treatment and Responsible Gaming resources, offering specialized support from the comfort of home, covered by insurance.

Sports betting has expanded rapidly in recent years, with different forms of fantasy and sports wagering now accessible across the country. While placing bets or setting lineups can be an enjoyable form of entertainment, it is crucial to maintain balance and mindfulness to prevent it from becoming an unhealthy preoccupation.

Without set boundaries, these activities can begin to take up an excessive amount of time, mental space and financial resources, which for some can lead to additional at-risk behaviors. Research shows that frequent bettors are more likely to experience stress, impulsivity and financial strain when gambling becomes habitual instead of casual and recreational. A healthy lifestyle requires a variety of social, physical and leisure activities beyond betting to support overall well-being.

Tips for maintaining balance with sports betting

One of the most common at-risk behaviors seen in individuals with a gambling problem is preoccupation. Sports betting can cross the line into being a serious concern when someone constantly thinks or talks about it or spends an exorbitant amount of time engaging with it.

To help keep sports betting recreational and sustainable:

• Set time and money limits: As the Golfbet team has detailed before, sportsbooks now allow you to set these limits easily within their apps and sites. These guardrails can help ensure that you aren’t spending too much time or money on betting.
• Diversify your leisure activities: Engage in hobbies unrelated to sports or betting, such as exercising, cooking, playing games or socializing in non-gambling environments to create balance. During the course of an all-day action across a Thursday through Sunday golf tournament, being able to disconnect from your betting action for extended periods of time is important.
• Create a set of “anchor” commitments: Establish a group of activities that you decide to never compromise for betting (e.g., gym on certain days, family dinner, work focus periods, daily walk, etc.). Approach it as an unbreakable rule that sports betting cannot interfere with those “anchors.”
• Utilize digital separation tactics: For example, keep betting apps off your home screen so that they are not visible by default when you open your phone. It may also be helpful to disable notifications from sportsbook apps. And to maintain a bit of friction between you and more betting, set your account login settings to necessitate manually entering the password each time, not allowing autofill or face ID for seamless entry.
• Schedule a monthly check-in: Throw a recurring reminder on your personal calendar to check how much you won or lost and the amount of time you spent betting over the previous month. This can help increase visibility into the scope of your betting. If either time or money spent recently is alarming, that may lead you to reconsider if sports betting is something you want to continue doing.

Problem Gambling treatment and resources

If sports betting or fantasy is taking over your own life or that of someone you know, there are specialized resources and treatment options available nowadays. Birches Health offers the leading gambling recovery program in the United States, with hundreds of certified counselors across the country trained to treat individuals with gambling addiction. Care is available virtually from the comfort of home, and costs can be covered by insurance or state funding for eligible residents.

To connect with Birches Health, you can click here, call (833) 483-3838 or send an email to help@bircheshealth.com.