Helping everyone towards safer betting is a duty we should all embrace

You may be asking what Responsible Gambling Week has to do with you. If you are a punter you may well have your betting in firm control, and always have had, but it would be surprising if you have never known someone who has been affected by gambling problems, perhaps slight, perhaps serious. You may have suspected someone was in difficulty but did not dare to ask, did not want to interfere.

And if you are not a punter and you're reading the Racing Post because you are part of the wider racing industry then it is as well to remember the inextricable bond between racing and gambling in Britain and Ireland and that the source of funds that keeps the sport afloat comes from everyday punters parting with their cash.

If you are a gambling operator, or make your money indirectly through punters betting and losing, then you will need no reminder this is a subject at the forefront of the industry's collective thoughts - how to allow people to continue enjoying the pleasures of gambling while ensuring those it harms call a halt and receive the treatment they need.

There was a time, not very long ago, when it might have been easy to laugh off the notion of 'responsible gambling', an oxymoron waiting to be ridiculed. In the macho world of betting it was every man - and occasionally woman - for themselves, going toe to toe with the bookmakers. There were bound to be casualties but that was part of the game, part of the risk that made it a thrill.

Now a glaring spotlight has been thrown on the effects of gambling and its position in society due to the expansion of betting shops on the high street thanks to FOBTs, the well publicised harm caused by the machines that has led to their demise, the all pervasive bookmaker advertising around sports events that has now been brought under control and betting giants being fined millions for multiple breaches of the rules. There is not much to laugh at.

Again you might ask, what has this to do with you. If you can honestly say you know how much you have lost on betting this month, this year, or through your life, and that you have never bet to relieve everyday or extraordinary stresses and disappointments, never bet because you were trying to clear a bill, never bet after you had drunk too much, or simply chased your losses until your wallet was empty, then you are fortunate and you would do well to think of those who are not in such a lucky position. If we take one thing from Responsible Gambling Week it is to watch out for others who may need help.

Thankfully, there are now many organisations out there, including the gambling operators, working hard to mitigate the dangers, to help those who enjoy betting as a pastime to stay in control and to treat those who are most severely affected.

In the Racing Post over the next week we will be hearing from Kenny Alexander, CEO of GVC, on what Ladbrokes Coral are doing to ensure that betting behemoth is at the forefront of responsible gambling initiatives, and from Ben Wright, head of safer gambling at Sky Bet, on that firm's industry-leading preventative tools.

From the front line we will hear how the current Betting Shop Manager of the Year Lorraine Archibald ensures her customers are well protected, and from Rob Mabbett, the 2016 winner of that title, who is able to view the problem from another angle. He now works for the Gordon Moody Association, the only charity in Britain to provide residential care treatment for the most severely affected chronic gamblers.

Racing Post Sunday's On Location feature will go further, taking readers behind the scenes at one of the Gordon Moody rehabilitation centres for a revealing insight at the care available for those who have hit rock bottom and want to turn their lives around.

We will also hear the story of someone who did just that: Frankie Graham, a former addict, who now heads the groundbreaking charity Betknowmore, which turns the lived experiences of former problem gamblers to positive effect.

The purpose of these pieces is not to put you off punting - unless of course you do have a problem. After all, betting should be a hugely enjoyable pastime if treated with respect. Preaching total abstinence is unlikely to be welcomed, but here are just three of the rules I stick to these days and which I wish I had at my disposal and taken on board long ago.

1. Use the tools: whether online, on mobile or in a betting shop utilising a loyalty card, it is possible to set limits on your betting. When we budget for so much else in life, why not for betting?
2. Keep a check (or let the bookmakers do it for you): online and on mobile you can easily see how much you have bet and lost over a defined period. It may be a chilling revelation. At least one firm provides a neat graph on mobile that shows whether you were above or below breaking even each month.
3. Withdraw your funds: find the button where you withdraw funds and use it. Leaving winnings or unused deposits in an account is an unnecessary temptation. If you really want a bet then you can make a fresh deposit every time.

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   If you are concerned about your gambling and are worried you may have a problem, click here to find advice on how you can receive help