Thanks to modern technology, casino games are more accessible than ever. You can use your mobile device to place bets at any time of the day and on the go. However, this convenience is causing a lot of problems among compulsive gamblers. The number of so-called problem gamblers is growing and even though they are a small minority when we compare it to the number of all people that are fond of gambling, their problem is very serious and it should be treated carefully.

There are a few tools on the market that can help problem gamblers. One of these tools is BetBlocker, a mobile application that was created to help gamblers control and manage their gambling activities. This app was developed by ThePOGG, a website where players can find useful information about online casinos, bookmakers, casino games and other gambling-related things. A few days ago, they have released a new version for Android users which has a few improvements.

What is BetBlocker all about?

As we said before, this is a mobile application for Android/iOS devices. Players have to download this app on their devices and after that they can decide how many days they want to stay away from gambling. The application includes a list of hundreds of websites where users can gamble and it will block these sites once you decide to limit yourself from getting to these gambling sites.

While it’s true that there are other similar applications like BetBlocker.org, it’s also true that ThePOGG is the only developer that has decided to make a completely free app for problem gamblers. Users should not expect to see any ads on this application which is great. You can find and download this application on the official site.

“ There are other tools on the market that do what BetBlocker does. But without exception these tools charge their users. This is a huge issue. The one thing all gambling addicts share in common is that by the time they're ready to seek help they've lost too much money. For the worst effected they are struggling to find money to keep a roof over their head, food on their table and close on their back. Many of them already have chronic levels of debt. For these people any cost can be a barrier to getting help and sadly fee based services result in those in most desperate need of help being most likely to be unable to afford it.”

As we said before, BetBlocker is available to iOS and Android users and it works fine on almost all versions of these operating systems regardless of the type of device you are using (smartphone, tablet etc.). In addition, it’s possible to use BetBlocker on Linux, Mac and Windows-powered devices.

What’s interesting is that this mobile app will keep gambling sites locked until the period of time you’ve selected is finished and there’s nothing that you can do about that. Even if you contact their support, they will leave the restrictions on. This is quite logical because gambling addicts, just like any addicts sometimes can’t deal with their urge to gamble. Even in case you sell your device, the restriction will remain because BetBlocker is doing its best to keep gamblers safe.

All in all, this is a good move made by ThePOGG.com. As a website that cares about responsible gambling they have realized that there are many people that are dealing with gambling addiction. We are talking about people that have lost more money than they could afford to lose. So, charging them just to get help seems a little bit harsh. That’s why their BetBlocker application is completely free and doesn’t include any kind of advertising.

Problem Gambling Resources

We have plenty of information on problem gambling on our Responsible Gambling page. There are other sites that you'll commonly see listed from online casinos and other sites that share where players can get help. There are quite a few organizations in the United Kingdom which are more focused on UK players and then there is Gamblers Anonymous. Gamblers Anonymous (GA) are really all over the world but the biggest knock against them is their religious associations. Some players prefer organizations where they don't feel pressured to attend a church. 

Perhaps the best resource around is Gambling Therapy which they have their site in many lanugages and dedicated pages of information for many players in different countries.