Responsible Gambling

1. Symptoms of Problem Gambling

How can you tell if you have a gambling problem? Symptoms of gambling addiction often include:

• An increasing and irresistible need to gamble despite the negative consequences of potential losses;
• Losing significant amounts of money, more than you can afford;
• alienation and antisocial behaviour. Disruption of interpersonal relationships, family life and work;
• High levels of anxiety, distress and feelings of guilt;
• Inability to refrain from gambling.

A key warning sign of gambling addiction is a strong urge to participate in gambling activities that recurs and worsens despite adverse economic and social consequences. This may lead to wagering increasingly larger amounts in an attempt to recover previous losses.

2. Responsible Gambling

"Responsible Gambling" is a broad concept intended to ensure that gambling is carried out in a manner that minimises the potential harm associated with gambling addiction. To minimise the potential harm arising from gambling addiction:

• do not spend more money, resources or time on gambling than you can reasonably afford;
• set your limit (and stick to it) in order to restrict and control the amounts you wager;
• enjoy the excitement of betting and regard gambling as a form of entertainment rather than an opportunity to earn additional income;
• balance gambling with other activities that interest you;
• keep track of the time you spend gambling. Avoid prolonged gambling sessions;
• gambling under the influence of alcohol or while in an unstable emotional state may affect your decisions and impair your judgement.

In order to reduce or prevent potential negative economic, social and personal consequences for vulnerable persons and their relatives, Elitbet.bg will implement protective measures aimed at prohibiting or preventing participation in gambling activities.

If you have developed a gambling addiction or believe that you may be prone to gambling problems, you can:

• contact the Customer Service Department, which is always available to provide assistance;
• request restricted access (self-exclusion) to your gaming account for a selected period or for an indefinite period;
• seek assistance from the National Center of Public Health and Analyses at https://ncpha.government.bg/ ;
• seek assistance from the National Information Line on Drugs, Alcohol and Gambling by telephone at 0888-99-18-66 or visit https://www.drugsinfo-bg.org/hazartna-zavisimost/.

Useful information and assistance from independent international support organisations can be found on the following websites:

• www.gamblingtherapy.org
• https://centrejiva.com
• www.gambleaware.co.uk
• www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk

Any person who believes they have a gambling problem, as well as persons whose social status and/or level of income may make them more susceptible to gambling and developing a gambling addiction, may register in the “Register of Vulnerable Persons” (established pursuant to Article 10g of the Gambling Act), for the purpose of prohibiting or preventing their participation in gambling activities.

The Register is not public. Access to the data contained therein is granted only to officials designated by the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency, as well as employees designated by gambling organisers /Article 10d, paragraph 2 of the Gambling Act/.

Registration in the Register is carried out after completing and submitting a Request to the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency for registration/removal from the Register by the person concerned or their legal representative, or ex officio in accordance with Article 10e, paragraph 2 of the Gambling Act.

The request may be submitted in the following ways:

The request for registration in the Register may specify a registration period, which may not be shorter than 12 months.

Removal from the Register is carried out at the request of the registered person by completing and submitting a new Request to the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency using the aforementioned form, or when the specified registration period has expired; if no period is specified, after 12 months from registration, or ex officio in accordance with Article 10e, paragraph 2 of the Gambling Act.

You can check whether you are gambling responsibly by answering the questions in the self-assessment test at this Link

All persons wishing to be registered must submit a request to the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency after 12 December 2022. Persons who submitted requests during the period in which the Register was suspended (12 December 2020 – 12 December 2022) will not be registered and must submit a new application. Persons already registered in the Register will not be removed from it. Their registration remains valid; the portion of the registration period specified by the person that had elapsed by 12 December 2020 is recognised, and the remaining portion of that period will continue to run after 12 December 2022.

The National Revenue Agency processes and protects the personal data of natural persons in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data Protection Act and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016.

In its Advertising and Commercial Communication policy, Elitbet.bg consistently adheres to and responsibly complies with the “Ethical Rules for Advertising and Commercial Communication of Gambling”, developed by the National Council for Self-Regulation and applicable pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 6 of the Gambling Act, which form part of the National Ethical Rules for Advertising and Commercial Communication.

You can read the full text of the ethical rules here, as well as on the website of the National Council for Self-Regulation Link

For more information, please call 0700 18 700 or email: [email protected]