Trade Markets
    Trade $10, Get $10 Bonus
    TRADE NOW!
    100% up to $50 with Code: ACQUIRE05
    PLAY NOW!
    Up to $100 in Bonus Cash
    PLAY NOW!
    Up to $500 Bonus + $1,000,000 World Cup Prize Pool
    Spend 5 get $50 in Novig Coins CODE:SQUAWKA
    Home » Gambling Awareness

    Gambling Awareness

    Keeping Sports Betting in Perspective

    What Squawka does – and doesn’t do

    Squawka is a soccer media brand. We create data-led analysis, betting previews, comparison guides and tools to help you make more informed decisions if you choose to bet.

    We don’t take bets, hold accounts or handle your money. When you click through to a sportsbook from Squawka, you’re opening an account directly with that operator. We may receive a commission if you sign up or place a bet via our links, but that never changes the editorial independence of our coverage or our commitment to responsible gambling.

    Our goal is that sports betting sits alongside your enjoyment of the game – not instead of it.

    Sports Betting: Where it can get tricky

    Sports are emotional. Late goals, red cards, VAR decisions and rivalry matches all create big swings in feeling – and those emotions can spill over into betting.

    Some common pressure points:

    • Parlays and same-game parlays – chasing a big win for a small stake can be fun, but it can also lead to regular, unnoticed losses.
    • Live betting impulsiveness – reacting to every missed chance or momentum swing can push you into bets you wouldn’t normally place.
    • Chasing a bad weekend – losing an early Saturday parlay and then trying to “fix it” on the evening game or Sunday matches.
    • Following tips blindly – whether from friends, social media or websites like ours, treating tips as guarantees rather than opinions.

    Being aware of these patterns helps you keep control.

    Questions to ask yourself

    Use these questions as a sense-check. If several of them feel familiar, it might be time to pause:

    • Do you regularly spend more time or money betting on sports than you meant to?
    • Do you place extra bets during matches just because you’re frustrated or chasing a decision?
    • Have you ever increased stakes to try and win back what you lost on an earlier game or weekend?
    • Do you feel anxious, low or irritable when you’re not betting or checking odds?
    • Have you kept the full extent of your betting from friends or family?
    • Are you using money that should be going on essentials (rent, bills, food, transportation) to fund sports bets?
    • Are you betting on leagues, markets or sports you don’t really follow, just to have action?

    If the honest answer to some of these is “yes”, it’s worth taking steps to change how you’re betting – or to take a break altogether.

    Tools that can help you stay in control

    The sportsbooks we work with are licensed and regulated in their respective states and provide tools designed to help you stay in control of your gambling. These can usually be found in your account settings or “responsible gaming” sections:

    • Deposit limits – set a cap on how much you can deposit over a day, week or month.
    • Loss or wager limits – control how much you can lose or stake in a given period.
    • Reality checks – prompts that remind you how long you’ve been playing or how much you’ve wagered, so one match doesn’t quietly become an entire evening.
    • Time-out options – pause your account for a short period (e.g. a few days or weeks) if you feel you need a break.
    • Self-exclusion – a longer break, usually six months or more, where you can’t log in or open a new account with that operator.

    If you bet with several sportsbooks, it can be harder to keep track of your overall gambling.

    Many states offer self-exclusion programs that allow you to exclude yourself from multiple operators at once. Check your state gaming commission website for details.

    State-Specific Self-Exclusion Programs

    Most states with legal sports betting offer voluntary self-exclusion programs:

    • Multi-state programs: Some programs allow you to self-exclude across multiple states
    • State gaming commission websites: Visit your state’s gaming regulatory authority for self-exclusion options
    • Operator-specific exclusion: You can also request exclusion directly from individual sportsbooks

    Contact your state gaming commission or visit their website to learn about available self-exclusion options in your jurisdiction.

    Protecting under-21s

    Sports are for everyone. Gambling isn’t.

    You must be 21 or over to bet with any sportsbook we feature on Squawka (18+ in some jurisdictions). If you share devices with people under the legal gambling age:

    • Don’t stay logged in to betting or casino accounts.
    • Don’t save payment details or passwords on shared devices.
    • Consider using parental controls or content filters to block gambling websites.
    • Keep bank cards and log-in details secure and out of sight.

    If you suspect a young person is gambling, please speak to them and consider seeking specialist advice.

    Support if you’re worried about gambling

    You’re not on your own, and you don’t have to wait until things feel extreme before reaching out.

    Free, confidential support is available from:

    • National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) – 24/7 helpline and resources: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) | ncpgambling.org
    • Gamblers Anonymous – local and online meetings with others who’ve experienced gambling problems: gamblersanonymous.org
    • SAMHSA National Helpline – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
    • State-specific helplines – Many states have dedicated problem gambling helplines and resources

    Additional state resources:

    Talking to someone early can make a big difference.

    How Squawka approaches betting content

    We take responsible gambling seriously. Across Squawka:

    • We only promote licensed, regulated sportsbooks.
    • We aim to give viewers context, stats and information – not guarantees.
    • We avoid language that suggests betting is a way out of financial difficulty or a guaranteed route to profit.
    • We clearly label partner content and affiliate links.
    • We review high-intent pages regularly and update them if offers or terms change.

    If you ever see Squawka content that you feel isn’t in the spirit of responsible gambling, contact us at [email protected] – we’d rather know and fix it.

    Sports betting laws vary by state. Ensure you are of legal age and in a jurisdiction where sports betting is legal before placing any wagers. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute gambling advice.

    Last Updated: January 2026