Playing for fun in club is your best bet

A Mecca Bingo, our aim is to ensure our players have a great time whenever they play with us. We strive to foster an environment that is exciting, entertaining and sociable.

However, there are instances where gambling – both online and in club – can become an issue. Should this happen, please know that we are truly dedicated to ensuring that you’re in a safe and responsible place, where the goal is to always Keep it Fun.


Support in our venues

When you come and visit, our teams are trained to identify behaviour that may seem like a cause for concern. Should this be the case, they will readily provide you with any information or help that will support you.

Not only can they help to recognise problem gambling at an early stage, but they also have details about charities and support agencies who can offer counselling or any other treatment that may be beneficial to you.

You’ll have access to leaflets on how you are able to ‘self-exclude’ from all UK bingo clubs if you feel that gambling is becoming a problem. Joining this national scheme is easy – all you have to do is visit any Mecca Bingo club and speak with a manager, who will help you with the speedy and simple application process.

You can also apply for self-exclusion online by the following the process on the Bingo Association website here.


Do I have a problem with gambling?

If you get the feeling that you’re gambling but not having fun anymore, there’s some key questions you can ask to determine if it’s becoming a problem:

Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose? 

Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement? 

Have you gambled to win back money you’ve lost? 

Have you borrowed money or sold anything to gamble? 

Have you ever felt you might have a problem with gambling? Have people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, whether or not you thought it was true? 

Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble? 

Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety? 

Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household? 

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, this may be an issue that needs to be addressed. Here’s how you take control.


Tackling problem gambling

The first step in addressing problematic gambling is acceptance, followed by the decision that you would like to do something about it. In some instances, this acknowledgement in itself is enough.

However, if you feel you would benefit from additional help, advice or support, then we’d recommend speaking to a General Manager or senior member at your local Mecca Bingo club, who will be able to guide you towards an appropriate course of action. It might also be a good idea to confide in a friend or family member who you know and trust.

If you would like more detailed advice or further counselling, you can find contact information for some qualified gambling support agencies here.

We hope learning more about our Keep it Fun ethos has been helpful. If you ever have any concerns about gambling with Mecca Bingo, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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