Responsible Gambling

How to Gamble Responsibly

Before hitting the slot machines or the poker tables, take a few moments to read these important tips which will teach you how to gamble responsibly. If you’re aware of the things that you should be looking out for, it may help avoid problems in future gaming sessions.

• Always keep in mind that gambling should be fun. It’s a form of entertainment just like going to the movies or having a drink with friends. If this is not the case, and gambling is anything BUT fun, then you are not gambling responsibly.
• Go in with a plan. Jot down or make a mental note how long you intend spending at the online casino and how much you will gambling. Gambling responsibly means sticking to that decision and not spending more time or money – even if you’re having the time of your life, or you’re on a fantastic winning streak. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of an online casino experience but you need to know when to stop.
• Know the rules. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the games that you want to play, the casino that you want to sign up for or the conditions of the bonus that you want to redeem. Knowing the rules is the most responsible thing to do.
• Stay sober. It is definitely not responsible to gamble when you’re under the influence of any type of substance. This goes for alcohol and drugs.
• An online casino is not your escape room. Don’t gamble just to get away from everyday problems. It’s best to tackle your anger, depression, sadness or problems head on, and not try and run away from them at the online casino.

Limiting Your Play at Online Casinos

Licensed and regulated online casinos are expected to have several tools on their platforms to make it easier to promote responsible gambling habits. We have already covered the age verification requirement, which is an important tool. But what happens if you have already signed up to the online casino and you feel that you are developing a gambling problem? What type of tools do you have at your disposal?

The most common is the self-imposed limitations tool. Essentially, this allows you to limit the amount of time you spend at the online casino, ranging from a day or two or a complete self-exclusion.

Online casinos will allow you to set your own limits so that you are able to control how often you play, how much you spend and even if you can play at the site. It is the responsibility of the online casino to not only provide you with this tool, but also to make sure that you stick to these limits.

Setting the length of time to play

The session limit reminder is a common limitation. A pop-up tells you how long you’ve been playing and lets you either log out or continue playing. We all know how caught up in the moment we can get when it comes to the excitement of online casino play. Session limits may be just the type of reminder we need to play responsibly and to take a break.

Setting deposit or spending limits

An online casino may allow you to set a limit as to how much you can spend at the site over a set day, week or month. You won’t be able to spend any more than the limit that has been set. This is a good tool to have since it gives you peace of mind that you won’t gamble away money that you can’t afford to lose. It is difficult to increase or decrease these set limits after they’ve been decided upon (although it is possible), so we suggest that you give the amount careful consideration beforehand.

Self-exclusion

Online casinos offer you two ways to exclude yourself from the gaming platform. One is a temporary self-exclusion step, while the other is a more permanent one.

• Temporary self-exclusion: For those players who believe that they need to take a step back from their gambling habits and rethink their strategy. You may have spent too much in one month, or you may feel that your gambling is getting a bit out of control. In this case, you can request that the online casino block you from playing for a specific, temporary period. It could be as short as 24 hours or as long as a couple of months – the choice is yours. It’s important to remember, though, that you will not be reinstated before the end of the chosen temporary self-exclusion period and the online casino is obliged to make sure of this – no matter how nicely you ask!
• Permanent self-exclusion: This is the most drastic step that players can take and it’s usually done when all other solutions have been exhausted. In this case, you are essentially asking the online casino to block you from playing on its platform permanently. If you do decide to take this route, don’t forget to withdraw all your funds if you are eligible to do so beforehand, because once you’ve imposed a self-ban at the site, there is no going back.

How to Spot a Gambling Problem

Research done by the National Council on Problem Gambling in the United States, estimates that around 1% of the adult population can be termed ‘pathological gamblers’. Up to 3% of the population has a ‘gambling problem’ and/or may be at risk of developing a gambling addiction.

Let’s first define what a ‘pathological gambler’ is:

• A player who is always preoccupied with gambling experiences and thinking up ways to get money to gamble.
• A player who always feels the need to increase the size of the bets.
• A player who has tried time and time again to stop gambling.
• A player who becomes irritable when trying to cut back on gambling.
• A player who uses gambling as a means to escape everyday problems or to relieve negative feelings.
• A player who chases losses.
• A player who is deceitful about gambling activities.
• A player who commits illegal acts to get money for gambling.
• A player who puts jobs, future opportunities or relationships at risk due to gambling.
• A player who asks for loans to get out of gambling debts.

To understand if you’re at risk to develop a gambling problem, or if you already have one, ask yourself the following questions. The more ‘yes’ answers you have, the more you can identify your gambling problem.

1. Have you ever taken off time from work or school, or have you ever missed an important social event, trip to see family or a meet-up with friends because of your gambling activities?
2. Have you ever asked friends, family or a bank to loan you money in order to fund your gambling activities?
3. Have you ever been driven to steal money to fund your gambling habit?
4. Have you ever lied about your gambling habits?
5. Have you ever relied on future gambling wins to pay for your rent, education expenses or other important debts?
6. Have your friends or family been affected by your gambling?
7. Are you ever satisfied with the results of your gambling sessions?
8. Do you always feel the need to chase your losses or to play until your entire bankroll has been spent?
9. Have you ever gone past the limits that you set for yourself at the casino (how long you intend playing or how much you intend spending)?
10. Does gambling cause you stress?
11. Do your gambling habits cause sleeplessness, depression or other negative feelings?