Responsible Gambling: Stop while it’s still fun
For most people, betting money on sports or casino games is a fun hobby that provides them with a lot of excitement. They enjoy visiting a casino or playing the games online, and while they might lose money every now and then, they try to keep their losses small enough so they won’t affect them.
However, there are also many players who have developed a gambling problem. These players don’t like to bet small and often risk large junks of their bankrolls in a single session. The problem with this approach is that it can lead the player to become emotional during losing streaks, and then proceed to play even higher to win back his losses.
Here at Asia Casino we promote responsible online gambling. Playing in a casino should be fun and entertaining, and not just about winning or losing money. But while our focus is to provide great entertainment to all players, we also support and help the small, but important, minority of gamblers who might succumb to the seductive flipside to playing the odds.
Read on for tips on how to gamble responsibly, identify the warning signs of a compulsive gambling addiction and who to turn to should you or your loved one need help to stop gambling.
Problem Gambling
Even though most people never develop a gambling problem, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely harmless. Like with many other things in life, gambling has a chance to become addictive. Since there is real money involved, the risk for addiction is even greater, since the possible rewards from playing the games promise to improve the player’s lifestyle.
The monetary aspect of gambling doesn’t just increase the risk of developing an addiction, but also the seriousness of the potential consequences. When an interest in gambling turns into an addiction, it can cause serious harm to the player’s life. Gambling addiction, at best, can cause those afflicted to bet more money than they can afford and leave them in debt, destitute or in need of monetary assistance. At its worst, a gambling addiction can change a person’s character and personality, change their priorities, cause them to make life choices they would otherwise avoid and disconnect them from reality and their community.
A gambling addiction can trap the affected player in a corner with no way out. Once the player has accrued significant debt because of his addiction, it’s a very difficult situation to get out of. For this reason, players should act on any signs that they might be developing a gambling problem.
Tips To Prevent Gambling Addiction
As with any other form of addiction, the best treatment for a gambling addiction is prevention. By following the following strategies, the risk of developing a gambling problem will be greatly reduced:
- Set an affordable limit for the amount of money you’re prepared to lose in a single session. If you lose that amount, quit playing and come back the next day.
- Set up a deposit method that isn’t linked to your main bank account and/ or that isn’t instant. This step is one of the most important for many players, because it stops them from making impulse decisions.
- When you’re on a losing streak, take a break. The desire to win back lost money can be extremely enticing and is one of the biggest reasons gambling can be addictive.
- Set a timeframe for each playing session and stick to it. Try to never play more than 2 hours without taking a break. Always remember that you can always win the money back later.
- Set yourself win or lose limits from the start: not only losing too much money can make players emotional, but also winning too much. When some players are on a hot streak, they start to feel invincible and might increase their bet sizes. This can lead to big problems in the long run.
If you follow the strategies above, you will go a long way in avoiding ever developing any problems with gambling. Always remember to have fun and enjoy it instead of trying to win as much money as possible. And always keep in mind that it can be easy to develop a gambling addiction without noticing it, so always stay alert.
Early Warning Signs of A Gambling Problem
The best way to deal with gambling addiction is to stop it from developing in the first place. For this reason, every casino player or sports bettor should always be aware of signs that he or she might develop a problem. Here are some signs to look out for:
- You play longer than planned in the hopes of winning back loses and ending the session a winner.
- You risk large percentages of your bankroll or net worth in a single gaming session or a single bet.
- You lie to friends or family to cover up your gambling problem.
- You borrow money to keep playing and recovering the money you lost.
If you notice one or multiple of these signs in yourself, it might be time to consider taking steps to avoid developing a gambling addiction. Most online casinos have information about responsible gambling, including links to organisations that focus on helping problem gamblers.
Where to Get Gambling Help
If you, or your loved one, is developing a gambling addiction, don’t hesitate: get help! Leaving an addiction to ‘run its course’ almost never works and can entirely devastate the person, their family and their community.
The Casino’s Responsibility of Care
Gambling addiction is taken very seriously in the online casino world. All licensed and legal casinos are required by law to impose very strict measures to prevent gambling addiction to the best of their capabilities. They have to ensure that players have excess to information about responsible gambling and that they have easy options to exclude themselves from playing.
Another responsibility of the casinos is to make sure that the person playing is over the legal age allowed to play in the respective market (18 in most countries in Asia). Besides requiring a copy of the passport or ID, they might therefore request information about a players bank account or rental utilities. All of these steps are designed to increase players’ safety and combat problem gambling.
Ban Yourself from Playing in Online Casinos
If you feel like you won’t be able to beat your gambling addiction on your own, it might be time to take more drastic measures. Since the impulse to play can come back even after you’ve managed to avoid visiting a casino for a long time, the most effective measure is to ban yourself from playing in the casino completely.
Most casino and sports betting offer their players an option to exclude themselves from playing or placing bets. These restriction periods can last from one day to permanently, meaning the player won’t ever be allowed to play in the casino again. This measure is obviously only a last resort, but a ban for a short “cooling off” period is always a good idea if you experience too many losses.