Responsible Gaming
Playing at an online live casino should be a fun and thrilling experience. However, since gambling involves the possibility of winning money, it can sometimes lead people to engage in it too often. This can unfortunately result in financial difficulties, addiction, stress and other negative consequences. Responsible gaming refers to a safe and healthy approach to casino gaming and sports betting that views these activities as a form of entertainment and not a way to make money.
As a player, your wellbeing should always come first in the world of online gaming. When playing at the top online casinos, picking a site that takes responsible gambling seriously is essential. A reliable online casino would include a page with up-to-date information on responsible gambling, contact options for relevant organisations and practical tools that players can use to keep themselves in check.
In this guide, we outline the best tools and practices that players should be aware of in order to game responsibly.
Effective Responsible Gaming Tools
As previously mentioned, it is a given that a reliable casino with legitimate licenses would be required to follow a strict responsible gambling policy. Players should have easy access to responsible gaming tools and support from specialist organisations, including helpline and chat services.
The following includes a list of standard responsible gaming tools that prevent gambling addiction and prioritise the player’s wellbeing:
Deposit Limits
Whereby a limit is set on the amount of money a player can deposit on a site on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Once the maximum amount has been deposited, no more money can be added until the period has elapsed.
Time-Out Sessions
A valuable method to take a step back, time-out sessions enable players to suspend access to their account, ranging anywhere from a day to a month. Depending on the online casino, players may still be able to withdraw their funds during their cool-off period.
Self-Exclusion
A way for players to ban themselves from logging onto live casino platforms. While a Time Out imposes a break for a set amount of time, Self Exclusion usually applies to a longer period. One can even set a lifetime ban.
Loss Limits
These limits are an excellent way to stop players from chasing their losses when they eventually get a taste of defeat. When players reach a designated limit, they cannot continue wagering and thus the amount of money they can lose daily, weekly or monthly is controlled.
Responsible gaming tools not only help players stay in control of their gaming habits, they also promote a safe and fair gaming environment by reducing the risk of fraud, money laundering and other illegal activity. Despite their effectiveness, the individual’s mindset ultimately sustains healthy gaming habits for players.
Factors to Consider with Responsible Gaming:
Sticking to a personal budget
Stay on top of your online casino spending by setting aside some cash that you are willing to lose. By budgeting this way, you’ll be less inclined to feel stressed when losing, which makes it harder to end up overspending or chasing losses.
If you keep an eye out on your gaming transactions, you could save a lot of money.
Monitor your gaming time
We all know how easy it is to get lost in your favourite casino games, only to find out later that you’ve clocked in an excessive number of gaming hours. With online casino gaming being so engaging, it’s wise to be more time-conscious when playing, and practice responsible gaming as much as possible.
We recommend implementing healthy game time management habits, specifically by tracking your gaming hours. Some casinos have time-limit and loss-limit tools, allowing you to restrict your playtime. At the same time, all legitimate casinos should have a built-in clock to help you keep track of the time and encourage you to take frequent breaks.
Moderation is key
By thinking of gambling as a form of entertainment enjoyed in moderation (rather than a way to make money), you put yourself in a better position to distance yourself from it if need be.
What’s more, if you ever find yourself gambling in excess, start taking regular breaks and engage in other enjoyable forms of entertainment.
Don’t Hesitate to Seek Help
If you think that you or someone you care about might be at risk for developing a gambling problem, be aware of these problem gambling signs:
- Becoming increasingly obsessed with the idea of gambling
- Keeping gambling activities a secret from the people around you
- Losing interest in other activities
- Constantly chasing losses
- Frequent and unexplained requests to obtain more money
- Neglecting bills or savings to gamble
- Try, but fail, to control or stop gambling patterns
When the mentioned signs are present and none of the tools continue to help, it is time to seek professional help. Luckily, legitimate casinos have valid links to responsible gambling organisations and their respective contact information that all players should be aware of.
If you’re struggling with addiction, it’s important to know that there are professional organisations available to help you. Many of these organisations offer 24/7 support and have direct helplines that you can call.
Remember, it’s never too early to seek help and delaying treatment can have serious consequences. Don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance if you’ve experienced any symptoms of addiction.
