Responsible gambling, also known as responsible gaming or responsible gambling, is simply put: making sure gambling remains a game. Gambling should be fun at all times and not cause problems or harm - either personally or financially. How to do that? By being aware of the pitfalls of gambling and acting accordingly. Responsible gaming!
The term responsible gambling is also used for the package of measures and provisions to prevent a gambling addiction. All providers are legally obliged to offer their games of chance responsibly, the so-called duty of care.
In online casinos you will often find such information under the heading responsible gam(bl)ing. If there is no such section, ask yourself if you are playing on a reliable gambling site. Just to ensure the reliability of online casino sites, better check for independent reviews at a site like australian-online-casino before choosing.
As long as gambling remains a game it is fun, but sometimes it gets out of hand. The moment you lose control, we speak of a gambling addiction, also called problem gambling or ludomania. This can be recognized by one or more of the following symptoms:
Do you recognize yourself or a loved one in these symptoms? Then seek professional help immediately. At the bottom of this article, you'll find several help agencies to get on with it right away. This is important, because a gambling problem is very serious.
As the neighbor of someone with a gambling addiction, it is not easy to actually help a loved one with their addiction. Many addicts deny their gambling problem and constantly look for excuses to justify their playing behavior. Thus, they remain stuck in their bad habits. With all the risks this entails, for themselves and those around them. Gambling addiction is a 'family disease' - the gambler is addicted to gambling, the rest to the gambler.
It is possible to gamble legally from the age of 18. This is the age at which you are an adult or at least considered to be one. Casinos and arcades, by the way, do have the leeway to apply a different entry age.
Also online casinos, the door is open only to players 18 years and older. Reliable bookmakers and online casinos are required to verify your age at registration as part of their Know Your Customer procedure. Those who do not pass this check can blow the whistle on their own gaming account.
It is also possible to keep the door of online casinos closed yourself. With "blocking software" you can easily lock certain websites. Useful for yourself as a problem player, but also for other vulnerable groups (eg minors). We list the best tools for blocking gambling sites:
Now, however, don't think that blocking gambling sites will get you rid of your gambling problems. Blocking software is a powerful prevention tool, not a panacea. It is a first step in the right direction, but real recovery requires professional help.
Online casinos offer players various tools to play responsibly throughout their visit. These are simple tools like play limits, reality checks, self-tests, time outs and even self-exclusion. We'll run through them briefly below:
Scientific research has shown that the use of playing limits encourages responsible gambling. They provide more control over your money and time. This way you never play with cash you can't afford to lose and it is also harder to lose yourself in the game.
Many players use a deposit limit to manage their expenses. With this feature, you are bound by a maximum amount that you can deposit over a day, a week or a month. Depositing more during this period is also not possible. The deposit limit easily gives you more control over your spending.
Gambling is still a game of profit and loss. To limit your losses, there is the loss limit. This allows you to set the maximum amount you want to lose over a period of 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. A very useful tool to not go over your budget.
A different means, the same result. Because also with a wagering limit you control your costs optimally. With a wagering limit you set a maximum amount to play for a day, week or month. If you gamble more than your limit, your account will be locked until the end of the specified period.
Time flies, especially when you're having fun. However, if you find that you're spending too much time in the casino, a session aka time limit will help. This allows you to set exactly how long you want to gamble for: 1 hour, 2 hours, 8 hours or longer. A great way not to let gambling rule your life, provided you choose a short session limit.
Check the transaction history in your gaming profile for an accurate picture of your gambling behavior. Here you can instantly see a history of your last transactions, deposits and withdrawals. Useful to get an insight into how much you actually spend on gambling online. At some casinos, you can even use the win/loss history to calculate what you're actually left with.
Tend to lose yourself in gambling? With the reality check feature, that's a thing of the past. This feature automatically stops the game and shows a pop-up with the time you have been active. You can (often) set the frequency of these notifications yourself. Only after you have confirmed that you have read the message can you continue playing. Reality checks are a great way to hold a mirror up to yourself while gambling.
Under the guise that "prevention is better than cure" you regularly take a close look at your own playing behavior. This can of course be done by taking a self-critical look at your gambling habits, but also by checking this. Many casinos offer simple self-assessment tests to determine your gambling risk. Do you have a gambling problem? Then seek professional help immediately!
If despite the above tools you still lose control, then it is possible to ban yourself from your favorite casino online. This can be a short break ("time out"), but also a long or unlimited period ("self-exclusion"). This gives you a nice big stick to keep you from gambling.
sahil jagga is a blogger