Responsible gambling includes practicing self-discipline and control over one’s gambling habits as means of prevention of problem gambling.
How do you become a responsible gambler? By educating yourself on how to gamble online safely.
Betting is meant to be fun but its abuse may have a negative impact on your life. CasinosOnline are here to share responsible gambling tips and help you practice safe gambling.
These are our 7 top tips for responsible gambling.
#1 Responsible Gambling Is a Mindset.
First and foremost, the most important step is understanding the purpose of online gambling.
Gaming online exists as a form of entertainment. While it does include money, it still falls under recreation. As such, its chief purpose is to have fun.
As long as you view your hobby as exactly that – a hobby – you’ll have it under control. Spare time activities are there to complement our free time and not take over them.
However, the abuse of gambling perks may result in negative outcomes.
Gambling can be addictive. Winning streaks trick us into believing we have the power we don’t. Similarly, losing streaks may cause frustration which results in overspending.
Don’t be that person. Instead, adopt the responsible gambler mindset. This type of person accepts losing is part of placing bets. Casino games largely rely on chance, and a responsible gambler knows this. Sensible individuals practice safe gambling by following responsible gambling tips. But above all, they have high levels of self-awareness.
Additionally, if you are under the age of 18 or 21 (depending on the country), consider gambling only after the legal age. Underage gambling is an offense and will be placed on your criminal record. Moreover, it is against responsible gaming policies and practices. All things considered, underage gambling is illegal and should be avoided at all costs.
So, accept that gambling comes with responsibility. To gamble online safely, remember: you are in control over how much you’re spending.
#2 Gamble Only What You Can Afford to Lose.
This leads us to our second responsible gambling tip – avoiding excess spending.
We know it’s hard to say no to a small deposit in exchange for a potentially huge jackpot. But please remember that with every jackpot, there are tons of people who will lose their money to that particular slot machine. After all, the pot is filled with all the players’ money until the jackpot lands. When it does, all the cash goes into the hands of one player. And sometimes, that player is not you.
So, keeping a clear head on the relativity of probability is crucial. Let’s keep it simple.
If you would mind losing $1,000 from your pocket, do not spend it in the casino.
A great way to practice reasonable spending can be playing casino games for free. And yes, that is indeed possible. Nowadays, most software providers develop games so as to offer demo modes of each title. While the freeplay mode exempts live dealer games, RNG ones will do the trick just fine.
Simply select your favorite RNG-powered casino game, such as slots, blackjack, roulette, or sic bo. Automatically, you are granted a certain bankroll to use. This is fictional money so you can spend it however you like.
It’s tempting to go ahead and cover all the numbers in roulette, or split aces. After all, you won’t be using real money, right?
But what if you treated demo games as a chance to practice responsible gambling?
Nonetheless, we at CasinosOnline.com view freeplay gaming as the perfect opportunity to spend wisely. Observing how much you are capable of spending in freeplay translates to real-money stakes later on.
#3 Set Your Betting Limits, Always.
What is the responsible conduct of gaming?
This aspect of safe gambling concerns monetary funds, among others. After all, gambling necessarily involves real money – unless you’re exercising free play.
Therefore, setting limits on your bankroll is the first step when placing bets.
Additionally, many successful betting systems encourage such an approach. To exemplify, if you use Base Two or Paroli in roulette, you’ll have to determine your bets in advance. And honestly, we would recommend this method in any casino game, especially those of chance. By applying this strategy, players prevent overspending as well as losing control.
So, here’s a practical responsible gambling tip – set your minimum and maximum bets per spin/round. Then, stick to it.
If you decide ahead of time how much you are willing to spend, it’ll be harder to cross the line. Sure, it takes self-control to hinder raising the stakes but we believe in you. Just make the rules yourself and follow them.
Another method of adjusting betting limits is setting aside a particular sum. So, instead of selecting default bets, you earmark how much you can spend in total. This system gives you room for gameplay customization. Especially with games of skills such as blackjack, it’s good to be able to raise and decrease bets according to the current situation. Not much difference is noticed in slots, though.
Therefore, here’s the rule of thumb. In casino games of luck, utilize the Base Two system with default min & max bets. On the other hand, in games of skills, predetermine your balance and adjust bets depending on the circumstances.
#4 Limit the Time Spent on Gambling.
Just as setting betting boundaries is crucial, so are time limits.
The definition of hobby is:
an activity that you do for pleasure when you are not working.
Thus, as gambling is a hobby (unless you’re a professional gambler) it should be exercised in a controlled manner. Even on your days off, avoid spending too many hours betting. Be especially wary of how casinos have transitioned to mobile platforms lately. While facilitating placing bets, they are also making it extremely easy to never stop doing so. Casinos know most people carry their phones around almost everywhere. In turn, this allows potential problem gamblers unlimited access to those eye-catching reel-spinners.
If you need help in stopping phone addiction, check out these helpful tips.
What’s more, you can do more than just read about expert recommendations. Nowadays, conscious organizations keep inventing ways to give players more control over their habits.
And as more and more players are asking, “How do I bar myself from online gambling?” answers have been found.
One great way to bar yourself from online gambling is by installing anti-gambling software. These pieces of modern technology can block you from gambling sites, permanently or temporarily.
The best thing about anti-gambling tools is that many of them are free, as you’ll see if you read the article above. Also, they are fully customizable and can be tailored to your needs. Players may limit their gambling for a month, year, or forever. The latter might sound frightening, but sometimes it’s the best thing to do. There is little sense in gambling online if it isn’t enjoyable.
#5 Never Drink and Gamble.
One of the principal tips for gambling responsibly is never doing so under the influence. When you gamble, you want to do so with a clear head and an open mind.
However, when alcohol is consumed, our minds are necessarily impacted and thus, unclear. Scientifically, when humans consume alcohol, it boosts dopamine levels in our systems. Dopamine is often referred to as the happy hormone. And what do we do when we’re on a happiness overload? We make impulsive decisions that we often regret.
And when you add money to the equation, you get a whole mess you cannot easily fix. Therefore, if you intend on gambling, do not drink beforehand – ever. This is not a mistake you want to make.
Letting one’s hair down and taking the edge off is necessary, and for some of us, it includes drinking alcohol. As we said, it increases levels of happy hormones so we feel more content and relaxed. Who doesn’t like the feeling?
But if you plan on spinning the reels or finally tackling the Martingale strategy, do not drink.
Drinking and gambling may lead to overspending, which is one of the downsides of gambling. But if you approach gambling with our tips in mind, you may easily avoid problems.
Under safer gambling, the UK Gambling Commission considers multiple safety aspects. Above all, the regulatory body prioritizes the protection of underage individuals. In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to gamble if you’re under 18 for youngsters are more likely to make hasty decisions. Additionally, it is illegal to drink alcohol if you’re not at least 19.
Responsible gambling in the UK is a program that the trustworthy UKGC runs continually, reminding operators and gamblers alike of social responsibility.
#6 When It's Not Fun, Stop.
Gambling was originally invented to entertain adults. To date, responsible gambling has remained a favorite form of fun. Therefore, it should be viewed as such. And what do you do when something that used to be fun isn’t anymore? You stop doing it.
Apply the rule of thumb anytime you feel frustrated with a slot machine, for example. Maybe you’re on a losing streak and the odds seem to be against you. Or you’re just having an overall bad day and the casino is not on your side. Those days happen and the wisest thing to do is to accept them. Find something else to have fun with, and return to responsible gambling another day.
BeGambleAware is a world-renowned organization specializing in teaching people about the responsible conduct of gaming. Their motto is, ‘When the fun stops, STOP.’ And if you’re wondering, ‘What is responsible gaming and what are some examples?’ just out their website. There you can find plenty of responsible gambling tips offered by professionals in the field. Furthermore, you may request expert help and counseling.
To become a responsible gambler, you ought to educate yourself on the matter. Especially if you’re a beginner, we at CasinosOnline.com recommend learning first. Scroll through the web pages we’ve mentioned to learn more. And if you have a question for us, we are here for you.
#7 Don't Gamble When You’re Emotional.
Last but not least, let’s talk about emotions.
Feelings undoubtedly affect our behavior. Similar to alcohol, they may alter our mood and thus influence our decision-making. In turn, we may do something we otherwise wouldn’t.
What is responsible gaming and what are some examples?
A fantastic example of following responsible gambling tips is maintaining your own mental health. Being emotionally stable is a skill anyone would benefit from, especially those handling money.
One way to learn responsible gaming is to never do it when you’re sad or depressed. Sadness causes desperation, which spirals down to indifference and, consequently, irrationality.
Prevent this by staying away from casino sites when you’re feeling down. Stay in control and do not pick up your phone to place a bet. Also, stop yourself from sitting at your computer only to gamble irresponsibly.
Instead, get busy and occupy your thoughts with something that will lift your spirits. Talk to a friend, go for a walk, work out, or do anything that makes you happy. This might be the perfect chance to get artsy and do some DIY or develop a soft skill. Similarly, if you’re hyper, wait for the euphoric feelings to die down before wagering real money. After all, happiness is a strong emotion, too.
Conclusion
Safe gambling is all about being mindful and aware. So, the next time you ask, ‘How can I gamble online safely?’ CasinosOnline has got your back.
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