Gambling is one of the most practiced activities in the world. People from every country on the planet tend to engage in one or another form of gambling throughout their lifespan, and the vast number of casinos and gambling entities that operate in different countries are a clear statement of the popularity of this worldwide activity.
However, as fun and lucrative as gambling can be, it can also prove to be quite a dangerous hobby – especially if a gambler stops seeing this activity as a hobby and takes it as a way of life, or rather as a way to make a living. There have been numerous organizations around the world that have been created in order to help people who form a gambling addiction over time, and the practice of responsible gambling has become widespread – even in the biggest online casinos in the world
Not every player, however, seems to know the importance of responsible gambling and often take this for granted when wagering in any online casino, or even at land-based casinos. Some people just hop on to a gambling establishment or website for the first time and let themselves get carried away by their money and risky decisions.
However, we care for your well-being here at The Casino Wizard, so we’ve made an incredibly elaborate guide on how to gamble responsibly and give you tips, ideas, suggestions, and general information on responsible gambling.
Responsible Gambling – What Is Responsible Gambling and How to Practice It?
Originally, the concept of responsible gambling was rather intrinsic. It was taken as a given that people should be wary of their own decisions and don’t let gambling take control of their lives. However, as the practice of gambling became more widespread across the world, many organizations took it upon themselves to create a solid concept for responsible gambling and establish clear ideas on how to practice it.
One common factor that people tend to ignore is that responsible gambling isn’t just something that applies to players. The gambling organizations themselves must also be taken into account when responsible gambling is not being practiced.
How Casinos Help with Responsible Gambling
The importance of each gambling entity in terms of responsible gambling couldn’t be any bigger. The environment that any given organization presents to a player can make the difference between a lifetime of addiction and a fun time had in a weekend afternoon.
As such, online casinos, sportsbooks, land-based casinos, and any other legal gambling platform must follow a certain threshold of patterns and rules to keep people in line and offer them a safe place when they visit their establishments.
As mentioned, casinos play a huge role when it comes to responsible gambling. Online casinos that hold reputable licenses, for example, tend to be very strict when it comes to rule enforcement in order to ensure a fun, safe, and secure environment for every player that visits it. Land-based casinos tend to be very strict with whom they let wager as well, and how they engage in these activities.
The best online and land-based casinos tend to take care of player vulnerability, for example. It’s up to the casino to make sure that players are not vulnerable to attacks of any sorts. This doesn’t only include external attacks from hackers that may be trying to steal the player’s information, it also refers to how vulnerable a player feels when exposed to certain games. Games must be fair and allow players to win!
It’s also on the best interests of the casino to keep underage people from visiting the casino. This is, in fact, one of the most important practices of responsible gambling that a casino can enforce. Other very relevant aspects, such as avoiding aiding (intentionally or unintentionally) in the laundering of ill-gotten money, is also a very important way to practice responsible gambling as a casino entity.
Fair Gaming and Promotions
Every respectable online casino will offer every type of gambler the chance to win money regardless of how much cash they invest. If you happen to find an online site or a land-based casino that just wants you to deposit as much money as possible, we would advise you to get away from it as fast as you can. The first job of a casino is to make the player feel safe, and that they are the ones making the decisions.
Do not, by any means, let a casino make the decision for you. If they pressure you in any type of way, then it’s almost taken for granted the fact that whichever place you’re at isn’t respecting the basic practices of responsible gambling.
The same concept applies to the way a casino is marketed. If the marketing team of casino resorts to using lies and otherwise unethical practices, such as offering ridiculous and non-obtainable rewards, you can rest assured that the casino isn’t going to be the best at keeping players protected, and you won’t be in a responsible gambling environment if you visit it.
You need to be your own judge as to which types of casinos are good for you and which ones are just trying to get you to spend money with little chances of recouping it. Visiting a casino where you only lose could potentially be catastrophic to your wallet and might get you to the point where you spend so much money trying to win, that you just end up losing it all.
It’s important to go into more detail regarding casino responsible gaming practices, so if you’re interested in the subject, please continue reading the following section of this guide.
Casinos, Responsible Gambling, and You
Every online casino, when licensed, needs to be committed enough to be able to fulfill a series of rules for every player. As such, every online casino has a sort of handbook of rules that must be taken into consideration and applied to the environment in order to make things work, and to protect the player with a responsible gambling background.
The following set of rules also applies to regular land-based casinos, as most establishments will want to make sure that every player has a satisfying experience and comes back to place more wagers in their complex. There are some casinos that fail to comply with some of these bullet points, and we suggest avoiding them if you happen to come across any of them.
1 – Player Protection
The most important thing that casinos do as part of their responsible gambling policies is the protection of their players. This can mainly be seen in the way casinos limit player activity to a certain extent. Although limitations can be seen as a bit of a hassle for players, they’re actually there in order to protect them from themselves.
For example, when an online casino decides to impose a limit as to how much money a player can spend on the site, this is usually seen as an important responsible gambling policy. Sure, you would probably rather spend a ton of cash on the casino if you’re keen to do it, but casinos also have to take care of their players. You might lose all of your money if you bet it all at once.
In most cases, countries also have mandatory regulations for gamblers who visit land-based casinos or even wager in online sites. These regulations tend to be far stricter than those imposed by the casino, as the State tends to be the one caring for the well-being of the citizens.
For example, in countries like the United Kingdom, there are special functions that track the time a player has spent in an online casino. In most cases, restrictions are imposed if the player themselves want to, so it can help them control their own hobby and not allow it to get out of their hands. There’s a special application that allows the player to be reminded to stop after a certain period of time, for example.
Some of these applications can be activated optionally by the player, but it’s a requirement for most casinos to have them. This example might only apply to the United Kingdom, but there are many other countries with similar restrictions that lookout for the safety of each player.
2 – How Responsible Gambling Prevents Criminal Activities
As you can imagine, online casinos and casinos, in general, tend to be seen as easy targets for criminals. The freedom with which players can deposit and withdraw funds makes them the perfect target for people who are looking to launder money. As such, online casinos in particular have had to strengthen their defenses against these irregular activities.
The problem is much bigger than that, though. A casino that is looking to enforce responsible gambling regulations must be sure that the information of each player is completely protected against people who aim to steal it.
Have you noticed how some casinos have special data encryptions for player information? This is the best way to determine how responsible a casino is – if the casino is encrypted, then you can be sure that your data is safe. If the site shows as unsafe in your browser or if it doesn’t provide any sort of encryption service, then you might be better off visiting a land-based site or moving on to another casino.
This is why some transactions might take longer than others. If you happen to be moving a lot of money from your account to the casino, it’s highly likely that the site will study the transaction and even do background checks to prove that everything is legal. You won’t get in trouble as long as the information that you provide is correct!
3 – Underage Gambling and How Casinos Deal with It
It’s no secret that minors often attempt to create accounts in online casinos and, at times, they even succeed at doing so. However, it is an online casino’s responsibility to keep underage gamblers from visiting the site, as well as it is the responsibility of a land-based casino to properly check the IDs of visitors to ensure that they are adults.
In the case of online casinos, there are various ways in which operators can ensure that no underage players take part in the site’s activities. That’s why registration tends to be quite a hassle in most casinos – they have to make sure that you aren’t underage, and that gambling is legal in your country at your age of registration.
The process that each type of casino uses to make sure that gamblers are eligible to play their games can vary, but the important thing about it is that each process is effective. Responsible gambling by the casino is almost as important as it is when the player puts it into practice.
When it comes to underage gambling, though, parents also play a huge part on what their children do, and they are very much responsible for their actions – especially if their kid happens to get their hands on their credit card and uses it to make online wagers.
4 – Feeling Safe Equals Responsible Gambling
Regardless of how many mechanics for safe gambling a casino has in place, the most important thing is for the player to feel as safe as possible while at the casino. If they’re at an online casino, then the player must feel like the site is fully functional and that their information is never going to be stolen. This goes far beyond creating programs that deal with user info, it’s about making the player feel like it’s working.
As such, the appearance of a casino plays a huge part in what the casino has to offer and how it is perceived by the community. This means that aesthetics and design play a role in responsible gambling.
In land-based casinos, it’s hugely important for the building to be completely secure and fully ready to act against any eventualities that may arise. Casinos can be very dangerous places if left unguarded, and even more dangerous if security is low and the building isn’t in the best of neighborhoods.
Many casinos offer security around the perimeter of the building to make sure that gamblers get to their vehicles safely. This is especially true at night, when it becomes riskier to leave the site as criminals might roam the area looking to steal money from the winners. In any case, ensuring that players feel safe is one of the most important parts of a casino, be it online or land-based.
5 – Targeting the Right Audience with Ads
Every online casino practices the art of advertising one way or another, but not every entity does it as legally as they should be doing. Back in the early days of online gambling, many websites used awful campaigns that targeted those who didn’t know better, such as children and the elder, and tricked them into registering and even placing bets.
Thankfully, with the growth in awareness of responsible gambling, this has truly changed. Nowadays, casinos can be held accountable and face hefty fines should they happen to mistarget one of their advertising campaigns, so they are taking more care than ever to ensure that they stick to the lawful side of marketing.
If you happen to see any casino (be it online or land-based) that targets underage people or those who are vulnerable with their marketing campaigns, be sure to report it as soon as possible to any competent authority. These casinos are not keen to respect the rules of responsible gambling, and thus should not be visited by the general public.
Marketing goes far beyond regular campaigns, though. Many casinos tend to send promotions via email or even chase after clients using phone numbers. However, the client can always opt out of these promotions as per the rules of responsible gambling. There are usually options within the casino that will exclude your account from being the target of email or phone campaigns.
It is always up to the player to decide what to do and what not to do in an online casino, and this doesn’t exclude the advertisements towards which the player is exposed.
6 – Safeguarding Player Information for Responsible Gambling Purposes
Have no doubts – there are people out there trying to steal your information. In fact, if you’ve already registered in an online casino in the past, it’s more than likely that hackers and data thieves have already tried to get their hands on your data. The good news is that they’ve probably failed countless times thanks to the casino’s safety mechanics.
Part of the casino’s responsibilities of gambling is to ensure that the information of each player remains tightly locked against all sorts of attacks. In the case of land-based casinos, these places tend to have very secure systems that prevent any sort of online theft from happening. Those casino thefts that you so often see in Hollywood films are nothing more than the product of a wild imagination.
Most casinos tend to be even safer than some banks, which makes gambling much better for every player. The information that you might need to share with the cashier will remain between both of you, and the info that you enter into the system will not be stolen in any sort of way.
Another good way that casinos have to ensure that player data remains safe is by limiting access to the casino, when it comes to online gambling. For example, many casinos make it a requirement for the player to access without using a proxy or VPN service, and getting caught might result in a ban. This is done to prevent hackers from circumventing access limitations and to keep your data safer.
Some casinos will require you to enter a lot of information when you register, but this is only done to help you remain safe. Enter your phone number and provide as many details as possible – you will not regret it.
7 – Responsible Gambling Payments & Transactions
The last but not least important part of the activities that a casino needs to care for when it comes to responsible gambling is the way in which transactions are sent and received on the site or establishment.
There area few things relevant to payments, but it usually comes down to how safe the method of payment is and how the casino deals with the transactions internally. What the player can’t see is what tends to make up the most important part of an online casino transaction.
Most payments are processed using the best and most well-known methods of payment in the world. Some players complain that their favorite payment method isn’t available at a certain online casino, or that a land-based establishment isn’t letting them swipe their not-well-known credit card from a random bank. There’s a good reason why casinos do this, and it is precisely to protect the player.
Those small details that could prove to be inconvenient for a gambler are often the ones that are there to protect them and to keep their money safe.
In fact, dealing with the money of a player tends to be the most important aspect in which a casino covers its back, as they will be the ones responsible if anything goes wrong with the money. They wouldn’t want to pay the money back and they would have to, so most online casinos make sure that nothing bad happens in the first place!
Responsible gambling ultimately comes down to how much importance you and the casino give to the practice. Be sure to pick an online casino that cares for these practices and ensures the finest of experience to you as a player.
Responsible Gambling Tips – How to Gamble Responsibly
Gambling responsibly comes down to what the player wants to do when visiting a casino, and how they behave inside the gambling environment. As such, the best way to gamble responsibly is by controlling oneself inside an online or land-based casino by constantly keeping a check on their attitude to make sure that things aren’t getting out of hand.
The following list of tips will help you determine the things you need to do in order to remain a composed gambler without falling into the deep end of compulsive gambling.
Remember – Gambling is a Hobby
One of the worst mistakes that people make when gambling in any type of casino is that they might think that they can make a living out of gambling. That’s never the case, unless you happen to hit a jackpot (chances for that are very low, so don’t count on it!). You need to be aware that gambling is nothing more than a hobby, a form of paid entertainment.
As such, if you happen to start believing things like the next bet will make you rich, or that you can quit your job in order to fully focus on gambling, you might want to start reconsidering your priorities. In any case, getting to this point should take you quite some time (and some bad decisions along the way), so don’t worry about becoming an addict if you see gambling as a hobby.
There are some exceptions to this rule, though. Some people might be responsible gamblers but still make a living out of betting online. This only happens to those who are professional players of any sort of skill-based game, namely Poker.
If you’re thinking about quitting your job because you managed to win a few lines in a row in the last slot game that you played, then you might be better off rethinking what you want to do with your life. Luck always runs out, so if you want to play professionally, focus on improving your skills as a poker player.
Don’t Bet What You Can’t Lose
One of the breaking points of people who gamble as a hobby is when they start to gamble money that they can’t really afford to not have in their bank accounts. When this happens, it often means that the player is starting to lose a strong grip of their self-control, and it might be time to call it quits before it becomes too late to stop.
The most important thing about gambling is to only wager money that counts as disposable income, or money that you’ve made with your own bets. It’s not smart to start taking money out of your interest payments, for example, or from your credit payments themselves.
If you have a lot of money to spend, then you can go ahead and place some crazy large bets. The most important thing is to only bet sums of money that you can wager various times – don’t bet all of your money at once or you will be tempted to spend more cash than you originally intended to bet.
Set a Limit for Yourself – The Importance of Budget Management
The best way to not let your money run dry as quickly as possible is to set a limit for yourself. The best way to do this is by creating a small budget and a list of how you want to spend it. With a budget, even if you have more disposable income than what your budget shows, you’ll never run out of money when wagering. You do need to be aware that budgets are meant to be strict, so stick to it as closely as you can.
You may alter the budget a bit if you happen to win some money on the casino, but always be sure to save some of the money and keep it away from your wagering cash, regardless of how much you win. The best way not to become an addict and gamble responsibly is by keeping yourself at check without having to resort to third-party help when it’s already too late.
It’s important for the limits that you set to be respected and only altered to a certain extent if you win a lot of money. Furthermore, be sure to set a time limit to keep your mind fresh, even when you’re winning or you’re on a roll.
You should always look for the option to set a deposit limit in an online casino if you intend to play there. Many websites have an option that can be quickly activated in your account which allows you to set a budget limit that the casino won’t let you surpass. This can usually be done by visiting the settings tab in most casino’s profiles.
Set Yourself a Time Limit if You’re Wealthy
There’s another good reason to set a time limit for yourself apart from the clear implications that gambling for extended periods of time has on your mental health. If you have a lot of money, your budget can be quite large, which means that you can get easily carried away if you don’t set a time limit for your gambling.
Just be sure to start at a certain hour and don’t go over your limit. Usually, the ideal amount of time for you to gamble is between 1 to 3 hours. Anything over that limit might cause distress and could help you lose focus, which in turn will make your results worse (especially if you’re playing a skill-based game such as poker, or one that requires full concentration like blackjack).
Time limits are especially important if you’re on a roll. Keep in mind that win streaks ALWAYS come to an end, and the best thing that you can do is go out on a high. Be sure to stick to your time limit even if you’re winning. You’ll end up feeling much better and fresh after a while!
Stay Clear of Superstitions
Gamblers tend to think that playing in a certain table, or sticking to certain numbers when betting in Roulette, could be the difference between a good and a bad day. However, superstitions are just that – things that aren’t real, but make you feel like they are. Don’t allow superstitions to become part of your gambling routine, or at least don’t let them control you if you have them.
Admittedly, having certain superstitions could make gambling a lot more fun, but it’s never going to help you win more or lose less. At the end of the day, it always comes down to how lucky you are and how smartly you place your bets in regard to each game’s mechanics.
There will be times where you will be unlucky, even if you’re playing in a table that you think gives you a ton of luck. The same applies to numbers – don’t let these superstitious thoughts control you, or they will run riot when you go on a losing streak!
Learn the Rules and Play to their Strengths!
Even though games are more often than not defined by luck, you can play to the strengths of each game’s mechanics if you thoroughly understand how they work. The trick here is to not get carried away by the game’s colors, slots, and promised prizes. If you happen to study a game before approaching it, you’ll be taking a very responsible approach that will help you place smarter bets.
As such, the best thing that you can do is read about the developer of the game and study which things tend to be more common than others in the specific game that you want to play. Maybe some lines have better odds of showing than others, or maybe the best thing you can do is place various multi-line bets in hopes of winning more, depending on how the game itself works.
The most important thing is to read as much as you can, study the mechanics of each game, and play to their strengths. This is even more important if you’re playing a skill-based game – never jump into a table with a bunch of pros without truly understanding how the game works!
Keep a Clean Slate of Mind When Gambling
One of the worst mistakes that people make -often related to the practice of irresponsible gambling- is to place wagers when the mind isn’t at the brightest of states. There are certain times where placing a bet might seem like a good idea, but in reality, it would only do you more harm than anything else, and you might end up losing a lot of money.
These times are when your mind isn’t sharp. The worst thing you can do is visit a casino when you’ve been drinking or doing any other sort of substance. There’s a reason why land-based casinos often offer players free drinks – it makes them think less clearly and being drunk often correlates to a larger number of lost bets and wrong choices.
This is especially true for those people who often get agitated or angry when gambling. If you can’t keep a hold of yourself when sober, you’re highly unlikely to do so when under the influence of any substance. Please, by all means, refrain from drinking while gambling if you don’t want to make irresponsible judgment calls!
The best thing that you can do to gamble responsibly while at any sort of casino (be it land-based or online) is to keep your hands away from your drinks. It’s better to keep your mind in the sharpest of states if you’re going to wager money. Getting drunk or high could cloud your judgment to a point where you won’t even mind how much money you lose, but trust us, you WILL regret it later!
When Do You Gamble?
Are you one of those gamblers who places wagers when they’re angry, as a way to relieve stress? If so, that’s a clear sign that you might not be gambling responsibly. Gambling is an activity that should be done to have fun! If you’ve been under scrutiny at work, or if you’ve been having issues with your partner, the best thing you can do is avoid gambling.
Sure, all your problems might go away with one or two good wagers (or maybe even a win streak), but what if you lose? Your anger might spiral down and you might get to a point where you just take it out with those who live around you. If you’re heavily stressed and you feel like gambling could help you loosen up some stress, you’re probably not a responsible gambler.
You might be thinking that this isn’t quite a good piece of advice – especially if you’ve felt better after gambling before. However, please understand that luck isn’t always going to be on your side. Not gambling when you’re angry or stressed could save you from a world of trouble in the future, and if you happen to take huge losses while gambling, it’s just going to get much worse than it already is!
Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct – What Needs to Change?
Responsible gambling isn’t something local. In fact, the practice or responsible gambling is one of the most globalized activities in the world, as every prestigious casino on the planet earns the trust of millions by setting an environment in which players can feel safe at all times. This, however, leads to some troubles.
For example, what some UK casinos and users see or perceive as responsible gambling might not be the same for other users or casinos in the United States. The same concept applies to other countries and nationalities – it’s hard to create a globalized concept for responsible gambling (or even a determined set of rules) because of how intricate humans are, and how different gambling is perceived in various parts of the world.
However, international gambling organizations have all agreed that the concept must be revised and evolved as time has gone by. The most important entities that ensure that gambling is practiced under safe circumstances are often European, American, or British.
The main organization that creates responsible gambling measures and regulations is the European Committee for Standardization, an organization that acts in the benefit of the majority of citizens of the European Union. Entities such as this one that treats a global problem on a continental scale can be used as a point of reference if the world of gambling is looking to standardize the practices on a global scale.
Promoting Responsible Gambling
The vast majority of casino ads that we see tend to include a small footnote asking people to “gamble responsibly”. However, very few casinos or entities actually go through the trouble of explaining to users what responsible gambling is, and how they can enjoy their favorite games without having to worry about it taking a toll on their mental health.
As such, many of the world’s largest ONG’s, amongst which stands the European Gambling and Betting Association, have called for online and land-based casinos to step up and start promoting safe gambling practices amongst their users, educating them on how they can gamble responsibly and not let things get out of their control.
One of the most important things that can be done by gambling organizations is creating special events, encouraging gamblers to attend and using part of the time of the event to educate people as to how responsible gambling plays an important part in their lives. In most cases, these events need to include rehabilitation programs so people who are already in trouble can find a way out.
It can be difficult to have people who love gambling attend one of these conferences, as most of them dismiss any sort of issues that they might have. If you, reader, feel like you don’t have any issues but you still gamble on a daily basis, it might be good for you to do some self-analysis and realize whether you really don’t have a problem or if you might, in fact, be a gambling addict.
Responsible Gambling and Casino Owners
It’s always good to hold conferences for casino players and gambling fans from all over the world, as to educate them on their responsibilities as gamblers. However, little can be done to help people out if casinos and betting companies don’t decide to help players as well.
Some online casinos dismiss the importance of responsible gambling as a secondary issue, thinking that players should be responsible on their own. However, this isn’t only a wrong position to stand for, but also a dangerous position that could have the players exposed to life-threatening dangers.
Conferences also need to be held, in one way or another, to encourage casino owners and the higher-ups of the industry to attend. These conferences must be used to educate industry owners on the dangers of gambling and the part that they play in helping people bet their money without causing them mental distress.
The lack of responsibility of some casino owners is one of the main reasons as to why The Casino Wizard only presents and promotes websites that have proven to be trustworthy in the past, always avoiding mentioning sites that have shown signs of indifference towards their player bases.
Identifying Casinos That Care for Your Mental Health
Finding an online casino that is proven to be trustworthy and interested in the health of its players can be quite problematic, as it’s hard to tell when a casino only wants you to wager and when it wants you to wager but have fun while doing so. Even some of the largest casinos in the online industry only pretend to care for players to attract them, while their actions show otherwise.
One of the main indicators that help you determine when casinos care for you is when they have a special section on their site that talks about gambling problems. External links don’t count – a link inside their own website where the casino staff explains how troublesome gambling is often a good sign that casinos care. They are willingly compromising their services in order to keep you aware of the dangers of gambling.
Land-based casinos that hold activities to keep players aware of problems can also be considered good places to gamble. Look for signs that casinos show that their players are important to them and that they don’t only see them as sources of income.
You might have some trouble at first and it could take you longer than you expect to find a proper gambling site, but a long search is often better than a short, uninterested one.
Promotion of “Own-Limit” Rules
Casinos in the United Kingdom have a set rule that every single gambling entity must comply with. This rule is a necessary requirement that allows every player to set their own limits when first registering into a website. That’s why many casinos in the UK ask for the player to enter a set amount of money that they wish to wager and how much money they want to deposit per day, week, or month.
This is one of the best examples of practices that aren’t global but should be. The imposition of a self-regulatory system is one of the clearest and most transparent ways of promoting responsible gambling, as it encourages players to set their own limits without having the casino interfere with their activities.
These rules for each player to limit themselves are not as common as you’d expect in the gambling industry. Most sites will allow you to wager as much money as you want if they aren’t hosted in the United Kingdom, as they don’t have to face these rules. Promoting rules such as this one on a global scale could have a major positive impact on gambling.
Global gambling commissions need to operate and impose rules like this one amongst casinos that hold licenses given by them, and use these conditions as requirements for the casinos if they wish to keep a hold of their licenses.
Paying on Time and Responsible Gambling
Oddly enough, there are no global gambling regulations that make casinos pay the players in time. In fact, online casinos have a free pass on how much time they can wait to pay players, which is far from ideal if they want to access their money quickly. However, most online casinos that comply with responsible gambling conditions tend to pay within a week of requesting a withdrawal.
This is one of those rules that have passed as “unwritten but required”, making casinos that don’t pay within a week less trustworthy than others. In any case, it’s important that you’re warned that some casinos don’t stick to given timeframes and you might be better off finding a site that does, indeed, send payments on time. You can read the opinions of players to see how long it has taken them to receive their money.
Most of the sites on The Casino Wizard will give you your money within 1 to 7 days, depending on the payment method of your choosing. Bitcoin casinos tend to pay much quicker, while direct wire transfers could take the whole week to be processed. This also depends on the volume of players that a casino has.
The Importance of Regulating Bonuses for Responsible Gambling
Regulating bonuses is one of the best ways to check the quality of an online casino, or any gambling institution in general. Having promotions that deliver on expectations is the most important part of a casino bonus, which means that a regulated bonus should always deliver what it says that it will deliver. Overpromises and non-payable bonuses are not ethical.
In fact, one of the reasons as to why many of the casinos recommended by The Casino Wizard hold licenses in the UK is exactly because of its requirements. To hold a casino license in the UK means that the bonuses of the website are severely regulated, and whichever promotion you wish to claim on the site will give you exactly what it says it will give you.
There should be a globalized approach for bonus regulations, but it’s good to have the chance to judge a casino based on the licenses that it holds. For example, knowing that a site holds an American, Maltin, or British license is often a good sign that the casino sticks to responsible gambling regulations and the environment that it offers is safe for every player.
Mobile Licenses – Is Responsible Gambling Any Different?
If you’ve ever felt the need to play on the go, then you’ve probably wondered whether mobile online casinos are just as strictly regulated as any other site in the world. Thankfully, they are. Most mobile casinos also have desktop versions, which means that the controls imposed on their bonuses and environments are basically the same.
In fact, the regulations that are imposed by licensing entities are the same regardless of which type of virtual casino we’re referring to. If you find a mobile casino with a UK license, then the site is just as safe and compliant with the rules than any virtual UK casino. There are no differences in regulations, so you can rest assured that most online sites offer similar environments of safety if they share the same licenses.
This also applies for casinos that are exclusively made for mobile gaming, not only for sites that offer both mobile and desktop services. All regulatory entities apply the same principles to every casino, so licenses are given based on what the casino has to offer and not on how the casino is played. It’s up to you to choose an online casino that properly suits your needs.
Land-based casinos are regulated much more strictly than online sites, which means that most casinos that you see operating in your city tend to be compliant with the basic rules of responsible gaming.
How to Deal with a Casino that Doesn’t Follow the Code of Conduct
It would be a lie to say that every single gambling entity is compliant with the rules and code of conduct of responsible gambling. Some sites tend to work around regulations to offer bonuses that are ridiculously difficult to claim, and some sites will even refuse to give you rewards even after you’ve earned them. This is awful for user experience, and it tends to cause many issues to the players.
Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can deal with a non-compliant casino. The best and most effective way is to directly contact any of the entities that have given licenses to your problematic casino. They will deal with your complaints and investigate further into the matter.
Some casinos can get in serious trouble for failing to keep the standards that their licenses represent. In some extreme cases, some online casinos can be stripped from their licenses and get forced to pay thousands of euros to the affected players.
If you ever feel like you’re being done wrong by a casino, be sure to first take it to the site’s customer support. If they can’t help you out, then your best bet will be to contact the licenses givers above anyone else. However, if anything illegal seems to happen, then you might want to contact the authorities.
Responsible Gambling Misconceptions
Given how popular gambling has become, it’s only natural to expect the development of misconceptions on various things that surround responsible gambling. Many of these misconceptions are wrongfully promoted by some entities, while others were generated as part of the culture that surrounds gambling. In any case, let’s take some time to clear up some of these incorrect thoughts.
Gambling Isn’t an Issue if You’re Rich
It doesn’t matter how much money a person might have; compulsive gambling is always an issue and you might have a gambling addiction even if you aren’t close to running short on cash. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if you only win in your bets, you might still have a gambling problem that must be dealt with regardless of your economic status.
The main reason as to why this is true is because of how gambling affects the life of those that surround a compulsive gambler. It goes far beyond winning or losing – the emotional status of a person changes drastically when gambling (mainly when the person is addicted to the activity), so those people around them will suffer to some extent the effects that gambling has in the person.
Having the money to sustain constant gambling can even prove to be an issue, as the addiction doesn’t have a clear way to end. It’s always better than going broke after gambling more than you should, but those who surround a compulsive gambler can suffer even greater consequences if the person with the affliction is rich or at least very wealthy.
Irresponsible Gambling Affects Gamblers Alone
The last point brings us to this very common myth that many people often take as true. The fact that gamblers suffer because of their losses or get happy because of their winnings doesn’t mean that gambling only affects them. Everyone who lives with a gambler or has to interact with them on a daily basis will be exposed to the effects of gambling.
When someone suffers any type of gambling addiction, the person becomes far more likely to act in manipulative manners towards others, even getting to the point where it’s impossible to tell whether the addicted gambler is telling the truth or lying. This could cause a constant state of paranoia on those who surround the gambler, and an environment of distrust that could take years to recover from.
In any case, it’s only natural that things are perceived as the old saying goes: becoming a gambling addict isn’t something that one person can deal with, it’s a disease that affects entire families and friend groups.
Placing Random Bets Equals Gambling Addiction
A common misconception of gambling addicts is that people think they will place bets on anything that moves. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Most gambling addicts tend to have a preferred type of game, and they might even not place bets on anything but the game of their liking. Being addicted doesn’t mean losing all sense of personality, it just means that compulsive bets will become a problem.
Don’t think that someone isn’t a compulsive gambler just because they place their bets on a single type of game, or even if they don’t go over a casino betting in every type of game that exists. Be sure to keep an eye out for other factors, such as how much money they spend per bet, and how long they spend playing in a casino before calling it quits.
Men Are Worse Compulsive Gamblers Than Women
Some people think that men are far more susceptible to have secondary effects when gambling compulsively than women. However, it has been proven by various studies that the main difference between genders is the way each person reacts.
Women are far more susceptible to showing signs of emotional distress in manners such as depression or even mood swings. Men, on the other hand, tend to be far more aggressive in the way they respond to lost bets or even unwanted results. Mentally, both genders take a similar toll when it comes to gambling.
What is proven, though, is that men are far more susceptible to becoming gambling addicts than women. This is mainly because men are far more likely to gamble than the opposite gender. The sample is much bigger with men, but women can also fall victims to the damages of compulsive gambling if they don’t look after themselves.
It’s important to keep a close eye on women that gamble to ensure that they’re on the right state of mind after they finish playing. Given that the signs are far more difficult to detect, it can prove to be a challenge to find out if a woman is addicted to gambling.
You’re Not a Gambling Addict if You Don’t Gamble Every Day
This is probably the biggest misconception on this list. Some people think that you can’t be addicted to gambling if you don’t do it on a daily basis. Some addicted gamblers only gamble once or twice per week, but they simply can’t seem to stop. It is the fact that you can’t stop what truly makes you a compulsive gambler and an addict to the activity.
It’s important to judge the damage that gambling is having on a person’s life to determine the extent of their addiction. Those who gamble only during the weekends, for example, could be causing a lot of damage to the people around them if they don’t spend time with their families in order to spend time on any online casino.
This problem also applies to people who wager during the night, or even those who do so during that only day off work that they have in a week. If you spend all of your free time wagering in an online casino and neglect all other activities as a result, you’re very likely to be a gambling addict.
Not Every Gambling Addict Wishes to be Rich
There are many factors that affect a person when they’re gambling, and many factors contribute to their problem. However, becoming rich with their bets isn’t always one of the main reasons as to why people become gambling addicts. In some cases, people only need to feel the rush of a win go through their minds.
As such, identifying someone as greedy doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re addicted to gambling or not. In most cases, compulsive gambling goes far beyond the simple fact of having a hefty bank balance.
It’s Not Possible to Become Addicted if You’re Responsible
Gambling is an addiction. It doesn’t really matter if you’ve never been addicted to anything before, or if you’re not even a fan of consuming alcohol. Anyone can become a gambling addict regardless of their psychological backgrounds. Remember that gambling addiction means that the person has fully lost control of their ability to make judgment calls when gambling, and they become victims to their own impulses.
Everyone has impulses, which means that anyone can become a gambling addict if they don’t properly take care of the way the gamble. Just be sure to control your own gambling habits before they take a life of their own and you shouldn’t have any issues in any gambling site or establishment.
In short, it doesn’t matter what your personality type is or what things you’ve previously done in your life. Everyone is susceptible to becoming a gambling addict, regardless of who they are or how much money they win. You need to take care of yourself and make sure that gambling stays a hobby and doesn’t become a lifestyle or a problem.
The Influence of Responsible Gambling on Our Youth
Responsible gambling exists in order to keep everyone at check, and to prevent people from getting addicted to their hobby. That’s why responsible gambling is so important for the modern youth – children nowadays are exposed to a constant bombardment of advertisements that encourage people to wager and promote those “big wins”.
Children and teenagers are easily susceptible to these adds, even though they aren’t directed towards them. This can cause very negative effects and make them want to gamble even when they know that they shouldn’t. This has lead to many young children grabbing their parents’ credit cards and registering in betting websites to try their luck there, which causes an early start to an addiction.
It’s of utmost importance for online casinos to keep young players from registering, which is usually done by creating strong registration procedures that make it difficult for any youngster to falsify their identity in order to play. However, there are always a few young people that slip through these controls, and their parents must also keep them in check at all times.
The most dangerous thing about children and their ability to gamble is that, in many cases, their gambling addiction starts with games that they can legally play, as they don’t involve any money. For example, those free to play games that youngsters can download on their phones make it very easy for them to form an addiction from an early age.
Children and How Games Encourage Gambling
It’s very common for children and young teenagers to play videogames nowadays, and denying that would be like trying to block the sun with your thumb. Children love videogames, and even grown-ups nowadays are playing them because they grew up with them. However, many of these games have gambling mechanics that have caused controversies in the world.
For example, most online titles tend to feature something called “Microtransactions”. This is a form of payment that the player can do in the game with real money in order to obtain certain rewards. Doesn’t sound as bad at first, but many companies use this microtransaction money to encourage gambling by making people spend their in-game credits (bought with real money) in random rewards.
Sports titles are mainly to blame for this. Games like EA’s FIFA or NHL franchises feature game modes where the player is encouraged to spend real money to obtain card packages, which contain random cards, but promise high rewards.
This is very similar to encouraging children to play with slot machines, and many countries have picked up on it and banned companies from selling games to children in the country (Belgium being the prime example of this).
However, many countries around the world are still arguing and debating how to ban these predatory, gambling-encouraging practices without banning the games themselves. Many children have fallen victims to this predatory behavior encouraged by companies, and it has caused countless struggles in households across the world.
Mobile Gaming and Responsible Gambling for Children
Mobile gaming has to take a lot of the blame as well for children who fall addicted to gambling from a young age. In many cases, children can just access their phones’ stores and download any game that they want, amongst which they’ll find countless betting games that can be played simply because they don’t involve any real money, so children don’t need to register any credit cards and its easy to lie about their age.
You can imagine, however, how dangerous it is for a child to play betting games without truly grasping the concept of what they’re doing. They might see it as a regular activity, thinking that what they’re doing has no dangers, and they’ll grow up with that idea in their minds. Mobile gaming needs to be properly monitored by companies and parents to ensure that children aren’t downloading any betting games from a young age.
Similarly, there are many free to play games in mobile devices that feature the same usage of microtransactions that we mentioned above. This creates an idea inside the mind of every young player that spending money in the games will be the solution to their woes, which in turn fuels a potential gambling addiction that could surface at any point in time.
The concept of free-to-play but pay-to-win games has done a lot of damage to people from all over the world. Most companies that have games like Clash of Clans or Candy Crush make their profit from a small percentage of players, most of which spend over a thousand dollars a month just to fuel their in-game wins. This, as you can imagine, does a lot of damage to players in general, but especially to children who use their parents’ money to fuel their power in the game.
Are Children the Only Ones in Danger?
When it comes to gambling, it’s common to see children and young people as the ones who are the most vulnerable to falling victims to gambling addiction. However, even though companies should always focus on creating a responsible gambling environment that restricts access to children, it’s also important to keep an eye out for those with less wealth than average as well as homeless people.
Oddly enough, homeless people tend to be very prone to becoming gambling addicts. They see gambling as a way out of their current economic state, which makes them believe that a huge jackpot win will solve all of their troubles. In most societies, gambling addiction tends to affect around 1% of people that inhabit it, with many of them being homeless people.
Furthermore, it’s common for homeless people to fall victims to gambling as a side effect from other issues. The homeless are also very prone to drinking and drug abuse, which in turn leads them to try gambling as a means to generate more money to fuel their other addictions. It’s a vicious cycle that doesn’t let them get any better or grow their wealth in any way.
Responsible Gambling and How it Influences Society
The whole idea of gambling has made it to a place in society that not many thought it would reach merely 50 years ago. Gambling has become such a common activity that we see gambling ads and promotions almost everywhere, with TV being one of the main responsible outlets of promotion.
There are many regulatory entities (often operated by the State) that aim to look after people and prohibit certain commercials from going live, to the point where some countries have even made gambling advertisement illegal. However, fully removing gambling from the population’s eye is almost impossible, and it would be a lie to say that it doesn’t have an influence in modern societies.
The presence of gambling advertisement in some sports organizations has been heavily criticized by some of the biggest responsible gambling advocates in the world. Some sports teams sell their sponsorships to betting companies as they are the ones willing to pay the most money to appear on team shirts, but it gives gambling a lot more exposure to the younger audiences.
The constant struggle between responsible gambling and gambling companies looking to appear everywhere is concerning for modern society, and it’s important for parents to educate their children in the aspects that influence gambling if they are to keep them mentally healthy and far from generating an addiction during their younger years.
Adults, however, are still constantly exposed to gambling ads and must be aware that they are in control of their own lives. It’s common for people to think that adults are “old enough to know how to control themselves”, but the constant bombardment of gambling ads can take a toll on the minds of some adults.
The Presence of Gambling in Pop Culture
Gambling is often represented in many pop culture endeavors, amongst which you’ll find movies and television to be the most popular of them all. There are some modern movies that serve as a way to represent betting in a negative manner, while others do so in a rather positive one. It depends on the story being told, but in general, it’s important to differentiate between TV gambling and real-life gambling.
If you’ve ever watched a movie where the actors are often visiting casinos, you’ll notice how different the vibe feels to the one you get when it is you who’re making the wagers in a real casino. Movies and television make it seem much lighter than it really is – even when the actor is constantly losing money.
Take one of Will Smith’s top-grossing movies in the last few years, for example. Focus shows gambling from a rather unique perspective, where Will Smith takes a lot of risks to earn high sums of cash throughout the film.
The way society interprets these messages can be seen as positive or negative, but there’s no way to tell how a specific audience might take them. Some people see the representation of gambling in films as a positive way to combat it, while other people judge it as a way to promote it.
In any case, gambling addiction has made its way to many of the mainstream aspects of society, which has expanded its influence far beyond what would’ve been possible less than a century ago.
Responsible Gambling and the Effect of Big Wins & Jackpots
Jackpot games, especially slots, are one of the main sources of responsibility for gambling addiction. Oddly enough, it is not jackpot themselves the ones that cause gambling addiction in people. In many cases, it is the thrill that it generates. Being so close to win a life-changing amount of money is just too much for some people to handle, and hence they become addicts to the idea of being rich.
In fact, some people that actually win a jackpot can become even more addicted to slots than those who haven’t won anything. The idea of having already won makes them think that they are luckier than the rest, hence they can’t stop wagering in hopes of obtaining another large win. Many people who win large jackpots will often lose most of their money in the same casino – sometimes even before leaving.
The Effects of Behavior in Gambling
The behavior of each individual plays a significant part in the way they perceive gambling. In fact, the cognitive responses of each person tend to be different, hence why some people are more susceptible to becoming addicts than others. It is thought that people who release more dopamine when they are close to winning are far more susceptible to becoming addicts.
The human brain is certainly awesome, but it can prove to be quite challenging to overcome some of its self-inflicted damage. People who are prone to releasing a lot of dopamine when gambling need to take a lot of care if they wish not to become addicted to the activity.
The More You Spend, The More You’ll Win?
One of the major mistakes that gamblers tend to make (and one that justifies their addiction in their own minds), is that spending a lot of money will equal a lot of profit. Some people refuse to stop wagering because they’ve already invested too much of their own cash in the game, while being unable to realize that they might just keep spending more with no guaranteed wins.
Gamblers might take a lot of time to realize that the money spent in one game doesn’t justify their constant spending. In fact, this is one of the main topics that psychiatrists have to deal with when working with addicted gamblers. Convincing someone that their constant spending isn’t a logical mean to justify how much they’ve already spent can be very difficult – even for a medical professional.
This is usually caused by an emotional reaction to losses and potential wins. It can prove to be very tricky to deal with, but some gamblers manage to come to terms with their losses by their own means.
Do You Have a Gambling Problem? – How to Know if You Have a Gambling Problem
Thankfully, there are some signs that might help you understand that you have a problem and might be in need of employing responsible gambling practices if you are to get better from it. Keep in mind that some people might already be past the point of no return (without help, that is), so be prepared to seek professional help if this guide doesn’t do any good for your problem.
If you happen to have any of these signs in your day to day gambling life and you still feel like you can make a turnaround by yourself, then, by all means, do it. Do not let gambling take control of you. If you still haven’t gotten into gambling but you’re just trying to be preventive, then keep all of these bullet points in mind and be ready to seek help if you fall victim to any of these signs.
4 Signs That You Have a Gambling Problem
- Borrowing Cash – The first sign that you’re really addicted to gambling is when you start borrowing cash from friends, or even worse, from people you don’t even know that well. Finding more and more cash to wager is a clear-cut sign that you simply can’t stop, and you might need to seek help.It’s very plausible for people around you to start noticing that you have an issue when you keep asking them for money, even if you make believable excuses to mask your addiction. Those who are close to you will pick up on your lies and start calling you out on it, which can cause divisions and problem that could potentially break your interpersonal relationships with those you love.
- Trying to Recoup Losses – Another clear indicator that you’re way out of your depth is when you start wagering cash in order to win back what you’ve already lost. This is one of the most evident signs that you’re not a responsible gambler, and that things have gone out of control.Contrary to what most beginners believe, losing is quite an important part of gambling. In fact, losses should be taken as lessons rather than as disadvantages. Think to yourself: “Where did I go wrong?” rather than “I’m going to wager twice my loss to win it back!”.At the end of the day, you’ll be far more likely to recoup losses if you learn from your mistakes in the long term rather than if you attempt to do get the money back in a single, larger bet.
- Only Thinking About Gambling – If you get to a point in your life when gambling is all you can think of, then you probably failed to practice responsible gambling when you should’ve done it. Getting to a point where gambling is the most important thing in your life is very dangerous, and if your mind keeps going to those thoughts of how to win and how not to lose at random parts of the day, you might need to seek help from a medical health professional.
- Having Problems to Stop – It’s one thing to sit for a while in front of your computer and wager some of your disposable income in an online website, or visit a land-based casino to wager some of your cash. However, if you find yourself in a position where you keep saying that “this is the last bet”, you’re most likely having issues and you’ve failed to be a responsible gambler.This usually happens when the regular wagers that you place aren’t fulfilling you anymore. You keep feeling the constant need of upping the money that you’re betting, otherwise, you won’t feel the excitement that you’re after. The feeling of wanting more and more is avoidable by being a responsible gambler and knowing when to stop before it’s too late to turn back.
Are You Showing One of These Signs? Don’t Worry, You Can Get Better from your Gambling Addiction
Most companies that offer responsible gambling programs tend to also offer paths which addicted gamblers can follow in order to get better. It’s not impossible to go back to who you used to be before the betting, so fear not! It will take a lot of willpower, but you’ll be able to return to your normal self in no time if you follow the instructions that these experts provide.
In most cases, responsible gambling entities have dealt with hundreds (if not thousands) of cases like yours before, because trust us, you’re not the first person in the world to go through this, nor will you be the last one to overcome it!
Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can practice responsible gambling to avoid becoming addicted to it. It’s always going to be much easier to avoid becoming a gambling addict if you take good care of yourself before starting to gamble, but don’t worry – there’s always a way back. You’re never too far gone to not be saved from gambling addiction.
How to Get Help If You’re a Gambling Addict
The first step that you’ll need to take to get help (and eventually get better) is to recognize that you have a problem. There really isn’t much more to it at first – you need to understand and internalize that you have an issue that needs to be resolved before you can commit yourself to resolve it. This is not the easiest of steps, but it’s the most important one out of them all.
There are some people that may be able to recover from a gambling addiction on their own. However, we advise you, reading this guide, to seek professional help if you want to ensure that results will be optimal. Not everyone can get better on their own, and you might be one of those who can, but is it worth taking the risk? Play it safe and look for professional help.
Talking to a Psychiatrist
You need to understand that gambling, or the activity of gambling, is a behavior. Getting addicted to gambling means that the behavior has become part of your life, of who you are, and you need to change that inherent behavior if you are to get better. That means, in most cases, that you’ll need to take time to go see a specialist that knows how to deal with behavioral changes – in other words, you’ll need to see a professional of mental health.
A psychiatrist may suggest a variety of different options, and will treat your condition during each session. You will not notice instant results, but it’s of utmost importance that you stay as committed to the therapy as possible. Keep in mind that the sessions aren’t the only times at which you need to be focused – the time you spend alone at home will test your resolve more than anything else.
Behavior Therapy
The best way to treat someone who has fallen victim to irresponsible gambling and is, thus, destroying themselves, is to try to change their behavior using cognitive therapy. The whole point of this therapy is to show the patient that things aren’t as bad as it seems by breaking down problems and presenting solutions to each individual issue.
As such, and as described by psychiatrists, the best way to change your behavior and stop compulsive gambling practices is by showing you how the problem isn’t as big as it seems. As a patient, you’ll need to practice the solution that your medical health professional suggests, all of which will help you get rid of the problem once and for all.
Why You Should Use Reality Check
Like we mentioned further up in this guide, there’s an option that many casinos have that allows you to be reminded of your playtime after a certain amount of time. If you think that you need to stop after a couple of hours, or if you’re planning to start reducing your playtime as much as possible, then you should try to download Reality Check.
This will set a reminder on your computer or device to keep you aware of the time that you’ve spent playing, and to remind you to do something else. This app might not work for everyone, but if you feel like you can control yourself and quit playing as soon as the timer goes off, you might be able to start controlling your addiction and reducing your playtime until you no longer feel the need to play.
One of the best things about Reality Check is that it also shows how much money you’ve won or lost during the time that you’ve spent playing. If your margin of losses starts being too large, you might want to call it quits before it’s too late. In the same vein, it’s important to keep an eye out for those winnings to make sure that you don’t overdo it – quitting on a high is part of responsible gambling!
Enough is Enough – Telling Yourself to Stop
Some people, albeit a small minority, will be able to tell themselves that they’ve overdone it with their gambling and simply call it quits on their own, once and for all. You should (and need) to try this out before contacting a therapist if you wish to improve your gambling addiction. Telling yourself to stop can be a difficult thing to do, and for many people it’s even impossible, but you’ll feel incredibly well if you happen to do it on your own.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to be a gambling addict in order to tell yourself to quit, or to self-exclude yourself from gambling practices. Self-excluding is also an amazing option (and a good choice) if you feel like you’re starting to become too close to gambling and you just want to put a stop to it before it’s too late. In such cases, the majority of gamblers can tell themselves to stop.
However, if you think you can still handle things without having to quit, try reducing your playtime and see how that works. Struggling to control your playtime or to stop playing for one or two days is a clear sign that you have a gambling addiction, and you might need to resort to more responsible gambling practices or speak to an expert to help them treat your affliction.
How to Block Betting Websites
Another incredible solution that will force you to quit is downloading an app that stops you from visiting gambling websites in general. When quitting on your own feels like an impossible task because you can always visit a website and the temptation is too big, then blocking the website entirely could be the best decision of your life.
There are many programs and apps that do this, but BetFilter and BetBlocker are two of the most popular options out there. You’ll be able to freely browse the Internet without feeling tempted to gamble, and even if you feel like you want to visit one of these sites, you won’t be able to do it.
This method is basically forcing you to stop gambling even if you don’t want to, so if you have any mental struggles, you might want to contact a professional and seek for help. Please, remember that any signs that might show principles of gambling addiction need to be dealt with before it’s too late.