Responsible Gaming – Setting the Limits to Gambling

The online gaming industry provides many people a chance to relax and unwind while giving them a much-needed “risky thrill”. When managed responsibly, online gambling can be an enjoyable and productive pastime. However, when the risks of gambling are ignored and bad patterns are not realized and controlled, players can be at risk for developing a gambling problem.

Here at Viabonus.com, our goal is to provide our gamers with a safe and secure environment in which to enjoy the pleasures of online casinos. We believe gambling can be fun and safe, but encourage all of our readers and customers to be aware of their habits and patterns to ensure they do not develop a gambling problem.

Responsible gaming is an attainable goal, and we hope to help our readers move towards it.

In this article, we provide an insight into responsible gaming as well as a way to know whether or not your gambling habits have become a problem. We also give you some tips and techniques to ensure that players can respect their gaming limits and use online casinos in a smart and sustainable way.

How to Limit Your Gambling?

Sometimes being proactive is the best way to avoid ending up with a bigger problem. Constantly being aware of your gaming habits ensures that you don’t let things get out of hand.
Limiting your gambling from the beginning is a smart way to approach online casinos, and a good way for a player to develop an understanding of their gaming limits. Once player limits are exceeded, it can be a slippery slope. Habits are also harder to break when left to their own devices.

10 Ways to Limit Your Gambling and Make Sure it Does Not Become a Problem

• Keep yourself educated, and understand what it means to have a gambling problem. This article you are reading is a good place to start.
• Take breaks, frequently. It is easy to get wrapped up in online gaming and lose track of time. Be smart about not developing tunnel vision, and take lots of breaks to clear your mind and refocus.
• Keep your emotions out of it. As hard as it can be, try not to gamble when you are under significant emotional stress. Avoid gambling to combat feelings of sadness, depression or anxiety.
• Be prepared to lose your money. Gambling should be treated as entertainment. When you go to the movies you don’t expect a refund. Gamble with money you are prepared to lose, and be aware of your player limits.
• Stick to a budget. Seriously stick to it. If you are unable to walk away from a game after you have gone through your allocated budget, it’s time to take a break.
• Don’t chase losses. Similar to the previous point, do not try and make up for a loss by gambling more. Chasing losses is a dangerous pattern, and can result in further financial stress.
• Gambling is not everything. Ensure that you are keeping yourself healthy, and not prioritizing gambling over other aspects of your life. Maintain a balance, and keep gambling as a healthy hobby.
• Beware of “easy” payment systems. Make topping up your credit difficult, and don’t have a credit card on hand. The harder it is to pay, the easier it is to walk away.
• Don’t gamble under the influence of anything. Drugs and alcohol can result in players making decisions they otherwise would not make.
• Don’t identify yourself as a “gambler”. As soon as you begin to believe gambling is a profession, you start to treat it as such. Don’t gamble with the sole intention of making money.

How to Know if You Gamble Too Much?

If you are questioning whether or not you have a gambling problem, it is best to keep asking yourself the hard questions. Being aware of the problem is the first step and is necessary in order to fix it. Here is a list of some of the “signs” that you might gamble too much.

• Feeling Shame or Embarrassment about Gambling

If you keep your gambling secret from friends and family, it might be a sign that you are ashamed of it, and that it has become a habit. It is important to be open and transparent about your hobbies, and ensure that your friends and family understand it is nothing more than that.

While there is a social stigma that can sometimes surround online gaming, being honest about using it as a form of entertainment is a great way to hold yourself accountable.

• Needing to Borrow Money to Pay off Debt or Losses

We mentioned previously that chasing losses is a dangerous way to treat gambling. If you find yourself seeking financial help from others in order to gamble more, you may be developing or feeding a gambling problem.

Rather than seeking financial help, best seek support from friends and family in other ways. This could help resolve the problem, not make it worse.

• Feeling Withdrawal Symptoms

If you find yourself struggling mentally or physically when taking a break from online gaming, you may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Like many addictions, gambling triggers a release of dopamine to the brain. Starving the activation centers of this reward can cause withdrawal symptoms. Feelings such as depression, irritability or restlessness could be small things to look out for which might clue you in to feeling withdrawal.

What does Responsible Gaming Mean?

Responsible gaming can be defined from both the customer perspective as well as the industry perspective.

For online gamers, responsible gaming means doing the necessary research and being aware of your behavior. It can be easy for a gaming hobby to turn into a gambling problem, so there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with online gaming.

Using the tips and techniques mentioned previously in this article, players can ask themselves the proper questions to ensure they are staying within their gaming limits and gambling responsibly.

For the online casino industry, responsible gaming means that operators should adhere to certain standards that keep their customers safe. These standards are often determined by local and state regulatory bodies, and operators are given resources to help them follow the guidelines. Responsible gaming for industry operators applies to employee training, marketing tactics, support systems and much more.

FAQs - Responsible Gaming

Where Can I Get Help if I Think I Have a Gambling Problem?

Getting help for a gambling problem does not have to be hard. If you are worried you may have developed some bad habits, start by doing some independent research online. Sites like begambleaware.org and responsiblegaming.org are great places to start.
If further support is needed, try reaching out to a local support group.

Finally, don’t be afraid to talk to friends and family. Those closest to you normally have your best interest at heart, and communicating with them can help to relieve stress and spur action.

How Much Gambling is Too Much Gambling?

It is often hard to determine a player's limits from the outside. Every person is different, and motivations vary dramatically. However, the frequency of gambling is not only the issue, it’s the magnitude of gambling that can be a bigger warning sign.

If someone only gambles once a month, but in one session places large bets and loses a lot of money, something needs to change. Gambling problems can often bring an increase in higher-risk gambling behavior.

Can I Be Predisposed to a Gambling Problem?

While some studies show a higher percentage of at-risk gambling in people with predisposed mental disorders, this does not mean only people with diagnosed mental disorders are susceptible.

Gambling problems can often arise from certain environments and circumstances and can victimize people from all walks of life.

That being said, if you suffer from a mental disorder that you fear may worsen your gambling habits, seek support or educate yourself before engaging in online gaming.

Can I Fix My Gambling Problem Myself?

If you are worried about using your friends and family as support to help overcome a gambling problem, it is best to reach out to others that could help. Many reputable online operators offer support networks for their customers, and these are designed to be used.
Start with addressing the problem and seeking support that feels right. The more help you give yourself, the easier it will be to overcome the challenge.

Summary

Gambling should be an enjoyable activity that gives us a rush, but not a stress-induced ulcer. Responsible gaming is important to keep online gamers safe, and online operators accountable. It’s a mission that the entire industry should work towards together.
Here at Viabonus.com, we will continue to provide education and support for our customers, so that you can enjoy the thrill of online casinos with comfort and safety.

By carefully choosing our partnerships, we ensure the operators we recommend are adhering to responsible gaming standards and providing support if needed.

Responsible gaming is a priority for us, and we will continue to update resources and provide unbiased information to keep our gamers safe.