How Can You Gamble Safely?
Can you control your gambling habits? Yes, you can! You can limit the funds you use for gambling, set a time window to the duration of each gambling session, stop chasing your losses, and learn to recognize the signs of emerging gambling addiction.
In this article, we will cover all the steps including when never to gamble, why gambling should not be considered more than a source of entertainment, and why self-exclusion should be your go-to if your gambling is spiralling out of control.
Stay on Top of Your Losses
Gambling is always a risky business. However, if you approach it with a sense of discipline and control, you can learn how to master your losses and keep your gambling secure and responsible.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Set a Budget and Time Limit. Stick to Them!
Decide how much you afford to lose prior to playing online casino games. Once your time is up or you have reached your deposit or loss limit, call it and quit the game.
Never Chase Your Losses
Approach gambling with the right mindset. Trying to win back the money you have lost is a sure guarantee of losing everything you have. A gambling addiction can crop up when short-term gambling purely for the sake of entertainment turns into big financial losses.
It’s never pleasant to lose money and it is quite natural to wish to win it back. It is best to approach gambling with an expectation to lose. This way you won’t be tempted to chase your losses as you would expect to lose your money in the first place.
Chasing your losses will lead you to dig yourself into a ditch – one that might be hard for you to pull yourself out of. Chasing your losses sets you at a disadvantage as the likelihood is you will keep on losing more money instead of winning it back. That is why setting a budget before starting to play is so important.
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Manage Your Bankroll
Withdrawing funds from your bankroll after winning can help you manage your losses over time. Always start out with an amount you afford to lose before you spiral out of control and lose more money than you essentially imagined.
Gamble ONLY as a Form of Entertainment
Gambling should never be seen as a form of income. At the end of it all, the ones making money off your gambling are casino venues or sites. Gambling should be simply viewed as a fun pastime.
When you go to the cinema, have a fun night, or attend an event, you usually pay by purchasing a ticket, meals, drinks, etc. With gambling, you pay for your entertainment by playing with a chance that you are going to lose money in the process. Gambling operators and casino site owners are the ones running a profitable business providing you with entertainment.
Part of the thrill of gambling is the money that can be won. It’s what adds entertainment value. However, money should not be the reason why you are gambling. If you find that you are relying on your gambling winnings for a lot of necessities, time to take a step back and reevaluate your relationship with gambling.
Gamble Only at Fair Casinos
Safe gambling is not just about gambling avoid addiction and gambling in a responsible manner. You also have to make sure the casino you are signing up with is licensed and verified.
Whilst you can control your funds, manage your bankroll and make sure that you have everything under control. Remember that if you go for a bad online casino that will cheat you over at any cost, you will never receive big winnings and cash them out.
To gamble safely, be very careful of the casino you sign up with, read the reviews, and check if there were other players to see how the casino treats them. Look for gambler reviews to understand if there have been any serious issues between players and the casino in question.
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Do Not Gamble Under the Influence
Remember that if you are gambling under any form of drugs or alcohol, your judgment may not be so sound and your decision-making skills are obviously weaker.
Negative decisions can lead to a severe loss of your own funds. Clear judgment is required to prevent your gambling from spiralling out of control. Playing under the influence can lead to a serious loss and eventually a wider gambling problem.
Multiple issues can arise when linking drugs or alcohol and gambling such as losing all your funds overnight. If you want to gamble, make sure you are sound of mind!
Use Self-Exclusion Options When Required
If setting bet and time limits are not enough for you, you might want to opt for the self-exclusion options available. This option is offered by all casinos and permits you to block yourself from playing for certain periods of time ranging from six months to one year.
Once this is done you will not be able to access the casino site until the selected time period is over. Some casinos, however, might remove your self-exclusion although not immediately. A cooling period is usually required.
It has to be said that self-exclusion options only apply to a specific casino so you can easily apply to play at another casino. You can overcome this difficulty either by self-excluding from all online casinos, which is not practical at all, or else make use of apps that block gambling globally.
Time limits and Self-Exclusion options are not the only solutions for gambling responsibly and safely. They can work but a person who has a very serious gambling addiction may still find a way around them.
Be Aware of Marketing Ploys and Emails
Subscriptions to new promo offers and marketing emails might lure you to the casino site once again and have you take up gambling again in no time. Avoid receiving these emails by sending a message to customer support and letting them know that you want to unsubscribe from marketing material.
Another step you can take is to opt out of chasing tier awards. The notion behind tier rewards is that the higher your gambling level, the bigger the amount you need to wager every time. Many of these tiers are only accessible to high rollers i.e. those persons who afford to spend large amounts of money on gambling.
Gambling should Not Be Your Only Activity Outside Work
People who prioritise gambling over other activities or even their families and friends may already be down the rabbit hole of their addiction. When people abandon their work, their hobbies, or their family in favour of gambling, it means that gambling has already become a problem.
If you want to gamble safely, you need to seek other hobbies and activities too. Your life cannot simply revolve around gambling. Make sure you spend a sufficient amount of time with your family and allot some time for hobbies and other leisurely activities.
Recognise the Early Signs of a Gambling Problem
As with most biological and psychological problems, humans tend to face, it will be easier to beat a gambling addiction if you notice it in the earlier phases.
If you find yourself:
Then there is a chance you may have developed a gambling addiction.
There are several steps you can take before the addiction takes over and completely damages your life and those of the people around you.
Look out for early signs and symptoms of gambling addiction. The earlier you recognize the symptoms, the easier to overcome the addiction. Read our article What To Do if You Think You Have a Gambling Problem to learn more.
Take Responsibility
If you approach gambling with the mindset that the odds are always against the player, this means that the house always wins in the long run. Take responsibility for your actions and recognize when you are not gambling with caution.
That is why setting a budget each week or month for your entertainment costs, which should include gambling, is essential so you don’t gamble with money you can afford to lose.
Seek Help and Support
There are several gambling treatment programs and many of them are increasingly successful. If you or someone you know has gambling problems, there are many resources at your avail. It is imperative that first of all, you seek help and support from a professional counselor and qualified therapist.
GamCare is a charity based in the UK that caters to anyone affected by problem gambling. It provides the necessary resources and tools to help gambling addicts change their habits.
Friends and family of gamblers can also join a number of support groups. These usually offer indispensable emotional support and practical advice on dealing with a loved one’s gambling problem.
Gamblers Anonymous is a 12-step program designed for problem gamblers. The program helps those with a gambling addiction overcome it by focusing mainly on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Key Takeaways
- Approach gambling with a sense of discipline. Set a Deposit and Loss Limit as well as a Time Limit. Never Chase Your Losses and Manage Your Bankroll!
- Gambling should be considered a form of entertainment like going to the cinema or attending a special event.
- Make sure you gamble only at licensed and verified casinos. Read reviews and do your homework on the casino prior to signing up.
- Do not gamble under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Your judgment will be clouded and you may lose everything in one gambling session.
- You can request to self-exclude from the casino site for a while. You can also download software or use apps that will help you self-exclude from gambling in general.
- If you feel you might be lured back to gambling through marketing ploys of certain casino sites, contact customer support to unsubscribe from receiving emails containing offers and gambling-related content. Also, do not chase tier awards!
- Find other hobbies other than gambling outside work. Spend quality time with family and friends.
- Watch out for early signs of a gambling problem. The earlier you realize your gambling is starting to get out of control, the easier it is to change your habits.
- Take responsibility and admit to yourself when you are spending more time and money on gambling. Set a budget each week and each month for gambling purposes.
- Speak to a specialized therapist or a family member you can trust if you need help.
Conclusion
Gambling can be fun and entertaining only when approached with responsibility. By following the 10 steps discussed above, your gambling experience can remain enjoyable without turning into something harmful.
Remember to stay aware, be in control, and make your well-being your number one priority. If you find that you’re struggling, seek help because there is no shame in looking for support. Enjoy gambling! Here is to a safe and responsible journey!
About the Author
Hi, I'm Courtney, the Webmaster at No Deposit Kings - We provide visitors with free and easy access to real money casino gaming thanks to no deposit casino bonuses offered by our hand-picked selection of online casinos.
