Responsible Gambling
Fun and entertainment are at the forefront of the large selection of different games in online casinos. If you like gambling, you will not immediately become addicted to it. Nevertheless, you should always handle the subject responsibly. You must be aware in advance that your gambling behaviour can also change if you do not pay attention to it. You have to pay special attention to yourself and really take seriously the first signs and symptoms that point to an addiction. An initial dependence on gambling can develop into a pathological addiction in the next few steps. The more advanced it is, the harder it is to fight it. In order to be able to do something about it yourself, you have to take countermeasures as early as possible. Ideally, you should take preventive measures so that it does not happen in the first place.
Check our Guide for Responsible Gambling Topics
Chance is the deciding factor in gambling
The most important thing right at the beginning. You must always keep in mind that the online casino is about entertainment. Winning at a game is of course a nice side effect. But you should enjoy the games and not just concentrate on winning. The games on offer are games of chance that cannot be influenced. Only chance and your own luck decide whether you win or lose the round.
Do not try to make up for your losses
Do you notice that you become more and more dogged and try to “make up” your losses with higher stakes? At the latest then the alarm bells should ring. At that point, it’s no longer about the fun of the game. Making up for losses with new winnings is never a good idea. The first step towards addiction is when you think that you are particularly good at a game. Consequently, you focus on getting the next wins and making money from them.
Never log in to have extra income. If you have debts and think that you can pay them off with winnings, then you should seek help. Contact one of the organisations that provide professional addiction prevention services. Avoid getting into a vicious circle at all costs. You would gamble higher and higher stakes to recover your losses. Instead of making up for lost stakes, you lose more and more money and also lose track of your gambling activities.
How responsible gambling works
The majority of online casino customers gamble consciously and conscientiously. Above all, they always keep in mind that it’s all about having fun. Of course, it’s the most fun if you win in the process. But that should not be the motivation for a game round. Here are a few tips. They should help you to gamble responsibly and not become addicted to gambling.
- Only play for money that you can afford to lose.
- Never use money that you need for your fixed costs and your livelihood.
- Always be aware that pure chance decides the game.
- Set a limit on how much you can gamble per month and stick to it.
- Do not borrow money to gamble and recoup losses.
- Set a daily time limit for gambling and do not exceed it.
- Be sure to plan breaks when you play so that you can always keep track of time. Otherwise, you will lose track of time and your gaming habits.
- Find other activities to entertain yourself in your free time besides gambling.
- Do not gamble if you have problems. Especially if you have financial problems, you should keep your hands off gambling.
- Do not gamble when you are stressed, aggressive, annoyed or depressed. You may not be able to control your gambling behaviour.
- Do not gamble at high risk, as this can create a false sense of ambition.
If you pay attention to these points, then nothing should stand in the way of entertaining gaming fun. You can also enjoy your time at the online casino to the fullest. It is also important that you develop a feeling for yourself. The points should help you to avoid addiction. However, you must notice a change in your gambling behaviour yourself. You can test this with the following questions. However, you must always be honest with yourself about your answers.
Recognise your own gambling addiction at an early stage
If you are frequently active in a casino, you should regularly ask yourself the following questions and answer them honestly:
- Do you neglect your duties because you spend more time gambling than originally planned?
- Are you often unfocused at work? Is it because you are thinking about which games or strategies you want to try in the online casino after work?
- Do you sometimes gamble during working hours and accept the possibility of getting a warning from your employer?
- Do you turn away from your family or friends because you prefer to gamble?
- Do you often have arguments in your relationship because you are accused of gambling too much or using too much money?
- Have you ever wanted to cut down on gambling but just couldn’t stop or found it hard to stop?
- Have you ever gambled away money that was actually budgeted for your monthly expenses such as rent, bills, groceries, etc.?
- Do you have the feeling that contact with other players is good for you, because people only understand you here?
- Do you already think about the next game when you are offline and spending time with family or friends?
- Do you see gaming as a way to earn money like a job?
- Do you have debts and want to pay them off with gambling winnings?
You should read the questions over and over again at regular intervals. As soon as you answer “yes” to one of them, it is time to react. Timely action is important to prevent a serious problem from developing. If you don’t know what to do about it yourself, there is professional help available. There are many organisations that can help you prevent addiction. Of course, they are also there to help you fight a developing addiction.
Measures for gambling addiction – can also be implemented preventively
If you have already discovered a risk of gambling addiction, you must react immediately. Even if you are not yet addicted, you can take the following preventive measures. This way, you can concentrate on having fun and keep track of your gambling at all times.
Set yourself a limit on your customer account. At reputable casinos, you can set your weekly or monthly limits. Once you’ve reached your limit, you can’t make any more deposits and won’t exceed your budget. More and more profiles can also be regulated via other options. For example, you can set your betting limit, maximum daily or weekly loss or the playing time per day. Once one of the limits has been reached, you are automatically logged out.
If you notice that your addiction has already progressed, take some time off. As hard as it may be, it is best not to play for a while. To do this, you can temporarily block your account at any casino. This will ensure that you don’t start playing again in a weak moment. It is not possible to lift the block prematurely, only to extend the account block.
A sometimes radical but necessary step in cases of gambling addiction is the complete deletion of the user account. Simply logging back in and starting to play is no longer possible. You first close your online games completely in order not to endanger yourself any further. When you delete your account, you will usually be asked for a reason. If you state that you are addicted to gambling, you will not be able to register again. This is for your own self-protection and helps you to get away from it.
Protection of minors in online casinos
Every reputable online casino requires a lot of information from its users when they register. This always seems a bit annoying, but there are many reasons for this. Among other things, these serve to protect minors, as the minimum age for gambling is 18, 21 or even older depending on the local laws in your country. The age of majority is checked when the data is entered and only then is access to the casino granted. Further documents for identity verification are also required. No payout is released before these are completed. This is to prevent young people from registering with a false identity.
Since there is a shared computer in some households, parents should take their own security measures. Possible options are separate user accounts on the PC. Furthermore, browser filters should be set up in accordance with youth protection laws. It is also recommended not to automatically save passwords or access data at online casinos and to use secure passwords.
Help for gambling addiction
As soon as you recognise the first signs, you must act and get help. It is often not easy to fight the problem yourself or to stop the urge to gamble. Therefore, there are organisations that can help and support you. You are not alone in this situation. The staff of the following organisations are always there for you:
