Responsible Gaming or How to Avoid Gambling Addiction

What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction is an obsessive gambling addiction. Like other types of addiction, it is often condemned and misunderstood. Because of this, victims are afraid to seek help and thereby exacerbate their situation, instead of trying to find a way out of it. The more you know about this pathology, the easier it will be to notice its symptoms in yourself or others and start fighting it.

Gambling addiction develops an addiction to gambling, due to which users spend too much time and money on them, despite the disastrous consequences of such actions.

Causes of Gambling Addiction

Possible causes of gambling addiction are considered to be:

• Various mental disorders;
• Features of the human character, complexes, and shyness, often lead to the emergence of addictions of this kind;
• Many people use games to realize their childhood fantasies and fears;
• Lack of communication. A similar problem is very relevant among children and adolescents whose parents are constantly busy at work;
• intra-family conflicts. Often, in order to avoid family scandals, people plunge into an imaginary world, which only exacerbates the situation;
• Social phobias are when a person is afraid of interpersonal relationships and real society. Computer games help him get away from real life and feel important and strong. The computer for him becomes an interlocutor and friend.

Signs of Gambling Addiction

Not every fan of gambling or computer games is a gamer. The mere existence of this kind of hobby is not a reason to immediately sound the alarm. The situation becomes dangerous when a person’s addiction acquires the following features:

• Constant spending and borrowing money. Moreover, gambling-addicted people are characterized by attempts to borrow from people whom they have known for a very short time, especially if it is no longer possible to borrow from acquaintances;
• Lack of sense of proportion. The gambler cannot stop – he will play to the last, put things that do not belong to him. It is not uncommon for gamblers to suffer from other impulse control problems, such as continuing to eat even when they are full;
• Chronic lying. The gambler lies about what he plans to do, about the amount of money spent, and about the evening spent. Over time, lies become part of his personality – and he begins to deceive loved ones, even if there is no such need;
• Excitation and aggression during the game. In the process of satisfying the addiction, the player does not pay attention to the world around him, and if you try to distract him from the process, he becomes aggressive and harsh;
• Guilt. Having lost, he is ashamed, and he vows to quit but is unable to fulfill his promises. A person is constantly ashamed, and because of this he is aggressive, and relationships within the family become strained;
• Loss of interest in other hobbies, work, and family. Psychological dependence becomes the center of his existence. The gambler loses interest in those things that previously brought him joy and aroused interest.

Responsible Gaming Principles

Responsible gaming is the opposite of gambling addiction. It allows you to safely enjoy gambling entertainment due to clear rules and breaks in the game.

Here are the most important principles of responsible gambling.

• Don’t bet more than you can afford. When playing for real money, it is important to remember that you can lose your invested funds. Play only for the amounts that you are ready to lose;
• Set a budget and stick to it. Determine the exact amount that you are willing to spend on games, and set aside money every week or month. If you lose your entire current budget, wait until the next period. Don’t touch the money you’ve set aside for the next games: accept the loss and stick to the plan;
• Set aside time for gambling. Set a specific time limit for gambling, as it can be easy to lose track of time if you are having fun or trying to win back. Remember that gambling should remain entertainment that does not interfere with the performance of certain duties. You can spend a couple of hours on games, but you can’t devote all your time and life to them;
• Take frequent breaks. During the game, it is important to take frequent breaks: get up from your seat and be distracted by other things. This way you will not be able to dive into gambling with your head and lose track of time and money;
• Be aware of your actions. Before starting the game, make sure that you are aware of your actions, the amount of the bet, the probability of winning, and other parameters. Not all information is publicly available, but you can always check, for example, the RTP of slots and make a decision. Try free casino games to familiarize yourself with the gameplay before depositing real money;
• Keep track of your health. Get healthy habits: drink water, take breaks and stretch, do not forget to eat, and so on. Most importantly, do not play under the influence of alcohol or drugs that cloud your mind.

Remember that you are not alone and finding help is easier than you think.

The best online casinos have a variety of tools for responsible gaming. For example, these include the ability to set limits in your account: limit the amount that can be deposited, used, or lost, as well as specify the maximum playing time in a certain period of time. If you want to take a break, you can ask the casino to limit or self-exclude your account.

In addition, you can seek help from online casino support or professional gambling-related organizations and resources that help you better understand the problem and find tools to fight addiction. Many sites also have special questionnaires for the self-dia