Whether you’ve just started betting or have been wagering on sporting events and online casino platforms for a while, understanding how and when to gamble responsibly is essential.
While gambling is designed to be fun, for some, it poses the risk of getting out of hand. To help, we’ve created a detailed, responsible gambling guide for you to follow. Join us as we explore how to stay safe when betting by utilizing handy tips and readily available responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits, self-exclusion time restrictions, and bankroll management.
What Is Responsible Gambling?
By definition, responsible gambling maintains the thrill of betting but does so in a controlled manner, always wagering within one’s means. You can learn about risks, set boundaries, and know when to stop.
It’s also about making informed decisions, ideally based on facts, rather than being driven by impulse or emotional urge. Additionally, be sure to bet only at online casinos and sportsbooks that prioritize responsible gambling, offering easily accessible tools to ensure you stay in control at all times.
Potential Signs of Problem Gambling
As with all forms of gambling, betting or wagering on iGaming and sports betting platforms should always be viewed as a form of entertainment.
However, it can sometimes extend beyond being just a simple hobby into something more serious, so it’s important to be aware of known behaviors and warning signs that can lead to problematic gambling traits. Recognizing these early indicators as soon as possible can help prevent the development of a gambling addiction before it’s too late.
To help you, here are some of the most common warning flags of possible problem gambling:
- Using gambling to try to escape from stress, anxiety, or depression.
- Chasing losses in the hope of winning your money back.
- Gambling with higher stakes to achieve the same thrill levels.
- Lying to your friends and family members about your gambling habits.
- Having to borrow money or sell possessions to help fund your gambling practices.
- Taking time off work or missing personal obligations due to time spent gambling.
Remember, gambling should always remain a pleasurable pastime. So, if you find yourself matching with one or more of the warning criteria above, you must take steps to reevaluate how you approach betting.
It is also worth noting that these problematic gambling traits can develop gradually over time. Because of this, it’s always recommended that you regularly refer to this responsible gambling guide to see if any warning signs might apply to you.
How to Gamble Responsibly
Learning to bet safely, particularly when applied to responsible online gambling activities, often involves setting your wagering limits. You can do this yourself; however, most iGaming and betting platforms will provide this option as part of their responsible gambling toolset.
Remarkably, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 2.5 million US adults (1% of the population) are believed to meet the criteria for severe gambling problems. A further 5-8 million (2-3%) could be categorized as displaying moderate gambling issues, which illustrates how widespread the problem is believed to be.
As a result, the gambling industry has several additional options and tools that you can use beyond simply setting your wagering limitations, all designed to offer countermeasures just in case.
Responsible Gambling Tools
For the vast majority of bettors, gambling is viewed as a hobby to be enjoyed as and when they please. However, as the popularity of the sector grew, particularly that of online gambling, the call for gambling operators to provide proactive solutions for problem gambling has also evolved.
Nowadays, iGaming and online sportsbooks offer an array of responsible gambling tools, which include:
Deposit Limits
- It allows you to set daily, weekly, or monthly limits on the amount of money you can deposit.
- Helps prevent impulsive spending activities by limiting money deposits to avoid chasing losses.
Of course, these deposit limits are adjustable, but they allow you to determine how much money you are comfortable spending. Many sites require a waiting period before these can be adjusted to help you avoid impulsive wagering.
Loss Limits
- Loss limits restrict the amount of money you can lose over a chosen time frame.
- Preventative measures mean that once a limit is reached, users can not gamble until the time period resets.
This tool is ideal for ensuring you never wager more money than you are comfortable losing. It is also the perfect instrument for forcing players who find it hard to walk away after a series of betting losses to stop.
Time Limits
- It is designed to restrict how long you can spend gambling on a site in one session or per day.
- It is effective in helping you avoid long, unplanned sessions of gambling or playing addictive online games.
Time limits are ideal for casual gamers who may not be aware of how much time they spend gambling or playing games like slots. It alerts users once a set time has passed and can be set up to exit the online gambling platform and prevent overplaying.
Cool-Off Periods
- It allows you to temporarily block yourself from accessing an online casino or sportsbook to prevent you from gambling.
- It is ideal for helping to limit the time spent gambling, which can break the cycle of repeat betting.
It’s a popular and responsible online gambling tool that’s both straightforward and highly effective. It’s a great way to monitor your regular usage and an ideal preventive measure to prevent you from chasing lost bets.
Self-Exclusion
- Like cooling-off periods, you can block yourself from online platforms for extended periods.
- Major iGaming online casinos and sportsbooks now also provide links to national self-exclusion programs.
Self-exclusion programs are typically offered with a six-month, one-year, or even five-year break period, which, once activated, cannot be reversed until the set date has passed. Moreover, modern online self-exclusion tools can help block your access to multiple operators for added convenience.
Advertising Restrictions
- Here, you can choose your settings to avoid receiving promotional emails, texts, and notifications from betting operators.
- Reduces the temptation to bet by preventing special offers or free bet promotions.
Avoiding these carefully designed marketing promotions automatically reduces the urge to click through to a gambling offer. Turning off these ads means you’ll only choose to wager money or play online casino games in your own time and on your terms.
Financial Management
- Keeping track of your spending habits enables you to review your gambling activities, including wins and losses, on a regular basis.
- Only bet within your bankroll limitations – essentially, the amount you can afford to lose.
Financial management – or bankroll management – is highly recommended and is used by almost every professional bettor to manage their spending. In addition to this, never use credit cards or borrow money to fuel your betting habit, as these forms of gambling can quickly get out of control.
Our Top Tips for Responsible Gambling
As part of our responsible gambling guide, we’ve created a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help you practice wagering responsibly, which are listed below.
✅ Do’s
- Set a budget before you start gambling.
- Take regular breaks while playing online.
- Utilize tools such as time limits and deposit caps.
- Learn about odds formats and how they are calculated.
- Ensure you’ve done your research before placing sports bets.
- Always treat gambling as entertainment and never as part of an income-generating strategy.
- Seek external help as soon as you feel you are struggling with addiction.
❌ Don’ts
- Don’t ever chase your losses.
- Never gamble when you’re angry or upset.
- Do not borrow money or use credit cards to fund your gambling habit.
- Never lie about your gambling habits.
You might not think it, but these rules can be applied across the board, from novice bettors to high-rolling seasoned pros. After all, adopting these helpful habits will automatically encourage you to start building a safe and sustainable relationship within any format of gambling you choose to pursue.
External Help for Responsible Gambling
Suppose you or someone you know is currently struggling or on the verge of developing a gambling addiction. Fortunately, a host of professional bodies and organizations nationwide are here to help.
These responsible gambling services are often available at no cost and accessible 24/7. They also provide confidential helplines, informative educational resources, and even access to qualified counselors.
Here are just a few key resources available to anyone who is battling with addiction or who may want to speak to a trained professional about responsible gambling.
National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)
Services include a 24/7 helpline (1-800-GAMBLER), live chat consultations, and helpful resources for individuals, families, and loved ones.
Responsible Gambling Council (RGC)
As an independent non-profit organization, they offer self-assessment appraisals, responsible gambling tips, and educational programs to combat gambling addiction.
Gamblers Anonymous (GA)
GA offers a free, confidential outlet for anyone who would like to discuss a gambling addiction. Included in these services are the Gamblers Anonymous National Hotline (855-2CALLGA), as well as established support groups to help people overcome any gambling-related challenges.
Last Word on Responsible Gambling
Despite the odds of developing a gambling problem remaining statistically remote, it is vital to always be aware of the dangers. As you can see from this responsible gambling guide, some of the recognized traits might at first seem insignificant, but over time, they can escalate into more habitual behaviors.
It’s important to, whenever possible, use as many of the responsible gambling tools freely available to monitor or curb any excessive gambling activities. However, should you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact family and friends or the numerous independent organizations that are here to help.
After all, responsible gambling isn’t about taking away the fun of iGaming and sports betting; instead, it’s there to ensure you remain in control at all times when wagering online.
FAQs
Responsible gambling involves adopting preventative measures to keep bettors safe while wagering on iGaming platforms and online sportsbooks. These measures include setting up deposit limits, not chasing losses, and taking short – or long-term breaks to minimize the chances of developing a gambling addiction.
Online casinos and sportsbooks now proactively offer their own set of responsible gambling tools to ensure that consumers remain protected from the harms associated with gambling. These include providing self-exclusion tools, setting betting limits, and training staff to recognize troublesome gambling behaviors.
Responsible gambling can be employed by bettors of any standard, from absolute beginners to seasoned pros. These measures include setting time and wagering limits, taking self-imposed breaks, and refraining from making bets when angry or emotional.
If you know of someone currently struggling with a gambling problem, we encourage you to speak to a professional or call a helpline first about how to approach the issue. Excellent organizations, such as the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), offer free, confidential helplines and access to counselors who can help others on the road to recovery.
Most good, responsible gambling guides provide a breakdown of the signs and symptoms typically associated with problematic gambling. While many traits may not seem evident initially, taking the time to reread the list regularly can help you identify any warning signals early to ensure you can tackle the problem before it gets out of control.
