People gamble for many reasons. Those who gamble rightly do it to entertain themselves. For such people, gambling ultimately becomes a source of great fun and excitement.
On the other hand, gambling can also be a problem for many. It can negatively affect people’s personal lives, work, families, and relationships with their loved ones. This happens when gambling is not done responsibly.
In this guide, I have provided all the information you need to gamble safely. You will also find tips to help yourself if you’re having gambling problems.
What is Responsible Gambling?
Responsible gambling is being able to control your betting activity and not letting it impact your life negatively. It also is being in control of how much time and money you invest in gambling.
How to Choose a Safe Gambling Site
Many gambling sites offer games like Online Teen Patti but not all are safe. However, the first step to responsible gambling is choosing a safe site. So, what makes a gambling site safe?
There are factors to consider when looking for a safe casino or betting site. The first thing to look out for is the gaming license operated by the casino. A reputable gambling site must own a license from a recognized authority. The most popular gaming authorities include the UKGC, MGA, AGCC, KGC, and Curacao.
Also, check if the casino is regulated for fair gambling. You can do this by checking if the platform has been tried and approved by independent bodies like eCOGRA.
In addition, check if the casino supports responsible gaming. Some gambling sites have responsible gambling portals dedicated to helping players.
What is Problem Gambling?
Problem gambling is simply the opposite of responsible gambling. It is gambling in such a way that it disrupts your life and affects you negatively. Problem gamblers continue to gamble despite the negative impact or the desire to stop.
It is essential to know that problem gambling can lead to serious troubles. Thus, it must be treated as a big problem.
How to Recognize Problem Gambling
Many problem gamblers never realize they need help until they get into serious trouble. To help you recognize it quickly, I have listed some features of problem gamblers below.
Overthinking about gambling
Even though gambling is fun, it becomes a problem when your mind is always occupied with it. If you’re unable to stop thinking about your next bet, it’s a sign that gambling is taking control of you.
Being unable to stop
You might realize you’ve been gambling too much and try to stop. But when you find yourself returning to gambling when you shouldn’t, it has become a problem. You must start to take additional steps to tackle the problem.
Gambling to calm yourself
Many problem gamblers always feel the urge to gamble when they feel angry, sad, or anxious. When you discover that you gamble as a way to escape bad moods, it’s a sign of a problem.
Gambling to reward yourself
Another sign of problem gambling is if you always want to bet to celebrate a win. Let’s say you just got a promotion at work or graduated from school. It could even be if your favorite sports team just won. While this may not mean that you already have a problem, it could turn into one quickly.
Chasing your losses
This is very common among many problem gamblers. They find themselves trying to win back the money they have lost on games. It eventually results in more losses, but they find it difficult to stop until they have no more money to wager.
Withdrawal symptoms
Gambling addiction is like many other forms of addiction. When you stop doing it, you may start noticing some symptoms. If you always get angry, irritated, restless, or anxious when you’re not gambling, it’s a sign of addiction.
Borrowing or stealing to gamble
Here is a huge red flag. If you find yourself borrowing to play casino games or bet on sports, then you’re no longer in control. Some gamblers may go further to steal from friends or participate in other criminal activities. This can lead to serious trouble like imprisonment or even death.
How to Prevent Problem Gambling
Set a budget always
If you love to gamble, always make a budget for it. Don’t just start gambling from your income without placing a limit.
However, the most important aspect is to never spend above your budget. No matter how tempting it is to bet more, stop when you’ve used up the budgeted amount.
Avoid chasing your losses
There is no guarantee to win when you gamble. So, you will always lose money at some point. Whenever you lose, avoid the urge to keep betting to get it back.
Stop once you spend up to the budget. If you continue betting, you could eventually lose more.
Bet with strategies
Before you start playing casino games, decide on a strategy to use. These strategies will help you manage your budget and give you more playing time. Even if you don’t win, you will have enough fun playing the games.
Don’t bet when you have a problem
Avoid gambling whenever you’re sad, depressed, or worried. Your state of mind could affect your decision-making ability and you end up losing so much.
Track your gambling habits
From time to time, it is essential to study your gambling behavior. As a good player, you must always record your wins, losses, games, and types of bet. These records can help you make better gambling decisions.
For example, if you notice that you had a repeated good experience while wagering on a particular betting market. That could be a sign of strength. Take time to study how you did it in the past and improve on it. Mastering a particular gambling game or market could keep you safer.
Self-assessment Test
Getting addicted to gambling is something you should always avoid. From time to time, always assess yourself to ensure you are not becoming addicted already. Here is a quick self-assessment quiz that can help you:
- Do you borrow money from friends and family to bet?
- Do you lie to the people around you about your gambling behavior?
- Are you finding it challenging to stop gambling?
- Are you playing casino games to forget problems in your life?
- Do you spend too much time thinking about your next gambling opportunity?
- Do you always feel like betting more to regain lost money?
- Does your life revolve around gambling?
- Do you always bet until you have nothing left?
- Are you in debt because you borrowed to gamble?
- Has gambling affected any area of your life?
- Have you felt stressed, depressed, or anxious due to gambling?
If your answer to most of the above questions is Yes, you might be a problem gambler. Firstly, you need to admit you have a problem and then seek help.
Useful Links When You Need Help
In case you need help to curb your gambling problem, here are some helpful links: