What Exactly Is Responsible Gambling?

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Thomas Burger
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Despite the industry’s fast expansion, the world of online gambling is undergoing tremendous upheaval, and not always for the better. Thousands of player scalps are hung on the virtual walls of unscrupulous operators’ enterprises. Only a few of the many websites that provide online gaming possibilities may be trusted. Even though gamblers are a casino’s most valuable consumers, they do not always receive the respect and care they need. 

Every online casino has a section titled “Responsible Gambling” on its website. I’d want to state unequivocally that I am not an expert on the subtleties of internet gambling. A seasoned veteran known as ‘ValDesValdes’ over at AskGamblers.com wrote a fantastic piece on the matter, which can be found on their website. In this article, I’ll go into greater detail about what it means to engage in responsible gaming and the role it plays in the larger scheme of things. This article is an excellent addition to your reading list, and I highly suggest it. 

What Are Your Views on Responsible Gambling?

What exactly is “responsible gambling”? As part of the player protection policy imposed by the gaming site’s operators, players have the option to self-exclude for a set period, set deposit limits, and set session limits. It could be for a week, a couple of months, or even an indefinite period. I’ll never know if the owners are acting by the law or out of a sense of moral obligation. One of the features that I have frequently questioned is the maximum amount that can be deposited. Because if you have a gambling addiction, you may easily change your behavior; nevertheless, in this case, it appears that self-exclusion for an extended period is the only solution. 

The higher the level of risk, the shorter the period between when the wager is placed and when the result is known. What precisely does a gambling issue entail? It is the desire to gamble despite being aware of the hazards or the need to refrain from doing so. Comprehensive surveys, sometimes known as “prevalence” studies, are conducted to evaluate the prevalence of problem gambling in a certain country. 

Because they lack the necessary financial resources, very few players can “unlock” a jackpot in a progressive game. At times, they believe their fortune is similar to that of Bill Gates or Sheldon Adelson. Playing at an online casino may give you the notion that you’re better than you are. Please elaborate on what I mean. Once situated in front of his computer, the player may experience a ‘God-like syndrome,’ in which he feels ‘untouchable’ and ‘invincible,’ especially if they earn a bonus that would make a sultan smile. This is because the player may believe that the outcome of the game has no bearing on him or her. When you get caught up in the moment, even good wins might slip away, like the number of people attending Anglican church services on Sunday. 

When compared to the more common offline betting formats, online gambling provides operators with more comprehensive tools to track each participant’s transactions. Data acquired from internet gambling allows for research into the true conduct of participants. The Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, recently completed a study on the behaviors related to online video game use. The institution discovered the following: 

Based on an extensive analysis of the individual gaming behavior of 50,000 people from 80 different countries that participate in online casinos and sports betting over a long period. According to the study’s findings, practically all online sports betting clients (99 percent) and online gamblers (95 percent) did not engage in any unusual gaming conduct. This compares to the percentage of online gamblers (95 percent). According to the findings of the Gambling Commission’s British Gambling Prevalence Survey, which was conducted in 2007, addiction rates for online gambling in the United Kingdom were shown to be lower than those for specific types of offline games. There was a link between the release of more “attractive” types of games and an increase in addiction, whether the games were played online or offline.

Problem gamblers should ask themselves the following questions 

Bookmakers ask their customers a series of questions to establish whether or not they have a gambling problem. These questions are presented with options for deposit limits and self-exclusion from betting sites. 

If you go to the section of the majority of gambling sites’ websites devoted to responsible gambling, you will see the following questions displayed on that page: 

  • Is your gambling addiction so severe that it causes you to miss a substantial amount of time at work or school? 
  • Do you gamble to get rich, pay off debt, or escape from a monotonous or bad life? If that’s the case, this quiz isn’t for you. 
  • When you run out of money, do you feel desperate and compelled to gamble as soon as possible, or do you simply feel lost? 
  • Do you gamble till you’re out of money? That your situation worsens to the point that you are unable to pay your rent or buy food for the following month? 
  • Do you frequently lie to conceal your gambling addiction? 
  • Do you frequently receive criticism from close friends or family members? 
  • Have you lost interest in things you formerly enjoyed, such as family, friends, or hobbies? 
  • Do you feel compelled to recoup your losses as soon as you discover you’ve been unsuccessful? 
  • Do arguments, frustrations, or disappointments make you desire to gamble? 
  • Is depression one of the key causes of your gambling behavior? 
  • Do you have suicidal thoughts? 

As you work your way down the list, try to offer the most accurate responses possible to each question. Remember that while you can easily deceive others, you cannot deceive yourself. We hope that the answers to these questions alert you to the truth that you have a gambling issue. Our website links to several support groups, including “Gamblers Anonymous,” among others. One of the key reasons why problem gamblers do not seek help is not embarrassment, but rather confidence in their abilities to resist gaming. On the other hand, even after many attempts at self-exclusion, it’s likely that they aren’t ready to give up gambling. 

It’s likely that by the time you decide to end your relationship with an operator, you’ll have discovered you’re in serious financial problems. In the end, you cannot blame the online casino for ruining your life just because you lacked the self-control to stop gambling when you were losing. However, because we are human, we constantly tend to blame someone else for our troubles rather than ourselves. 

How Do You Know if a Person Has a Gambling Problem?

When you start getting turned down for credit, it’s time to admit you have a gambling problem. This has never been a problem in the past because banks have always been eager to help you in any way they can. Some persons who have gambling problems report that they lost so much money playing that they couldn’t afford the petrol they needed to travel to work the next week. When you go into gambling debt, it’s a never-ending cycle since you have to juggle what little money you have left over from prior gaming sessions. 

If you only have 10 pounds sterling left over, you must get through the week. The most frustrating aspect is realizing you brought it all on yourself in the first place. I’ve heard of a case when a person mortgaged their home to pay off a gambling debt. If you decide to apply for a loan, it is strongly advised that you avoid payday loan companies. Because of the enormous interest rates they charge (between 25 and 30 percent), banks are the sharks, and you are the sardine. Borrowers who fall into financial problems as a result of payday loans are entirely responsible for their situation, just as if they had lost money at an online casino. 

When it comes to marketing of any kind, psychology plays an important role in attracting potential clients. Payday lending companies will cast their spell on you in the same manner that operators would attract you with the promise of rapid riches. It’s merely a coincidence, but both online casinos and payday loan companies have the word ‘quick’ somewhere in their names. Recent research has discovered some similarities between gambling addiction and substance misuse. There are several schools of thought on the potential for internet gambling to become addictive. Even though online gambling meets the availability and accessibility standards, playing at land-based casinos remains the most convenient alternative for gamers who wish to wager regularly. It is difficult to establish direct links between distant gaming and the potential of developing a gambling addiction. 

Getting a payday loan is far easier and more “convenient” than qualifying for a typical bank loan. Why? When you apply for a standard bank loan, the bank will want to know about your entire family history, including details about your father, great-grandmother, and work history, among other things. Despite its intricacy, the application process for a payday loan is simple. Furthermore, how many other creditors you have makes no difference to them. 

Operators Use Tactics

Gambling websites must ensure that customers have the potential to win at least periodically or they will go out of business. They use this method because they know that the majority of players are greedy and are never happy with their winnings. This is a significant way for them to employ. The majority of persons who have gambling issues will typically say that if they had simply stopped gambling when they were winning, they would have been able to pay off their mortgage or car loan long ago. Another mistake that the majority of players make is growing impatient. 

The illusion that previously lost stakes can be won again is amplified by the size of the prize and the possibility of victory in the game. As a result, the danger is significantly enhanced because it is associated with “excitement,” which may induce a “dream-like” impact. The ‘near-miss’ psychology is the foundation for the possibility of participating in the subject of the wager and utilizing one’s talents to assess the likelihood of winning. This increases the sense of control over the situation, which makes taking chances more enticing. This effect may be enhanced when it is regarded that the game requires some degree of skill in addition to pure luck as a defining characteristic of the activity. 

Furthermore, different types of wagers may expose participants to differing degrees of risk. Scratch cards, fast payout slot machines, and other casino games are some of the games regarded to be the most dangerous in this aspect. Lottery games played once a week carry lesser risk than those played less frequently. 

How Do We Go From Here?

When a person becomes indebted, they are considered a credit risk, and most institutions will avoid doing business with them as much as possible. Banks in the United Kingdom use a points system, and if you don’t meet their requirements, you’ll be politely shown the door. However, if you meet their requirements, you will be able to open an account. If you have a gambling problem, you should get treatment as soon as possible. 

If you gamble regularly, you may expect that there will always be a winner, but it will not be you. If you were successful during the session, you should stop playing the game. 

Never, ever pay for debt management aid because it is entirely free in the United Kingdom. A huge number of organizations, such as Citizens Advice, National Debtline, and Payplan, offer their services at no cost to the user. Bookmakers are the only ones who benefit in the long run from constant betting. Certain operators may supply you with free slot games so that you can “hone your skills.” To be honest, this is just a sales gimmick because every game is determined completely by chance and does not require any form of aptitude at all. Keep a detailed record of your victories and defeats. Is it possible that an online casino will refuse to terminate your account when you request it? 

The plain and straightforward answer is no. In a recent instance, a player requested that his accounts at Leo Vegas and 32Red casinos be terminated, but the operators of both sites refused to cooperate. This is a violation of the policies of the jurisdiction in which they are licensed, and it is unethical. 

Conclusion

The majority of people who become addicted to gambling do so because they believe they do not need to work if they can make several thousand dollars on a single spin, which is roughly equivalent to five or six months’ worth of wages. Players who have won large sums of money frequently assume they can replicate their success. Bookmakers are well aware of this truth, and their livelihood is dependent on the player believing it. The unpleasant reality is that this happens only extremely rarely. This kind of good fortune is as transitory as the truth when said by a politician. 

Slot machines, for example, are significantly more unpredictable and psychologically appealing than traditional table games like sports betting. Slot machines are known as the “crack cocaine” of the gambling world for a reason. When betting on sports, you can roughly predict the return on your money, but this is not the case with slot machines. 

Gambling can be a slow and cunning addiction to develop, but it will always start as something fun in your life. When you start to accumulate a few winnings that are higher than your usual pay, the danger begins. When this happens, it is difficult to avoid becoming addicted to gambling online because many gamers believe they can make a living from gambling online.

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