Here at CasinoSites.org, we take responsible gambling very seriously and as such have dedicated this page to ensuring that you are fully informed about this as well as being able to identify all of the different signs and what to do if you or someone you know has a problem with gambling.
Responsible gambling has become a key factor for every online casino and as a result, every operator site that we work with takes it very seriously. Because each operator site that we recommend is licensed and regulated by their relevant governing body (UKGC – United Kingdom Gambling Commission), it means that this is one of the areas that they have to adhere to in a very strict way and has to have the requisite measures in place for their customers.
By providing you with all of the information that you need to know regarding responsible gambling, we aim to make sure that you are fully equipped and feel confident that if you do not abuse gambling and participate in the activity responsibly then it will give you more peace of mind in the future.
How to identify if you or someone that you know is showing the signs of a problem gambler
Both of these instances can be quite hard to identify, however, there are signs that you can look out for and ultimately, recognise. Because it is relatively easy to sign up to an online gambling site, because, essentially all you really need is a bank account and debit or credit card, the most reputable online casinos- especially the ones that we recommend do have measures in place.
Under the legislation of the gambling commissions, many online operators are required to undertake rigorous checks on their players which cover a number of essential factors, such as ensuring that each player has proof of earnings and also that each player is who they say they are, which falls under the KYC policy (Know Your Customer). In recent years, this check has become a major measure that all online casinos need to carry out.
Furthermore, under the direction of gambling commissions, players have to be given an ‘opt out’ choice when they sign up, which means that at any given point, they can decide to not take part in anymore gambling activity and the online casinos have to respect this and ensure that a player’s account is fully closed down, that they cannot gain access to it again, credit their bank account with any funds left in a player’s casino account and not send them any future marketing material.
If you or someone you know has followed each of these steps when they sign up, then you have at least followed as many precautionary measures as you can in order to help yourself.
The number of people who gamble on a daily basis though, has increased by a lot over the years and while these people do not necessarily have a problem, it is definitely not worth ignoring the signs.
These, over the years have become a lot harder to spot because many problem gamblers can be pathological liars and do whatever it takes to hide the truth about their addiction. There are signs to look out for regarding problem gambling and these can all vary, whether this be just one, a couple or all of them, which are listed below.
- Players deposit more money than they had planned to
- Players making gambling a priority in daily plans
- Players break into savings to make deposits
- Even though a player might have closed previous accounts, they open new ones
- Player’s emotions become increasingly erratic
- Players start treating the people around them differently
- Players cannot help visiting online casinos when they’re bored
- When players borrow money to play
- If players have a huge gambling debt
Perhaps the most important sign that you may recognise in someone that you know, is that their behaviour might have changed significantly, not only towards you, but also other people around them. While this can be a major sign that is associated to anyone who has any kind of problem, it is definitely worth considering that there is a chance that they have a gambling problem, especially if you know them to be a consistent gambler.
If you think you have a gambling problem, then there is a high chance that you probably do and the first thing that you should do is immediately shut down every online gambling account that you have and delete all of the necessary apps from each device that you use to gamble. Secondly, another helpful step is to confide in someone that you know or trust, because they may be able to help from an emotional standpoint. People with a gambling problem often feel helpless, embarrassed, scared and even suicidal and just talking to someone about this can help a lot.
The next step that you should take is to consult the agencies and charities who have experts who are able to provide more professional advice about how to best tackle this. Often, many operator sites will have a list of resources such as contact information and anything else that a gambler with a problem will need in order to help themselves. Below is a list of all of the major ones.
- https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/gambling-addiction/
- https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/gambling/
Ultimately, what you should never do is chase your losses and gamble more if you have a gambling problem, because this can result in major problems further down the line and lead to serious debt and even major depression. It is worth noting that this has driven people to suicide and that gambling for some people is not only a major addiction, but a disease that they are unable to recover from.
That is why it is so important to be able to recognise the signs of a gambling addiction as early as possible, because not identifying it early can cause significant trauma.
Ways to help prevent problem gambling
There are ways in which you can help to prevent problem gambling, if you follow certain steps that can help to combat against this.
Firstly, when you initially sign up to an online operator, when you are filling in the relevant forms, you are given a number of fields to fill in and boxes to tick. While this often includes the ‘opt out’ field, there is also a maximum daily deposit field where you can limit the amount that you are allowed to deposit each day. By doing this and keeping to it, you are ensuring that you are at least putting a measure in place to control your gambling.
Secondly, only gamble on games that you know about or are comfortable with and even, have a limit in mind, regardless of whether you are winning or losing. This leads onto the next point, which is never gamble with the purpose of getting rich, because this invariably never happens and is often why a lot of people do it. Even if they do win big, they are always chasing something bigger or develop an air of invincibility. The ‘lucky feeling’ that many gamblers always think they get is often brought about by a little win in the beginning, or the fact that ‘now is their time’ and this can trap a lot of problem gamblers.
Ultimately, gambling should be treated with respect, which is why you should never gamble with more than you can afford to lose and even then, you should be aware of the dangers that this can lead to.
If you have any questions regarding responsible gambling, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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