What is Responsible Gambling?
Like any other form of entertainment, gambling costs money. In that sense, there is little difference between gambling and seeing a band you like or going to a sporting event. However, gambling comes with the added stigma that society perceives it is as a source of shame and harm, even though most players never experience any harm.
When we talk about Responsible Gambling, we are talking about the initiatives put in place by industry actors to make gambling safer for players. For this reason, Responsible Gambling is often referred to as ‘Safer Gambling.’ Methods vary from one company to another, but the general approach involves providing players with a safe environment that prevents the development of problematic behaviours.
At IROEA we recommend that you:
2Only use sites with Responsible Gambling tools
Set a budget and stick to it. Be sure you are always aware of how much you intend to spend and then stop when you reach that limit. Before beginning to play, imagine yourself losing that money and have a frank conversation with yourself about whether you can afford to do so.
When playing online, gambling sites usually provide options for you to control the amount of time and money you spend there. Time Limits will log you out of your account after an amount of play time has elapsed. Deposit and Loss limits allow you to set a hard limit on the amount you can deposit and/or lose over a set period.
Not all sites will have the same Responsible Gambling tools. They may also define Responsible Gambling differently. Take care when searching for a new website or service to gamble on. If a site has no Responsible Gambling tools at all it should be avoided.
Check the law to ensure gambling is legal in your location. Licensed gambling sites will display a license number on the page, as well as a link to the licensing body. Ensuring that you play at a properly accredited site is also part of Responsible Gambling.
Ask yourself why you are gambling. If the answer is anything other than to have a bit of fun at the casino, then you should consider stopping. You should never treat gambling as a reliable means of making money.
If you don’t feel in control of yourself, you’re less likely to be in control of your gambling. It’s important to avoid gambling while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but you should also be aware of your emotional state and try to avoid gambling when you are angry or upset.
If you notice that gambling has begun to affect your personal relationships (this could take multiple forms, such as: (i) hiding when gambling; or, (ii) your peers using your gambling as an example of recent changes in your behaviour), this means that your gambling is getting out of control and you may wish to seek professional help. First, sit down and have an honest conversation with those closest to you. If needed, organisations like GamCare operate helplines across the world to help you overcome any unwanted behaviours.
Many people can and do gamble both daily and safely without ever experiencing issues. However, there are also those for whom gambling has the potential to cause harm. How that harm manifests itself differs from person to person – the most common form of harm is financial distress, but financial distress also opens the door to relational and/or mental health issues.
In society, the onus is on the individual to work through their problems alone – causing immense feelings of isolation. The important thing for you to remember is that you are not alone, because help is always available. If you, or someone you know, seems to be struggling with a gambling addiction, start a conversation today.
