Responsible Gambling

It is hard to say that gambling is an easy activity, because for some people it is difficult to control the way they are spending their money while playing games online. Players try to make as many bets as possible, wanting to earn money, but the outcome may not be so happy. Because each loss is necessarily accompanied by an additional desire to return the lost money and supplement it with a win.

Hopes for victory often do not leave the players to the last. Of course, it is important to understand that such gaming activity cannot lead to anything good. It is very important to follow the rules of responsible gambling in order to achieve a good result in the shortest possible time. Unfortunately, not all people understand what responsible gambling is, so it is very important to understand this issue in as much detail as possible.

What Does Responsible Gambling Mean

In simple terms, Responsible Gambling is an opportunity to make gaming activities fun and enjoyable for the player. You need to be able to balance the amount of money and the time that will be spent on getting the proper pleasure from the gameplay. You should never neglect some security measures that can allow the player to enjoy the game, and not just try to earn as much money as possible.

The main task of Responsible Gambling is to protect players from gambling addiction. Online casinos and sports betting can be a huge problem for anyone today. The responsible gambling system is based on the constant recording of game achievements due to breaks. It is important for players to be able to stop in time, regardless of whether there was a win or loss. It is much easier to control gambling online than in land-based casinos.

The reason for this is simple – the ability to use a betting limit system. The player can independently specify how much money should be spent during a certain period. If a player exceeds such limits, then the account may be blocked for a while, or it will simply not be possible to deposit money using a deposit. It is very important to understand what gambling addiction is.

What is Gambling Addiction?

Many players have heard about such a diagnosis as Ludomania, which means that a person is addicted to gaming activity. Such people are simply not able to stop the process of the game, because they receive a large amount of serotonin and dopamine, without having a clear idea of what the outcome of the bet will be. All this is accompanied by impulsive actions that lead to negative results for mental health.

Do not think that the diagnosis of gambling addiction is so unambiguous. A person who often bets on sports or plays slots can still control their actions, at least to some extent. The main indicator that a person suffers from gambling addiction is a violation of his activity in other matters important for social life. It is very important to understand what are the direct signs of gambling addiction.

Signs of Gambling Addiction

People are used to noticing bad habits, like smoking or alcohol addiction, but they don’t know at all what a person who obviously has problems with gambling looks like. In fact, there are certain signs that can indicate that a particular person needs help.

There are at least ten signs that it would be a good idea to turn to mental health specialists. In particular, if at least four of the following symptoms are observed:

The desire to escape from real problems, using gambling for this;
The desire to immediately return to the game as soon as the next game session has come to an end;
Repetitive attempts to quit gambling, which gradually develop into a routine;
When there is a need to do something in real life, a person still constantly thinks about the next one;
When personal money for the game runs out, there is a desire to borrow them from friends;
Due to gambling, a person has difficulty with work or building relationships;
After a series of losses, there is still hope for an instant win back;
Trying to keep track of all the new products, even if they are of sufficient quality in terms of their performance;
Constant use of not only a website on the Internet but also a number of gambling applications on mobile phones;
The players realize that they spent the night playing the game, but they can lie that they have long since quit gambling;
Questions about gambling addiction cause negative thoughts and irritation in a person.

If at least four of these signs are noticed, you need to look for ways to treat gambling addiction.

Gambling Addiction Treatment

There are at least three ways of gambling addiction treatment:

Therapy. Therapy is a good option for understanding the root cause of gambling problems. A good expert will be able to choose a treatment that will allow you to look at a person’s problems from a different angle. This will allow the player to finally free himself from his addiction.
Medications. Since gambling addiction is primarily associated with the release of a large number of hormones of joy, sometimes it is possible to cope with such an addiction through the use of various medications. But it should be borne in mind that it is worth doing this only through consultation with doctors. It is strongly not recommended to use antidepressants alone, as this can lead to unpredictable consequences.
Self-help groups. In some cases, a simple conversation with other people who have similar problems will be a good help. In particular, you can turn to special organizations that gather groups of people with obvious signs of gambling addiction.

These are the most popular ways to solve problems with Gambling Addiction. But you need to understand that such an addiction is a very personal problem, so it is always best to consult with specialists in order to find the most appropriate way to deal with a real threat to the psyche.

Self-help Strategies for Gambling Addiction

The first thing you can do to get rid of gambling addiction is to recognize the problem. You need to start developing a plan according to which, even on your own, you can significantly reduce the risks of possible problems due to gambling addiction. In particular, the gambler can use these self-help strategies:

Get help. Each person has relatives, and close friends, with whom it is possible to discuss the problems that have arisen. Thanks to communication, you can avoid negativity and come to further steps towards real treatment.
Other activities. You need to try to replace the usual gaming routine with other hobbies. The world is full of activities that can bring no less pleasure than another game in the casino. Perhaps just through playing sports, career growth, or spending time with friends, it will be possible to gradually move away from gambling or reduce the amount of time spent playing games.
New acquaintances. You need to be able to meet people not only in online games but also in real life. Now, this is not so difficult to do, since you can find a large number of activities in which you will have to communicate with other people, build relationships, and so on.
Getting rid of the routine. You need to completely change the planning of your day. Because when a person is stuck in a constant alternation of the same actions, this inevitably leads to a desire to escape from reality. The easiest way to do this is gambling. Therefore, you need to be able to work on yourself, creating new plans for each day. Then it will be much easier to complete the tasks, and it will be possible to say goodbye to gambling addiction.

Even such seemingly simple rules will already be a good help for a person who has independently realized their Gambling Addiction and would like to cope with it, using self-help practice.

Helpful Resources for US players

In the USA, there is an understanding of the problem associated with Gambling Addiction, so several useful resources have been created that you can easily turn to get real help from specialists. Below are the main resources that you should consult first:

Addiction Center
NCPG
US Hotline for anonymous gamblers
RGC

Dealing with Gambling Addiction is not easy. But if you take the treatment seriously, you can always find real specialists who will be ready to help with such a difficult task. It must be remembered that Gambling is primarily entertainment. No need to turn games into constant activity. It is important to always take breaks, combining gambling with simple daily activities, so that the opportunity to play would feel like some kind of reward for doing the right thing, and not as the only source of positive emotions.