More people than ever are regularly placing sports bets or playing computer-generated and live dealer games on their favourite iGaming sites.
Many of those same people have learned to gamble responsibly to ensure they remain within their budgets, which keeps things safe and fun each time they log in to their chosen accounts to place bets.
With that said, is a closer look at how you can also become a more responsible gambler with just a few simple tips.
Why is responsible gambling important?
The iGaming industry is more heavily regulated than ever in each of the world’s biggest markets.
Operators are under more pressure from their respective licensing and regulatory authorities/gaming commissions to ensure their customers remain within their budgets.
They must actively promote responsible gambling by providing plenty of safer gambling information. They must also provide website links, telephone numbers, and other contact information to one or more non-profit problem gambling organizations that offer free guidance and support. You can check out this operator here as an example of good practice.
Doing so fosters a sense of trust in the industry, and it prevents players, especially those deemed ‘at-risk’ (those who find it more difficult to remain within their budgets) from ever developing a gambling problem.
How to become a responsible gambler
The number one priority for anyone who wants to join a legally permitted iGaming site to play their favourite online casino games or place sports bets should be gambling responsibly at all times.
Some of the most important things to remember are the following:
- Take regular session breaks in between playing, and try to avoid gambling out of necessity (just for the sheer sake of it)
- The worst thing you can do is gamble while under the influence of mind-altering substances, intoxicated or tired. Playing in this state of mind can cause some people to take greater risks than normal, which may result in losing more money
- Gambling online by placing sports bets or playing casino games should never be treated as a job. Only think of it as a light form of entertainment and that you are always subject to losses. In other words, you are never guaranteed to win more money than you initially deposit
- Before placing sports bets, do as much research into the event as possible by gathering the most relevant data and statistics and understanding what the odds/implied probability rates are trying to tell you. Doing so can help you place more informed bets
- Try not to chase any losses you incur, especially straight after losing or by placing larger wagers than you would normally place to try and recoup your losses. This could result in draining even more of your bankroll
- Before depositing on your favourite sites, you might want to consider setting a reasonable spending budget
What other things can I do to become a responsible gambler?
Never borrow/loan money from anyone (friends, relatives, loan sharks, banks, etc.) just to gamble. Only gamble with disposable income you can afford to lose after you have paid for everything else, such as your weekly groceries, electricity/mobile phone bill, mortgage, and other important expenditures.
When you figure out how much spare cash you have, it will help you devise a sensible/reasonable spending budget.
Many online gambling operators today have also started providing a range of safer gambling tools, which have helped many players ensure they remain within their initial spending budgets.
They are easy to set, and on most sites with these tools, you can find a range of tools that are easy to set, such as session time reminders (e.g., 1 to 60-minute reminders), win/loss limits, spending caps, and daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits.
Final thoughts
Being a responsible gambler is much easier said than done. However, if you can remember some of the important advice on this page, you should start to notice how you are making fewer deposits than normal, and that your bankroll is starting to stretch for much longer periods.
If you want further advice about how you can be a safer and more responsible gambler, you might like to consider looking for more information on reputable sites like GamblingTherapy, GamblersAnonymous, BeGambleAware, and GamCare, to name just a few.
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