We all have hobbies. Some people paint, some sculpt with clay, some read, some sing. All these hobbies are valid and are enjoyed by millions of people around the world. And then some people gamble. Initially, there is nothing wrong with this hobby. People play to have fun and perhaps make a bit (or a lot) of money. Why not combine something fun with something profitable?
However, over time it became clear that gambling is not that simple. People lose huge amounts of money while burying themselves in debt and becoming dependent on dopamine, which is released with each new blackjack game or another launch of a slot machine. Therefore, many organizations have now begun to turn to the concept of responsible gambling. What is it? Does it really exist? Is it possible to gamble without getting into addiction? Today we will answer these questions.
What is responsible gambling?
In a nutshell, responsible gaming means that you play only for your own pleasure. They don’t rely on gambling as their only source of income, they take breaks between sessions, and have strict budget and time limits they follow. However, this definition is too simple to go with it. This concept also includes the responsibility of the organization to make sure the people using their services are allowed to do that. For example, they follow rigid age verification processes and ban those who abuse the game.
Why is it necessary to promote responsible gambling?
You may be thinking, “Why promote responsible gambling since then organizations like casinos will lose money? It’s not profitable for them!” First of all, it’s profitable. People prone to gambling addiction very often go into debt to such organizations when they cannot pay the entire amount at once. And sometimes they wait for payments for a very long time.
Secondly, laws. There are groups of people who are not allowed to gamble by law (like minors), so organizations face penalties under the law for such violations.
Thirdly, stigma. Gambling is surrounded by many stereotypes that have a bad impact on both the organizations and the people who are interested in this activity. In addition, the fewer stereotypes there are, the easier it will be for people with addiction to seek help.
The role of gambling operators
Since operators like Rocket Play Casino or Bellagio provide gambling services, they bear most of the responsibilities when it comes to protecting their clients from possible negative consequences. Here’s what organizations can do about it.
- Implementing effective age verification: Minors are not allowed to gamble by law. Most of them don’t have their own income and cannot always think straight. They use their parents’ money and parents often don’t know about it. Therefore, operators must take measures to verify the age of players.
- Promoting transparent advertising: Companies should avoid advertising that may mislead future players.
- Providing tools for self-exclusion and limits: Services should provide measures that will help players control themselves. For example, organizations can set budget and time limits and implement self-exclusion programs so a player can deactivate their account or their loved ones can request the deactivation.
- Offering support services: There are plenty of services that can help people with gambling addiction. Companies can post information about such organizations on their websites.
- Educating players: Many casinos have their own blogs where they describe how to play safely and what to do if players experience symptoms of addiction.
These measures are the bare minimum for a gambling organization to follow so they can provide a safe environment for players.
Tips to play safely
Now let’s move on to players. They can take care of themselves by following a small set of rules that will help avoid addiction:
- Play only for fun
- Ask your loved ones how gambling affects the dynamics of your relationships
- Set your own time and budget limits
- Choose the time you want to play and stick to it
- Don’t try to win back what you lost
- If you start to feel anxious or very angry while playing, you hide your activities, your relationships are going south, and you constantly increase the stakes, something is wrong and you need help
- Never borrow money to play games
To sum it all up
Responsible gambling is the only way for both players and organizations to win. Promoting this approach is important for the whole industry. It will also help destigmatize gambling addiction so more people can seek help when necessary.
