Gambling online is fun! The most important thing of all is to make sure you find a safe online platform that protects its users from addictive behavior.
This way, you can play successfully and securely.
At CasinoFreak, our mission is to inform our users regarding responsible play and addiction. Online gambling should be treated as a fun pastime activity. Unfortunately, not in all cases this is possible.
For some gamblers it is quite hard to know when to stop. This is the reason why they become addicted. Responsible gambling is a concept that includes a number of policies and requirements. This is for making sure that gambling stakeholders respect the highest standards of quality.
Plus, this provides a safe user experience that protects gamblers from any negative consequences.
We want to inform users that there are several efficient ways to keep themselves in control. These ways can also help them stop gambling in case an addiction arise.
PLEASE NOTE
Upon reading our article, you will get some actionable recommendations and resources that could help you if you’re dealing with a gambling problem.
Are You a Gambler? Consider these Useful Tips for Responsible Gambling
In the following, we will offer you some great recommendations to gamble responsibly from gambleaware.nsw.gov.au.
According to their studies, players can enjoy safe online gambling sessions by following these tips:
- Gambling is supposed to be fun – Gambling activities are entertaining and they should remain so. This is why platforms offer a high number of sportsbooks and online casinos.
- You should never bet money you can’t afford losing – This is another important piece of advice that you need to consider. There is something you can do to avoid losing too much money. Make sure that the platform you choose allows you to implement responsible gambling mechanisms like deposit limits.
- Always check and limit your online wins and losses – Note that lots of gambling activities have a certain factor of randomness. Therefore, you need to keep track of your win/loss ratio. If there is a negative frequency, then you must take a break.
- Know when you must limit your time with gambling – How much do you spend on gambling? If you are losing more than a few hours online a day, then you need to limit the time you spend on this activity.
- Understand that online gambling is not an easy way of making money – It is essential that you don’t think that you can earn lots of money from online gambling. As mentioned earlier, this is a form of entertainment.
- Expect to lose – Once you expect to lose, you will not be disappointed anymore. Plus, you will not be stressed out and you will know when to stop.
- Never gamble when you are upset – This is important advice that will help you avoid losses and stress at the same time.
- Avoid gambling when you are drunk – When you are drunk you cannot think straight, which means you will deal with important losses.
How Much Do You Wager? Use a Betting Calculator to Find Out
Gambling industry statistics offer the latest information on every sector that is regulated by the Gambling Commission.
The statistics provided by the gamblingcommission.gov.uk are published twice a year. They report on the size and shape of the gambling industry in the UK.
The Publication offers an overview of Gross Gambling Yield by sector. It also includes the number of licensed operators and premises.
Here is a short summary of the Gambling Industry Statistics May 2021.
Key Facts About Gambling Spending
- April to September 2020 - £5.9bn Total gross gambling yield of the gambling industry in the UK
- April to September 2020 - £4.0bn Total gross gambling yield of the gambling industry in the UK (without lotteries)
- September 2020 / 10.8 % decrease from March 2020 - 9,036 Number of premises in the UK
- September 2020 / 12.3% decrease from March 2020 - 6,735 Number of betting shops in the UK
- April to September 2020 - £470.0m Total GGY for gaming machines in the UK
- (without those that require only a local authority permit)
- April to September 2020 - £396.8m Total GGY for category B3 machines in the UK
- April to September 2020 - £3.1bn Total GGY for Remote Betting, Bingo & Casino Sector
- April to September 2020 - £629.3m Total GGY for non-remote betting (machines included)
- April to September 2020 - £92.0m Total GGY for non-remote bingo (machines included)
- April to September 2020 - £67.0m Total GGY for Non-remote Casino (machines included)
- April to September 2020 - £196.8m Contributions/ Good causes from big society lotteries
- April to September 2020 - £775.1m Contributions/ Good causes from The National Lottery
Online gambling can offer you good winnings. Yet, if you don’t have a proper budget, or if you don’t know when to stop, things can spiral quickly. The advantage is that online gambling provides an array of games to choose from.
IMPORTANT
Knowing exactly how to manage your budget to your advantage is a great gambling skill. This way, you can prevent losing more than you can afford.
Important tips for managing your spending as you gamble
- Get your thoughts on paper / Keep a journal
You can use a journal to accurately track your results. Before every gambling session, you should make a note in your journal. Then, once you have finished gambling, your progress and determine what areas need improvement.
You can start with some basic information about the game you played, the online casino, and so on. Don’t forget to also note how much you won or lost. This is a great method to stay safe from compulsive gambling. Plus, it can help a lot with managing money better.
- Use a betting calculator
This calculator helps you compare the cost of playing various games such as blackjack, roulette, and slots. It is great because it can determine how much it actually costs to gamble in the long term.
You may lose in one session, and later you can win some money. Yet, the longer you play, the more likely it is that the money you spend will conform to the long-term averages provided by this calculator.
Recommendation
You can use the Cost2Play Calculator to keep track of your casino activity online.
Important Factors to Consider when Choosing a Safe Online Casino
When it comes to gambling, it is very important to play securely. Reliable and trustworthy online casinos will always offer a safe gambling environment. Plus, they will help prevent or minimize gambling-related harm.
Here are some important factors that you need to consider to make a wise choice.
- Always check the online casino license – This is an important step that you must not omit. You need to know where the casino got the license from. Note that every online casino operation is recorded. Therefore, if something unfair happens, the situation can easily be solved. The most popular licensing jurisdictions are UKGC, Malta, and Gibraltar.
- Software providers must be secure – Online casinos are responsible for the quality of gambling online. So, they need to be powered by safe software providers. Some of the best providers that gained respect and recognition are Microgaming, RTG, and Cryptologic.
- The security systems must be the best – A reliable online casino will always offer the highest protection of players’ personal information and transactions.
- Check out the casino reputation – This is another important step that you must follow to select a good online casino. You can check out the casino’s reputation by reading the players’ reviews.
- Use the customer support service before playing – This service can help solve any issues or disputes you may have with online casinos.
- Check out the available payment options – Safe online banking methods are meant to protect you from losing money and fraud as well. Therefore, it is extremely important to select a casino that features the most secure methods. Among the most trusted payment methods are Mastercard, Visa and Netteller.
Useful Tools You Need to Use for Safe Play
Responsible gambling involves using programs and tools that aim to offer a fair and safe experience. According to Gambling Research, there are a few strategies that have shown promising results.
1. Time-outs and breaks
When used on its own, enforced breaks in play have yet to be shown as a great responsible gambling strategy. Several studies suggest that it is still unclear what the optimal length of play should be. Note that most research has taken place in a laboratory setting. This means that further research is necessary for real-world gambling environments.
2. Display of reality check messages
Dynamic messages are those messages that interrupt play to provide content. Well, these messages may be quite good in supporting self-control and self-awareness. Yet, it is still unclear if the messaging has a positive impact on gambling behavior. Studies have addressed the type of content together with the frequency and format of message display.
Research suggests that these messages must include a few aspects such as self-appraisal messages, time reminders, and normative feedback. Moreover, the frequency, the positioning on the screen, and the colors of the display also create an impact.
Yet, it is unclear if the messages or the break, or even both, contribute to the effectiveness of dynamic messaging. It is also unclear what the optimal frequency of these messages should be.
3. Deposit and playtime limits
Limit settings allow players to automatically set time and spending limits. In most cases, these limits are supported by reminders or animation videos. Limit settings have been shown to support responsible gambling.
Moreover, they can be super effective if prompted before a player engages in a gambling session. It can also be very effective when it is set by the gambler, instead of being determined by operators.
4. Compulsive gambling tracking tools
These tools aim at identifying behavioral markers to profile players and assess those changes that could be problematic. If necessary, these tools provide personalized feedback. Behavioral tracking tools are showing positive yet small and short-termed results on behavior change.
The information is extracted from administrative datasets on gambling activities. Yet, there may change the way limits are actually presented. Limit-setting has its limitations as well. In many situations, addicted players are less likely to adhere to limit settings. Those who reach their limit can easily and quickly switch to a different venue.
Plus, it is possible that time limits may lead players to bet more money to compensate for shorter sessions.
PLEASE NOTE
It is still unclear if limits work when or if emotions are running high or if the player is sad or stressed out. Overall, these tools can be used as a preventive measure and not for intervention with problem gamblers.
5. Self-exclusion
With these programs, the gambler can adhere to a program that excludes him from a gambling venue or website. There are some potential benefits such as a reduction in gambling expenditure, frequency, and duration as well. Self-exclusion allows players to efficiently control their gambling and support abstinence.
There have been identified some important limitations in the SE programs. A high number of SE participants will breach their contract (up to 33-59%) or choose other venues (31; 34-37). Because there is not enough training, staff have had limited ability to identify or respond to breaches. It is also unclear the optimal length of the exclusion program.
6. Customer service representatives trained for solving problem gambling
Retailers and casino staff training offer all the necessary information to help employees efficiently identify and respond to any sign of problem gambling. Staff training has increased understanding and identification of problem gambling. Plus, it has provided the basic skills to intervene with addicted gamblers.
Future training should focus on how to cope with clients who have negative feelings. Staff training must consider staff’s gender, status, as well as job satisfaction.
7. Promoting responsible gambling
The promotion of responsible gambling has had a quite small effect on behavioral change. Yet, a contribution can be made by the onsite casino information centers. The purpose of this contribution is to modify the misconception about randomness in online gambling.
Further studies of RG promotions and marketing are necessary to determine how advertisements can be improved. For more information, you can check out our Self-Exclusion Guide.
2021 Gambling Statistics
Online gambling has been around for quite a long time. People absolutely love the thrill of winning money while having lots of fun. Yet, how does gambling affect people? Which countries have gambling restrictions and what age groups are more prone to gambling?
Here are some gambling statistics that could answer these questions:
- 20% of the total world’s population has enjoyed online gambling
- Only 3% of the United States population gambles
- 69% of men are gambling in comparison with women who are gambling in a proportion of 36%
- 6% of college students deal with gambling addiction
- Families, where a member has a gambling addiction, will most probably experience domestic violence
- Australians spend $ 18 billion on gambling, every single year
- Germans win $115 on average every single year
- More than 2/3rd of gamblers who deal with addiction engage in criminal activities related to gambling.
- Half of Macau’s revenue comes from online gambling
- 11.65% of gamblers also engage in sports betting
PLEASE NOTE
The data above was extracted from Review42’s General Gambling Statistics case study.
The Responsible Gambler’s Profile
There are a few issues that may cause gambling addiction. This is how a responsible gambler will keep gambling in check:
It is important to remember that gambling is only a form of entertainment;
The gambler must be familiar with the rules and technical features of games;
It is essential to gamble only when you are in a positive mind-state and not when you are sad or stressed out
From time to time, the gambler must take some breaks from wagering
Online gambling should never interfere with social or professional responsibilities
The gambler must always use available tools to their fullest extent. When necessary, it is mandatory to ask for the assistance of accredited agencies such as responsiblegambling.nsw.gov.au/.
If you feel that the criteria do not apply, then you must learn how to recognize a gambling problem. Good luck and remember to always gamble responsibly!