Responsible gambling budget planner

Gambling is not only enjoyable entertainment but at the same time an activity in which players risk their own money. Playing at an internet casino or a land-based gambling house, you can lose your money as well as win it. 

That's exactly why every player should know what responsible gambling is. Responsible gambling reduces the risk of losses and helps you manage the playing process more successfully. In this piece we go into more detail on what every player should know about responsible gambling. 

What is responsible gambling?

To gamble responsibly, you first have to understand what responsible gambling actually is. It's useful for every player to know the principles of responsible gambling, to understand why gambling responsibly matters, and to be able to recognise what problem gambling is. 

The principles of responsible gambling

Responsible gambling is fundamentally conscious, controlled participation in games of chance, whether that's slots, other casino games or sports betting. For gambling to be done responsibly, every player has to follow certain principles. 

The principles of responsible gambling cover things like budget management, time control, setting limits, assessing your own emotional state, realistic expectations, and seeking help if you can see the playing process becoming unmanageable. Each of these principles helps you keep the playing process under control and avoid the larger troubles that can arise if gambling is done irresponsibly. 

Why does gambling responsibly matter?

Gambling must always be done responsibly for the player's own safety. Responsible gambling not only improves your chances of winning but reduces the risk of excessive losses. 

If gambling is done responsibly, the player usually avoids the larger problems that can affect not only them but those closest to them. Gamble responsibly and you can have one more form of entertainment and a way to unwind; irresponsible, immoderate gambling, by contrast, can bring on negative rather than positive emotions. Responsible gambling lets you keep far better control of your life and not lose your self-control. 

That's exactly why every player has to have a clear gambling strategy of their own and never break the agreements they've made with themselves — not playing for a larger amount than planned, for instance. 

What is problem gambling?

Problem gambling is the opposite of responsible gambling. Problem gambling arises when players don't follow the principles of responsible gambling and don't stick to their gambling strategy. Problem gambling can have painful consequences affecting not only the player but their family, friends and immediate circle. Every player is advised to analyse themselves, since that way the signs of problem gambling can be spotted sooner. 

If you see that you can no longer manage your gambling budget, that you're playing far longer than you'd planned, that gambling is changing your emotional state and you can no longer stick to your strategy, those are serious signs of problem gambling. In that case it's advisable to think about a break from gambling or about giving up the activity altogether.

How do you recognise a gambling problem?

A gambling problem often isn't obvious, and it isn't easy for a player to admit to themselves that their gambling has stopped being responsible. For that reason every player should familiarise themselves with the commonest signs of addiction, know when gambling becomes a problem, and understand that problem gambling can cause psychological and financial harm. 

The commonest signs of addiction

Gambling addiction has several clearer signs. First you need to look at your gambling strategy. If you have one and can plainly see that you're no longer able to manage it, you're looking at a clear sign of addiction. Another sign of gambling addiction is budget management. If you're putting far more money into gambling than you'd planned, then you really should be thinking about changes. 

Another sign of addiction is time control. If you see that you're gambling far more, and more often, than you'd intended, that's a signal of a serious problem. A player's emotional state is also a clear sign of addiction — if you see gambling constantly shifting your mood, damaging your relationships with those close to you or reducing your productivity at work, then you should be thinking at least about a break from gambling.

When does gambling become a problem?

It's often hard for a player to work out when gambling becomes a problem. But fundamentally gambling becomes a problem when the playing process itself starts being done irresponsibly. Responsible gambling has to ensure you stick to your gambling strategy, keep control of budget and time, and so on. If you depart from the main principles of responsible gambling, you can already see a gambling problem taking shape. 

It's worth stressing that gambling can become a problem after success as well as after setbacks, since large wins bring an added risk of losing your self-control. To keep gambling from becoming a problem, you need to keep analysing your own behaviour as a player and try to avoid any unplanned changes.

The psychological and financial consequences of gambling

Gambling can be an activity that brings a financial return, but it should on no account be treated as an additional, sustainable source of money. In gambling a great many factors come down simply to luck, so every player has to understand clearly that they can lose their money as well as win it. Irresponsible gambling can bring serious financial consequences, since gambling irresponsibly players frequently lose not only their own money but that of those close to them, and land themselves in serious financial difficulty. 

Players often think finances are their biggest problem, but gambling can in fact cause serious psychological consequences that lower a player's self-worth and damage the quality of their relationships with others and their productivity at work. For that reason every player has to take a very responsible, analytical view of the responsible gambling process. 

If you see gambling having negative psychological and financial consequences for you, then you must stop gambling and work to avoid still bigger problems ahead. 

How do you gamble responsibly?

For gambling to be responsible, every player has to know how to go about it. Below we set out several fundamental rules of responsible gambling.

Budget management and stake control

Responsible gambling is simply impossible without proper budget management and stake control. To avoid problem gambling, every player has to manage their budget responsibly and keep their stakes under control. 

It's important never to exceed the daily, weekly or monthly budget you've set aside for gambling. On stake control, you need a system too. If you're constantly taking slot spins worth one euro, for instance, there's no need to raise that amount when a setback strikes. Nor should you take more spins than you'd planned.

Limiting time spent playing

It's useful for every player to set the amount of time they can give to gambling. If you decide you can give an hour a day to gambling, for instance, you have to watch closely that the playing process doesn't eat up more. If you end up giving gambling more time than you'd planned, your other activities or work will realistically suffer, so time control needs to be taken very seriously. 

Assessing your emotional state before playing

Your emotional state while playing has to be fairly neutral. You can take pleasure in wins, but setbacks mustn't cause you excessive distress. A player has to understand clearly that in gambling they risk losing their money. 

Fundamentally it's always advisable to avoid emotion-driven gambling — don't play when you're worked up over earlier losses, and don't play when you're in a poor emotional state over unrelated matters, since emotional gambling is nowhere near a sign of responsible gambling.

How do you set personal gambling limits?

Every player has to weigh up and set their gambling limits on a very individual basis. First of all it's useful to assess your financial means. You can give gambling an amount of money whose loss won't make a significant difference to your life or your everyday needs, since in gambling you risk losing that amount. 

You also have to weigh up your time carefully before you play. One player can give the process far more time than another. The most important thing is to understand clearly that time spent gambling mustn't be so long that it damages your other activities. Set the right financial and budget limits and there's a far greater likelihood you'll manage to gamble responsibly. 

Safe gambling platforms and their responsibilities

Responsible gambling has to take place at safe, licensed gambling sites. Such internet casinos will offer responsible gambling tools and will have additional responsible gambling control mechanisms.

How do you choose a gambling site?

Every player has to choose a gambling site very responsibly. First of all it's important to check whether the gambling site is licensed. We recommend playing only at licensed casinos online, since only then will you be guaranteed to get your money back if luck goes your way. You also need to read other players' reviews and weigh up factors such as payment methods, bonuses, the game selection and so on.

What responsible gambling tools do casinos offer?

Most internet casinos don't take the responsible gambling process lightly, so they offer various tools to ensure gambling is responsible. Players can set their own daily, weekly or monthly limits on deposits or amounts lost, and can also close their gambling account permanently or for a specific chosen period. 

Limits help you avoid departing from your gambling strategy, while closing your account fully or partly makes it possible at least to rest from gambling for a while and avoid possible negative consequences. 

Closing your account yourself

Companies holding reliable casino licencesgive players the means to close their account, which is always the advisable option in cases of problem gambling. If you see gambling happening irresponsibly and you're losing your self-control, then closing your gambling account is arguably the best way out. 

Help for players with an addiction

Irresponsible gambling can lead to gambling addiction, which has negative consequences not only for the player but for their family and immediate circle. People with a gambling addiction are advised to seek outside help. 

In South Africa and worldwide there are a great many psychologists who specialise in problem gambling and can help people with an addiction. Gamblers Anonymous groups also exist, where players share their experiences and what they've been through. The most important thing is not to be afraid to ask for help, since outside support can help a player get back on their feet and recover a normal everyday life. 

Summary

Gambling is not only excellent entertainment but at the same time a fairly risky activity, since players risk losing their money. To keep gambling from causing negative consequences, every player has to know what responsible gambling is and follow its main principles. It's very important to have a clearly defined gambling strategy, to manage the budget you've set aside for gambling successfully, to control your time and to watch your emotional state. If you notice that you can't control even one of these factors, then you may be seeing signs of problem gambling in yourself. 

There's no precise definition of how to gamble responsibly, but responsible gambling only happens when the principles of responsible gambling are diligently followed and no more is risked than the player can afford. Responsible gambling is partly ensured not only by players themselves but by licensed gambling companies, since they provide the means to set personal limits and take breaks from gambling. In cases of gambling addiction, players are advised to seek outside help — to consult a psychologist or start attending a Gamblers Anonymous group.