HOW TO PRACTICE RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING

Published: February 3, 2014

While gambling can be an enjoyable pastime and no more of a financial burden on someone than most other pursuits, some bettors could run the risk of going overboard and putting more money on the line than they originally intended. To avoid this, everyone should practice the following tips to ensure their financial safety and peace of mind.

Don't Chase Losses

This is one of the hardest rules to abide by for some players. When they lose money, they feel they've lost "their" money, and that they want it back, ASAP. This can lead to players going "on tilt", which means they lose control and start betting recklessly to make their lost money back. To be a healthy gambler you have to accept that you will have days where you will lose money (just as you will have days where you win money). If you can't accept that, gambling may not be for you.

Set Deposit Limits on Your Account

In the event you do go "on tilt", or feel the urge to bet aggressively or recklessly for whatever other reason, having deposit limits on your account (which most good online casinos will provide) can prevent you from losing control. By the time the next day or week has come around and you're able to deposit more money again, that phase will hopefully have passed, and you'll be able to deposit a reasonable amount and play properly.

When It's No Longer Fun, Take a Break

When playing slots or other games starts feeling like work or a chore, and you're only soldiering on for the chance to win money, it's probably better to take a break and find something else to do for awhile. Ultimately, playing casino games should be considered entertainment and not a job, and you should be getting some form of enjoyment out of it. When you're not, but continue to play anyway, you are probably not playing for the right reasons.