Responsible Gambling is a necessary and widely celebrated trait that all adults should master. The ability to be responsible is crucial throughout many areas of life, particularly financial and personal aspects. However, some find it more difficult than others to remain accountable. This is a particularly worrisome area when it comes to gambling. We are now in a time where online casinos and bingo sites are available 24/7. So how can you ensure you stay responsible?
Protect Minors:
If you are under the age of eighteen you are not deemed as a responsible adult. By law, you are not allowed to register with or participate in any form of gambling. This applies to both land-based casinos and online platforms such as slot games and bingo halls. By law, age verification checks have to be carried out during the registration process.
If you are the parent of a minor, it is important to be aware of your child’s online activities. Although they may not intentionally seek to sign up to a gambling site there is always a risk. Any minor attempting to gamble online may result in police intervention. Parents are encouraged to set up parental controls on a child’s desktop, mobile, or tablet device. They can also apply parental filters that prohibit devices from accessing sites for over eighteens. Lastly, never leave your laptop unlocked and unattended.
Set Limits:
As a consenting adult, you can legally participate in any online gambling activities you wish. However, this doesn’t mean you’re free to be irresponsible. Although many players tend to play for free or fun, some find it difficult to stay within the boundaries of responsible gambling. Bearing this in mind most online bingo sites have created deposit limits and loss limits.
Deposit limits allow players to cap how much money they can deposit into their online bingo account. This can be based on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. You simply set yourself a deposit limit for a period of time to prevent overspending. Meanwhile, loss limits allow you to cap how much you can lose in a set amount of time. This is particularly helpful when someone receives a large win. By setting a loss limit, a player won’t be able to lose all the winnings in one session. These limits can usually be applied to particular types of games as well, so it’s not as though players are completely frozen out of the site once they meet them.
Self-Exclusion:
Self-exclusion is a method of freezing an online bingo or casino site for a set period of time. If you feel you need a break from gambling, choosing to self-exclude is a good option. Most reputable bingo and casino sites allow you the option to self exclude for a set period of time. Generally, the minimum self-exclusion period is six months. Choosing to exclude from only certain games allows you to take a break from slots if that’s your problem area.
Responsible Gambling:
This may seem like the most obvious option. Nevertheless, as mentioned at the beginning: being responsible is a trait all adults should master. Responsible Gambling means you should always consider why it is that you’re playing and play in moderation. Ensure you’re not spending more than you can afford to lose and that you are enjoying playing. If gambling starts to cause problems in your life then chances are you’re gambling irresponsibly.
Responsible Gambling Help & Support
Of course, there is always help and support out there for anyone who is struggling to control their gambling habits.
The most famous support agency is probably Gamblers Anonymous, an organisation that helps men and women around the world. Visit www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk to discover where your local group is.
GamCare is also available to offer advice, information, and free counseling to those in need, just call 0808 8020 133 or visit their website www.gamcare.org.uk to get in touch.
Lastly, GambleAware provides information and advice on responsible gambling, whether it be online, betting shops, bingo or casinos. More information can be found at www.begambleaware.org