Play casino games responsibly

Playing at the casino is supposed to be entertainment with a bit of a thrilling twist, as you might be able to win a lot of money with this type of gambling. For most players it is not a problem to manage their money and to play within their limits, but sometimes players slip and find themselves in a situation in which they did not want to be. When you gamble online or offline you need to be aware of the signs that you need to look out for to protect yourself from gambling addiction.

Do not chase losses at casino games

When you play casino games you have to know that you can also lose your money. This fact needs to be crystal clear to you before you start playing. There are a number of games that you can play that have a lower risk than others.

For example, blackjack roulette or slots with a low variance are low risk games that have a relatively low house edge or pay out frequently. It is still possible to have a losing streak, as these games are still games of chance, but it is less likely that you lose you money very quickly, as these games have a higher winning frequency than other games.

If you find you have a losing streak, and you have lost your money, do not pay in more money just to try to get the previously lost money back. Chances are you will lose even more. Before you start playing, set yourself limits of what you can afford to lose and once this money is gone you should stop playing.

When playing, only wager amounts that will maximise your fun. Placing a higher wager just to make up previous losses will instead usually result in you losing more. If you are on a losing streak, lower your wagers until you win again, or stop playing altogether, for a while at least.

Do not play with money you cannot afford to lose

When it comes to gambling, people are sometimes blinded by the possible winnings they can get. When you gamble you have to be fully aware of the fact that you can also lose your money. Read the above paragraph about chasing losses and casino games, and with this in mind you should know that you can lose money in a casino.

When you are playing casino games you should only play them for fun and only with money that you can afford to lose. If you are short of money, do not use the casino as a means of getting more money, this will usually backfire and you will lose the money you had left. Definitely do not ever borrow money just to play at a casino or to do betting!! No matter how sure the bet, it is never a good idea!

Take regular breaks

When you play real money games at the casino it is very easy to forget the time and play for hours and hours without noticing. Especially in the offline casinos it is easy to lose track of time as they use artificial light and block light from outside.

Remember that you initially wanted to have fun at the casino and a good time, but this will only happen if you are well rested and have a clear head. To make the most out of your games you should take regular breaks and enjoy some fresh air and maybe a chat to some other people. If you are playing at an online casino you should close the website every now and then and do something else, for example go for a walk.

Don't get drunk at the casino

When you play casino games and you are having a good time you will also be tempted to have a drink here or there. For example, it is common in the casinos of Las Vegas to give the players free or cheap drinks.

The reason for this is that alcohol will lower your inhibitions, and you will be more likely to gamble more without thinking too much about it. This ultimately results in more players losing even more money as they will not be able to assess when they should stop playing.

With this you should keep in mind that getting drunk at casinos might not be the best idea. Of course you can have a drink here or there but you should remember not to get drunk, and if you do you should stop playing.

Being drunk might not affect the outcome of your games when you play slots, but it will greatly impair your judgement with skill games, such as black jack or roulette, and you might not be able to make the right decisions. If you want to have the best chances of winning at the casino you should definitely try your luck sober.

Keep calm and stop playing when you start feeling agitated

No one wants to have a losing streak at the casino, but it is something that will happen to everyone at some point or another. There are games with a lower risk and games with a higher risk, and depending on what you expect to win you should choose a game that suits your needs best.

When you find yourself in one of those losing streaks remember to keep calm and take a break from playing. The games are supposed to be fun, but if you are losing many rounds in a row you might find yourself getting angry and agitated.

If you feel that the games are no longer fun you should definitely stop playing and leave the casino or close the website. Do something relaxing and something more enjoyable until you have calmed down.

Casinos can exclude you from playing

Some players will develop an unhealthy relationship to casino games or gambling in general. If you find that you do not gamble for fun or your playing behaviour gets out of hand quickly and you lose a lot of money because of your behaviour, then you should think about getting professional help.

But sometimes professional help is not enough, as you will always be tempted to return to the casinos and gamble more. Because of this the casinos offer a self exclusion, which means they can prevent you from being able to play for either a period of time, such as one month, 3 month, one year or even forever. If you want a self exclusion from an online casino just write to their support department, they will be able to help you.

Setting limits in your casino account settings

You can set a number of different limits in your player account at many trustworthy licensed casinos.  The deposit limit restricts how much you can spend at a casino. This means that you will be able to only deposit amounts within those limits. The limits can vary, and you can also adjust them.

Other limits include loss limits and wager size limits, as well as reminders how long you've been playing already. You may also be able to set a play-time or session limit, which will log you out automatically when your play-time is up.

The systems of the casinos usually work in a way that you can lower the limits and it becomes effective immediately, but when you want to raise the limit again there will usually be an imposed waiting time of around a week for it to become effective.

This will prevent you from relapsing if you are tempted to deposit a higher amount again then what you have initially set for yourself. A waiting period will give you time to cool off and rethink your decision.

If you do not find them in the account settings you can contact the casino support department and they may be able to set a deposit limit for you.

Get professional help

Sometimes playing can get out of hand and if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot control your gambling habit any longer you should seriously consider getting professional help.

There are plenty of organisations that offer advice, support and counselling when you have a gambling problem - all for free and anonymous. Here are a few suggestions of organisations you can contact when you have a gambling problem:

India: hopetrustindia.com ↱ Telephone: +91 90008 50001

Gamblers anonymous Internatinal addresses: gamblersanonymous.org ↱