Online gambling made playing for money much easier. The players don’t have to leave the comfort of their home, with their credit card they can practically do everything they like. Though playing at an online casino is good, it’s sometimes a bit hard to realize when we have to stop. This why we, and all companies and communities related to gambling finds it very important that players learn to control their feelings and to handle the gambling addiction.
New Zealand gambling facts
According to the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, 4 out of 5 adult-aged citizens of New Zealand gamble, and at least one of the five do it weekly. It seems that the biggest danger for gamblers is the pokies-addiction – most of those who seek help for their gambling problem do so because they lost too much on non-casino pokies. In a recent report, they say Kiwis lost more than 2 billion per year to gambling. That’s quite a lot, and you shouldn’t become someone who spend all of his money on gambling, online or otherwise. In New Zealand, 2.5% of the adult population has a high risk of developing a troublesome gambling addiction.
How to prevent problems and do real responsive gambling
- The first step to have a healthy gambling life is to find a good casino! A legally operating, regulated casino will take care of that and they notice that you are developing an addiction. The top online casinos we have on our page have several measures to prevent you from overspending and losing everything you have. These methods are:
- Deposit limits: you can set up a limit for your deposits, so you won’t fall into the mistake of spending more than you can afford. It will take some self-control, but it’s better to set up the limit when you start gambling, and later when you feel like some control would be good, you will thank yourself.
- Self-exclusion: in case you have gone too far, but not that far not to realize you have a problem, you can exclude yourself from the casino. Your balance will remain, and the shortest time you can close yourself out is 24 hours, but if you do this, you should take a longer break.
- Exclusion: when your gambling habits became suspicious (you play 8-12 hours a day, deposit money whenever your balance runs low), the casino will contact you, and exclude you from the casino, for your own sake.
- Contact info: the most reputable and trustworthy online casinos will grant you a list of the authorities and mental health centres, phone lines. This way, you can easily find help.
- The second step is You! You have to maintain self-control, and know this: in the long run, you eventually lose. The casino games have a 90-97% return to play ratio, which means that from 100 dollars wagered, you get back 90… but on the long run. In the process, you might lose a lot, and the hope of getting it back is one of the major reasons for developing an addiction. Here are a few steps you could take to heart when you try to play responsibly:
- Always play with a cool head! Don’t let the bonuses, the winnings, or the losses cloud your judgment. If you win, be happy, and continue playing while it’s fun. When do you lose? Well, you can try again… or take a break and try again later.
- Never exceed your limits. When you start playing, always decide when you stop: set up a win limit and loss limit too. Let’s say, you have $100 on your account. You set the limit at 10 percent, so you stop when you have either $110 or $90. This way, you will have money for the next session, and you have a goal. If you want to play just for fun, then go play in practice mode.
- Don’t get anxious: there are physical signs of gambling problems. One of such signs is anxiety: you start playing, you lost twice and your heartbeat rate goes up, your body rushes in your body, and you feel angry. In this case, you have to stop. Clouded judgment from anxiety is another major reason why people lose too much.
- Don’t put your livelihood at risk: go to work, be with your family, and know how much your household can afford to back up your gambling.
- Seek out help! If you feel like you have evolved a gambling problem, you should look for help. In New Zealand, the Problem Gambling Foundation is the service you can turn to. You can find them at: www.pgf.nz. They have a confidential and toll-free phone number too: 0800664262 or you can contact them via email: [email protected] After all, help is better if received in time – on their home page, you can also find the local clinics list, with addresses, maps and phone numbers on the site.
Bottom line on responsible gambling
Gambling addiction is dangerous. It doesn’t cause so have physical damage like alcohol, drugs or smoking, but it can take your mental health, ruining your life forever. If you are new to gambling, start with above mentioned measure to prevent yourself from falling, but if you are a seasoned player, then maybe it’s time for you to take care of safety. Those who play at online casinos are at risk, and the responsible gambling foundations are there to set them back on the right track. You might think you can’t develop an addiction, but don’t let misguided self-judgement cloud your mind: you can, and will fall if you don’t play responsible. Don’t let you guard down, and have a happy and long online casino user life.