As online gaming and gambling continue to grow, involve new technologies, pursue even more luring marketing strategies, and even use AI for enhanced user experiences, more people engage in gambling, and that makes responsible gambling practices even more important.
To keep your gambling habits at bay, make sure they do not impact your everyday life, and remain a pleasant entertainment instead of a shameful, monstrous addiction that slowly deteriorates your life, we provide several recommendations from professional gamblers. These tips are based on first-hand, real-life experiences and are actually efficient. If you want to play safely and enjoy your gambling (or gaming!), check out our post.
Why Playing Responsibly Is Crucial
There is almost no difference now between gambling and gaming in terms of being addictive; both activities are very alike in this aspect. Moreover, with the introduction of microtransactions to video games, you can’t even argue that online casino gambling causes financial losses and video gaming doesn’t, because now, it does.
You can play casino games online or play a casual mobile game and lose the same amount of money. In fact, people can even face bigger financial losses when playing “innocent” video games and buying in-game loot boxes. This happens because when they play at a $3 deposit casino they are aware of potential financial risks and money losses but are not warned about the revenue-generating mechanisms in their favorite mobile games.
That makes responsible gambling principles and practices especially important and crucial for all players.
Unfortunately, traditional responsible gambling recommendations are very correct, very restrictive, and also very unpopular. They include, but are not limited to:
- Limiting gaming sessions in time;
- Restricting the budgets;
- Never playing when upset or tired;
- Never chasing losses;
etc.
Unfortunately, players are usually passionate about what they play, and playing video games or casino games is often a type of escape for them from a hard day at work, troubles, or boredom. So it is hard to expect a gambler or gamer not to play when they are tired or upset because the concept of entertainment was literally created to help people manage boredom and bad mood.
It is not yet the case with video games (let alone casual mobile ones!), but online casinos even have the so-called responsible gambling tools that enable players to regulate and control their gambling patterns. These tools usually involve deposit and betting limits, time limits, cooling-off periods, etc. However, recent research shows that less than 30% of players tend to use these tools and this percentage constantly decreases.
So, in contrast to the “official” responsible gambling recommendations, we have collected real-life tips and tricks from experienced gamers. These tricks will help all players stay in control and perceive their games as entertainment without making it an addiction.
Play Only in Your Free Time
Gaming and gambling are forms of entertainment and should remain like that. So, if you are into those things, enjoy them but only in your free time. Find time slots for yourself when you allow yourself to relax, play your favorite games, and not feel guilty for that. Don’t have free time today? No problem, play tomorrow. No one takes this game from you, it won’t magically disappear from your laptop or smartphone. Do your daily tasks and then enjoy the game. Very simple.
Reward Yourself for Completing All Your Daily Tasks
This tip flows naturally from the previous one. If you are impatient about gaming, make it a real treat and reward yourself for being that efficient with your daily tasks. Do what you have to do, do it well, and then make time and space for yourself to rewind and play what you enjoy. If you make this a habit – being efficient and rewarding yourself, not gambling as it is – you won’t believe how productive you can become, and still, you get to enjoy your favorite games. Just a little discipline is all you need.
Never Gamble in the Morning
Opening your game in the morning is the worst thing you can do for yourself. This burst of quick dopamine will leave you dissatisfied for the rest of the day because completing any other tasks will feel boring. Do yourself a favor, start your day with the tasks that really matter, and use your passion for gaming as a reward.
Jumping immediately into something pleasant in the morning means you will try to avoid any problematic or unpleasant tasks throughout the day, you will procrastinate, and your day is likely to turn out bad and boring. So, just a simple rule – no playing in the morning (unless this is your specific guilty pleasure weekend dedicated to gambling).
Go Away When Bored
While it may seem impossible, even the most exciting games get boring sometimes. You may not enjoy this particular mission you got yourself into in the video game, or you are not lucky with online slots or card games at your favorite online casino. Instead of trying to fix things, skip the mission, or find a different game, allow yourself to get bored and just switch off. Tell yourself that the game is boring, entertainment isn’t entertaining, and you are not impressed, and do something else. When you come back next time, your gaming pleasure will feel fresh as a rose.
