Responsible Gambling

Gambling is a great part-time activity, perfect for killing some time off work. The gambling industry counts millions of responsible gamblers who do it as an activity purely for fun, including us who works over here at casinotrks.com. It can be harmless as long as you can keep the urge to go all in, and put yourself at financial risk.

For people who have a hard time controlling the temptation and playing with the means and hope to improve their financial standing, gambling can be a real problem. Some gamblers can develop an addiction, which is a real mental problem that needs to be dealt with.
We’ve created the following article to give you an overview and insight into the possible causes, and methods to deal with gambling addiction.

What is responsible gambling?

It’s hard to exactly pinpoint what responsible gambling is, as it encompasses several policies, methods and requirements that apply to gambling stakeholders first and foremost, and gamblers themselves second.

When we talk about gambling stakeholders they must respect certain standards of quality, as well as offer a safe environment and try their best to protect gamblers from the potential downfalls it may lead them to. Providing ways to reach out for help and being available to offer help is just something stakeholders can do.

From the gambler’s perspective, treating gambling as a pastime activity, and not as a means to earn money is one of the postulates of safe gambling. Being responsible for the time you spend and the money you spend is crucial.

How does a gambling addiction form?

It’s very hard to say exactly what leads to gambling addiction. There can be several underlying causes and not one in particular. However, in most cases, the cause of compulsive gambling is multi-layered, which is the worst outcome resulting in the inability to control your online gambling behaviour.

• Mental Health – Issues with mental health can contribute to the formation of gambling addiction. Anxiety, depression or personality disorders can all be contributing factors to compulsive gambling.
• Influence – Influence can come from anywhere, even from your closest friends or family. If anyone in your inner circle has a gambling problem, the chances are higher that you will have such a problem too.
• Age – If you are younger or middle-aged, the chance is you are more inclined to form an addiction. Young people tend to be more prone to forming different compulsive behaviours, but this isn’t a risk that skips older people.
• Gender – Men are much more prone to gambling addictions than women. This could be because men gamble more in general. However, women usually start gambling later in life and are quicker to become addicted to it.
• Certain Medications – Using dopamine agonists may make you more prone to gambling. This is a medication typically used to treat Parkinson’s and has serious side effects that may lead to compulsive action.

What are the symptoms or signs of a gambling addiction?

It’s not always easy to spot an addicted gambler on the spot. Not everything is black and white, and this applies to people addicted to gambling as well. Some signs that a person is involved in a gambling circle that’s hard to break out of could be the following:

• Believing They Can Earn Money – People who believe that gambling can be a viable source of income are definitely on the path to becoming addicted if they already aren’t. “Just one more hand until I break even” is one of the phrases often used by gamblers hoping to score real money.
• Loaning Money To Gamble – People who are willing to go into debt to satisfy their gambling urges are already in trouble. As soon as a person is ready to go into debt with the sole intention of gambling, you know that’s when they need professional help.
• Feeling The Need To Keep Your Gambling A Secret – People who tend to hide the fact they are gambling might think they have something to hide.

Gambling addiction can also manifest in different ways. If a person is feeling overly anxious and depressed, and even have suicidal thoughts, a gambling problem might be in question. Sleep deprivation and anxiety can also lead to pale skin, weight gain and dark circles under the eyes. These are all clear signs of something going on.

What is the best way to prevent an addiction from forming?

Any well-intentioned casino in New Zealand will offer its players some mechanism to help them with potential problems from gambling. However, there are steps the players can take as well. Let’s dive a little deeper into what can be done to prevent any harm from coming to a player because of gambling:

• Use Gambling Blockers – Using blockers such as Betblocker and Gamban can provide you with the option of limiting yourself from opening gambling websites and online casinos. When you install this software gambling sites are banned on auto.
• Limit Your Time – Set a limit for yourself on how much you plan to gamble today. For example, set a time limit of 1 hour only after you’ve finished all your chores and work obligations for the day.
• Limit Your Budget – It would be wise to set a limit on how much you would be able to spend without harming your financial stability. For example, spending 15$ a day on gambling in your part-time.
• Contact The Casino – If you feel things are getting out of control you could contact the casino and ask them to set a limit on your account, or even temporarily restrict you from accessing the website.

If you notice that you are developing a gambling addiction, you can also get in touch with the Problem Gambling Foundation or the Gambling Helpline.