Gambling can be lots of fun for many people – an exciting activity that doubles also as an opportunity for players to win cash prizes. But for others, gambling is a catalyst for disaster. This simple form of entertainment can quickly turn from a favorite pastime into an addiction if the appropriate measures are not taken. When gambling gets out of control, it can cause untold harm to the individual, their finances, career, family, and society at large.
The art of gambling itself cannot be discouraged altogether simply for the downsides mentioned above. However, there are a series of preventive measures that can be taken to counterbalance or limit the risk of addiction. This brings us to the crux of this feature piece: How Online Casinos Can Promote Responsible Gambling.
Here, we will explain the meaning of responsible gambling. We will discuss some of the associated risks of gambling addiction and the reasons for responsible gambling policies. Lastly, we will share tips on the ways online casinos can promote responsibility among players. Read along….
What is Responsible Gambling?
Responsible gambling is simply the practice of adhering to strict anti-gambling policies put in place by online casinos to help checkmate gambling addiction. The role of these policies is to ensure safe and healthy gambling habits among players. It also helps to prevent the many risks associated with a gambling addiction.
To promote these practices, many online casinos involve or partner with third-party charities and public interest groups to provide anti-gambling resources. These resources may include but are not limited to comprehensive therapy and counseling.
Risks Associated with Gambling Addiction
Here are some of the potential risks associated with a gambling problem:
- Gambling addiction leads to great financial loss.
- It can lead to loss of job or career.
- Supporting a bad gambling habit can push the individual to degeneracy such as borrowing, stealing, selling of property, or fraud.
- There is the possibility of running into legal issues.
- A gambling addiction can ruin relationships such as families, friends, and close associates, etc.
- There is the risk of the individual developing an anxiety disorder.
- It can also lead to isolation, psychological or mental breakdown, and worse still, suicide.
Reasons for Responsible Gambling Policies
There are many reasons for responsible gambling policies. These policies are encouraged for online casino operators to help players stay alert at all times. They include:
- Ensuring that players gamble more for pleasure than for profit-making.
- Knowing the potential risks involved to exercise control.
- Equipping online casinos and gambling communities with the tools for creating more awareness on the risk involved with gambling addiction.
- Creating a safe and enabling environment that decreases the chances of gambling addiction.
- Building trust among players and the online gambling operators.
- Preventing underage gambling.
Ways Online Casinos Can Promote Responsible Gambling Among Players
Many online casinos have created policies that promote and encourage responsible gambling among players. Some of these policies may differ from casino to casino. On the whole, they all have one goal in mind: To prevent the risk of players developing an unhealthy gambling habit.
Types of responsible gambling policies that online casinos use to regulate players’ activities:
1. Advertisements
Online casinos should place adverts that encourage safe gambling practices among players. These ads can be placed at strategic locations and must be elaborate enough to catch the attention of the player. They should also feature the many risks of falling into gambling addiction. It should feel and sound something similar to the warnings by the health industry that states that “smokers are liable to die young.”
2. Wagering Limits
One of the ways online casinos can use in checkmating players’ spending habits is by allowing them to set boundaries. It is a feature that helps players with compulsive gambling problems to fix a loss limit within a particular timeframe. If a player supersedes this loss limit, his or her account will be disabled temporarily. In the grand scheme of things, such a limit will help prevent any further losses than the player can afford to lose.
3. Deposit Limits
This feature is similar to the wagering limit. Online casinos should allow players to set a limit on the amount of money they are willing to deposit within a particular timeframe. If the player attempts to deposit any more than the stipulated amount limit, a lock feature will be activated, preventing them from doing so.
4. Cool-off Period
There is also the cool-off period that checkmates a player who is spending a lot of time and money within a short period. This feature can be set by the player to temporarily deactivate their account any time they reach a particular limit.
5. Permanent Blocking
This is an option available to gamblers who have a hard time controlling their gambling habits. They can set up this feature that gives the online casino the right to permanently block their account whenever they get past a certain limit. This feature also marks the IP address of the player’s device and will prevent them from opening a new account in the future.
6. A Clamp Down On Underage Gambling
This is a feature that eliminates underage gambling. Online casinos are expected to restrict players under the age of 18 or 21 from participating in online gambling. Signing up should involve a more stringent verification process that ensures only players of legal age register on such sites.
7. Ethical Marketing
Online gambling operators should not engage in unethical marketing practices that target and endanger vulnerable gamblers. These might include enticing them with special offers and promotions that encourage them to part with more cash than is needed.
8. Customer Support
Operators should set up reliable customer support systems that offer advice and counseling to players who have a gambling problem. These may include excluding certain game features and special offers that may be too hard for the gambler to resist. A player must also know his options and must be allowed to share his concerns with a service rep.
Final Thoughts
Responsible gambling is great for everyone. To resist the temptation of going aboard, it is best to adhere to some or all of these policies highlighted above. This is applicable even with gamblers who may feel they possess the will to control their gambling habits.
With that said, always remember, gambling is supposed to be fun and not a get-rich-quick scheme. Maybe you could get lucky and hit a big winning streak someday. But until then, it is always best to practice safe play at all times.