Responsible Gambling 101: How to Play Responsibly at Online Casinos

At Mr. Gamble, we embrace the thrill of casino games while emphasising the importance of responsible gambling. Whether you're here seeking guidance for yourself or someone you care about, know that you've taken the first step towards empowerment and positive change.

This page is dedicated to helping those who may be struggling with gambling addiction or those looking to maintain a healthy balance when playing their favourite games.

Let’s Talk About Responsible Gambling

Playing games when money is at stake is a fun and exciting activity for gamblers. However, there is a clear line between responsible gambling and having a gambling disorder.

Responsible gambling is about reclaiming control over our actions and choices. Part of the fun is letting loose, but that’s just it: how much do we let loose?

5 Signs You Have a Problem Gambling

When it comes to problem gambling, it is not unlike other addictions. That is to stay, those afflicted with it are often unable to face the reality of their situation. Take note if you:

1. Don’t know when to stop, even when you believe you have the willpower to,
2. Hide the extent of your gambling from your family and friends,
3. Have experienced trouble trying to cut back or stop gambling,
4. Start experiencing financial problems due to gambling,
5. Feeling restless when you are unable to gamble for a prolonged period of time.

As with every addiction, you may experience periods of remission when you think you have everything under control, but make no mistake, you are still at risk of losing yourself.

Mr. Gamble’s Tips for Responsible Gambling

✅ Mindful gaming

Before diving into a gaming session, take a moment to set precise time and budget limits.

✅ Never chase

Losing is part of the game. Don’t chase. Embrace and make this the moment to practise self-restraint and resilience.

✅ Take breaks

Sometimes we get lost while gaming. Incorporate regular breaks into your gaming routine to recharge and recalibrate. Use this time to engage in other activities that bring joy and fulfilment.

✅ Help makes you stronger

Do you know why even the best athletes in the world all have coaches and trainers? It’s because help makes them the best version of themselves. Seeking support is a courageous act. Find a friend, join a support group, or seek professional help.

Responsible Gaming Tools

Limits

Some of the more oft-used responsible gambling tools are limits on a player’s account. These limits come in different forms and may even overlap:

• Deposit limits – limit the amount of money deposited on a betting site. Players can set their daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits.
• Time limits – limit the amount of time spent on a gambling site.
• Wagering limits – limit the amount of money that you can wager.
• Loss limits – automatically logs you out of your account and/or gets you blocked from playing after exceeding a certain threshold.

Time-out sessions / Self-exclusion

Time-out sessions let you temporarily suspend access to your account. They come handy whenever you think things are getting too heated (e.g., you’re afraid you are going on a downward spiral after losing a few times).

Self-assessment

Many casinos offer free, short self-assessment surveys to help you understand how well you manage your gambling compulsions. For example, you may read a sentence “Sometimes I lose track of time when gambling,” and then score it on a 1-10 scale depending on how well it applies to your case. After completing the entire survey, you get your final evaluation that shows whether you exhibit the signs of problem gambling.

Player history

Player history is not a responsible gambling tool per se but it is still an important asset in protecting yourself from addiction. Player history lets you keep tabs on all transactions, wagers, deposits and bets you have had at a specific casino.

This is a source of objective information that allows you to assess how involved you are in gambling and whether it’s time to take a break.

Time alert

One of the more apparent issues of online gambling is that it’s easy to get engrossed in it. To help avoid playing for too long, players can set up time alerts. These notifications pop up whenever your gaming session has been going for a long period of time.

Time alerts may also include financial details, such as the recent changes in your balance, to hit it home.

Gamban

Gamban is a technology company specialising in gambling-blocking software. With Gamban, you can automatically limit access to all casino and betting sites that involve monetary transactions.

Gamban and other similar apps should be used as a last resort when no other responsible gambling tool produces any effect.

While blocking casino websites can help you effectively control your compulsive gambling behaviour, at this point, you need to examine the psychological reasons behind these impulses. There are many mental health experts readily available to help you tackle this issue, plus you can consult numerous responsible gambling resources.

National Responsible Gaming Resources

For more information about problem gambling and ways to remedy it, there are state-specific as well as universal gaming resources you can consult.

Europe

• European Casino Association
• Spillemyndiheden (DEN)
• Stödlinjen (SWE)
• Adictel Prevention Addiction (FRA)
• Gluecksspielsucht Problem Gambling (GER)
• GambleAware Ireland (IRE)
• AGOG (NL)
• Hjelpelinjen (NOR)
• Spelberoendes Riksförbund (SWE)

United Kingdom

• Gamble Aware
• Northern Gambling Service
• BeGambleAware (UK)
• GamCare (UK)
• Gamblers Anonymous (UK)

United States of America

• National Council on Problem Gambling
• National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-522-4700

Canada

• The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC)
• Canadian Resources for Those Affected by Problem Gambling
• Canada Safety Council
• Problem Gambling

Rest of the World

• Gambling Help Online (AU)
• Gamblers Help (AU)
• LifeLine (AU)
• ChoiceNotChance (NZ)
• GamblingHelpline (NZ)
• PGF (NZ)
• National Council on Problem Gambling (SGP)
• National Responsible Gambling Problem Gambling Counselling Line (SA)
• Korea Center for Gambling Problems (KOR)
• Responsible Gambling Foundation (MLT)
• Caritas A G Counselling Centre (HKG)

Bonus Abuse

Casino bonuses often offer significant bonus money or free spins. Occasionally, some individuals attempt to misuse these bonuses, intentionally or not. To avoid this, it’s crucial to understand the bonus terms and conditions and stay aware of the rules and preventing abuse.

Bonus abuse can lead to the cancellation of bonuses, forfeiture of winnings, or even a ban from the casino and its affiliated sites. Common abuses include claiming multiple welcome bonuses from one casino per household or creating multiple accounts.

Most casinos limit welcome bonuses to one per household or IP address, preventing multiple claims even by different people in the same residence. Additionally, some bonuses are country-specific and cannot be redeemed internationally.