People have been gambling since the dawn of history. It’s safe to say that gambling is ingrained in human nature to some degree, whether it’s a business opportunity or on a Blackjack table in Las Vegas. While it’s impossible to remove gambling from all the aspects of our life, there are still considerations and precautions that we must take before we even try gambling. It’s important to discuss the psychology behind gambling in general as we tackle issues related to gambling games. A distinction has to be made between gambling for a living and gambling to have fun. Putting responsible gambling into a framework is essential to avoid certain downfalls of gambling addiction.
In this overview, we’ll be tackling whether being a responsible gambler is something within people’s reach.
Defining Gambling as a Problem
Unfortunately, there are no standard answers when it comes to linking gambling with mental illness. According to the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), gambling addiction is labeled as “disordered gambling”. These gambling disorders are not something that can be taken lightly, even in their earliest phases. It’s not uncommon to find gambling addicts facing serious harm; they have a higher probability of committing suicide, in addition to enabling themselves to commit crimes that could further fuel their gambling spree. Being careful with gambling is a serious commitment that one should never ignore.
How to Know When to Stop?
The core of responsible gambling is being able to tell that you’re in overdrive mode. It’s kind of habitual for the gambler to try and push the limit, hoping for a second chance, and sometimes a third, fourth, fifth, etc. Knowing when to stop is not a luxury in the case of habitual gambling. As mentioned by the gambling gurus of Winbig, you can always look for online reviews that provide you with enough information about certain games that could help you develop a safe gambling strategy. It’s advisable to set a monetary limit to the amount that you’re willing to gamble with, and never top up over that amount again during a gambling session. Online gambling may make it a bit harder for people to know when to stop because the user has the luxury of accessing the platform whenever they want to, unlike physical casinos.
Avoid Shifting Blame
It’s easy to blame gambling companies and the whole industry for the gambling-enabling persona they give to all their games. But it’s not really a blame game where finding the culprit would end the destructive cycle of gambling. Taking responsibility for one’s psychological ailments that are precursors to gambling disorders is the best way to stay in control of your gambling. After all, no one is forcing anybody to gamble; people do it because it’s genuinely fun. The gambling industry should promote safer gambling in-rules like notifications to players.
Being a responsible gambler is not something that’s out of anyone’s reach. It’s not uncommon for many gamblers to take their addictions as a given with no resolution, but the first step towards being a responsible gambler is to acknowledge the problem and believe it can be resolved. Gambling can be fun, so try your best to keep it that way without dangerous repercussions.