Responsible gambling
Gambling should be about fun and games. For many it is not.
There are many theories about what causes some people to develop an addiction, while others are unaffected. No matter the cause. The problem is a real one, and worth taking serious.
Advice to prevent problem gambling
One of the things that makes it difficult to give advice on how to avoid problematic gambling habits is that not everyone reacts in the same way, and not everyone is equally aware of changes in their own behaviour. Therefore, it might be just as well to establish some rules from the start.
- Avoid gambling when under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- Never gamble with crypto you cannot afford to lose
- Set limits (time and moneywise) and keep them
- Take a break from gambling from time to time (at least a week every other month)
Just as you are careful about where, when and how often you consume alcohol, you can treat casino gambling with the same precautions. And while we are on the subject of alcohol, it is not a good idea to drink alcohol while gambling. Alcohol will affect your ability to restrain yourself and limits are essential when gambling with money.
Make use of the crypto gambling site's limiting tools (if available)
What triggers a gambling addiction?
There are many theories about this. Often an addictive behaviour is a tool that the person uses to fill some "hole" in their emotional life. Another thing many recovering gambling addicts will say is that the trigger was a big win.
They had been playing for small amounts for a long period of time and were fine with it. Then suddenly they won BIG. After that they started looking for bigger prizes, as the smaller prizes no longer gave them the same rush.
This is not the case for everyone, but it's a good enough reason to recommend that anyone who wins a bigger prize take a break from gambling. A break is not a week. It is at least half a year. Spend the money on something enjoyable and forget about crypt gambling for a while.
Where to turn?
Signs to look out for
There are signs that we can keep an eye out for when gambling. But they are actually equally relevant in other areas as well, such as alcohol or other stimulants, but also shopping, and screen time (social networks, YouTube, TV shows, etc.). In short: things that make you put aside other interests, family and friends. Things that make you feel good for a little while and then make you regret it.
It is the same reward system of the brain that gets hijacked.
- You start spending more time or crypto on gambling than intended. Maybe you had set yourself a budget, but when it ran out, you found an excuse to stretch it a little further. It doesn't matter what your reasoning is, you should be able to stop at your own limit. We realise that when you're immersed in your screen and playing casino games on your mobile phone, you can get so engrossed that time passes without you noticing. Set yourself an alarm as well as a gambling budget.
- You are borrowing money to play. This is something that should set off all the alarms! Whether it's a credit card loan, a loan from family, or money left over after you borrowed money. Gambling is never a good investment and should not be financed by any type of loan.
- You are gambling with funds that should have been spent on essentials like food, rent, household bills, and things like that. This point crosses over a bit with point number one.
- If you prioritise crypto gambling over other things. You neglect your work, school, or family in order to gamble, or you gamble during working hours or while you are with family.
- If you lie or try to hide how much time or money you spend gambling, it could be white lies or an attempt to conceal the screen.
- Trying to win back lost crypto. Do not chase losses. It will many times just exacerbate the problem.
- You are left with regret or a bad feeling after gambling.
- You think a lot about crypto gambling. You are working or doing other things and suddenly you feel like gambling or look forward to gambling.
