Introduction
At SlotCatalog, we are always trying to do our utmost best to bring you all the important info about online casinos, online slot games, and even online casino gaming in general. We are enthusiastic about the scene, as you’d expect, and we want our users and readers to have the best possible experience when playing online.
Unfortunately, online casino gambling is a hobby that has a certain darker side that nobody can ignore. Most players will end up losing money when playing online casino games and online slots, since casinos have an inherent advantage in the form of house edge.
It’s only natural, then, that some players will lose more money than expected, and that can, in turn, lead to all kinds of problematic behavior. It’s easy to lose control in such situations, and all players should be aware of how to identify potential problems in this regard.
Identifying Potential Problems
It’s very easy to get immersed in online gambling, and it’s therefore not that easy to realize that you might be at risk when it comes to irresponsible gambling. To do a brief check, there are plenty of questions that you can ask yourself.
For example, do you spend more time gambling than you’re comfortable with? Have you ever borrowed money to fund your online casino account? Are you trying to hide your gambling losses from others? Have you ever tried to chase your losses by depositing large amounts of money? Have any of your personal relationships suffered as a result of gambling? Do you use online gambling in order to escape from other life problems? Do you find yourself particularly angry or frustrated after losing money?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the questions above, you should stop for a while and reflect on your situation. It’s not an automatic sign that you’re at risk or that you’re already gambling irresponsibly, but it is a sign that you should at least investigate further.
What Can You Do?
Online casinos allow players to use certain tools to keep themselves out of danger, and many of them are actually quite helpful. In fact, we think that many players might want to use them even if they don’t have any online gambling issues!
Firstly, you can set various limits – deposit limits, loss limits, etc. These allow you to keep yourself from losing more money than you can afford to lose. You can also request reality checks that inform you that you’ve been playing for a certain amount of time or that you’ve lost a certain amount of money.
Next, online casinos allow players to take a break for a certain amount of time, which can range from hours to weeks. During the break, you won’t be able to deposit any money or place any real money bets, but you will be able to request withdrawals.
Finally, there’s the self-exclusion option that you can use to completely remove yourself from an online casino. You’ll still be able to withdraw your money back to your account, of course, and you can select a time period for which you want to be excluded from playing. Note that such a decision is final, and that you can’t take it back or even shorten the time period.
Helpful Responsible Gambling Resources
As you can see, there are plenty of steps that you can take in order to limit the potential damage from problematic gambling behavior. If you can use them to gamble responsibly and not to run into any financial problems, good for you! However, in many cases, using options like deposit limits, loss limits, or even self-exclusions simply isn’t enough.
Fortunately, it’s not particularly hard to get professional support and help, as there are plenty of organizations and communities. Here, we would like to specifically highlight GamCare, GambleAware, Gamblers Anonymous, and the National Problem Gambling Clinic.
To get in touch with them, simply click on the links above and visit their official websites. Alternatively, you can look for local alternatives in your region, especially if you don’t feel comfortable communicating in English.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, online gaming should be a fun hobby that should – under no circumstances – cause you any financial distress. If, at any point, you start to feel that this hobby is getting out of hand, you should stop and give it a break for at least a while. As we’ve shown above, there are plenty of resources that you can explore and plenty of organizations that you can contact for help.
You shouldn’t hesitate to do so, as taking measures early on can save you from many hardships and much harder actions later on. Also, if you believe that one of your friends or family members might be at risk, it’s a good idea to point him or her in the direction of the right resources.