Responsible Gambling
Gambling has been around for years, and it is no surprise so many people are drawn to the idea of spending hours at the casino table, trying their luck and attempting to bring fortune on their side. However, along with the positivity and fun that gambling brings to everyone involved, it can also have a dark side. Just like the moon that has its side that is rarely shown to the regular observer, gambling can become so entertaining that it will gradually transform into an addiction. This is the reason so many Arab punters need to understand the difference between responsible gambling and the one done carelessly or with little regard for your well-being.
What Is Responsible Gambling?
Responsible gambling is a definition that can be viewed from different angles. For some, this is an established set of principles that you need to maintain to hold yourself accountable at the casino. For other gamblers, it is the practice of betting for fun and not using gambling as a way to make a living or gain a solid income that will substitute your regular earnings. The main principles of responsible gambling may include non-negotiable rules such as never exceeding the time limit you established for yourself at the casino or never attempting to recoup your gambling losses via increasing your bets. Sometimes, however, the rules of responsible gambling can no longer be applied as the players develop an addiction.
Signs of Gambling Addiction
The signs of gambling addiction can be hard to decipher, mostly because it is an addiction that often leaves people pretending nothing has changed in their lives. However, an addiction may develop behind closed doors, and you should always be ready for any indicators that someone you know might have it:
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🚩 Obsession with Gambling
If the person you have known for a long time seems overly fixated on their gambling habits, this may be a sign they are becoming dependent on it. The obsessive influence of gambling can manifest in people thinking about their next game or may even lead to someone skipping an important meeting or date in order to engage in their next gambling session. This level of obsessive behavior can be interpreted as an addiction. -
🚩 Can’t Stop Gambling
Sometimes, even the most dedicated and addicted gamblers attempt to cut off the use of online casino apps and limit their time at the casino table, especially if they are playing online. These efforts are often accompanied by the feeling of stress, anxiety, and frustration at the inability to give up their habit once and for all. However, if all of their efforts are useless and gambling keeps coming back into their lives as a harmful habit, this may be a sign they need serious help. -
🚩 Gamble for Happiness
As human beings, we have many reasons to be happy. Sometimes, our joy comes from winning a large amount at a casino table as we share our victories with those who supported us along the way. However, if you realize that gambling has remained the only light in your otherwise stressed and unfulfilling existence and you cannot rely on other sources of enjoyment as you start your day, this may indicate that gambling is no longer an innocent way to spend time. -
🚩 Break the Law to Gamble
Not all gambling addicts succumb to the life of crime and begin to lie to other people in order to recover from their previous losses or improve their financial situation. However, in more severe cases, people with a serious gambling problem may violate the existing laws and regulations for the sake of continuing the game, which includes borrowing money without the hopes of returning it or stealing money for the next gambling session. -
🚩 Financial Problems
Even if you started out as a wealthy gambler with lots of money to spare and a VIP level of casino engagement that made you a high roller at your casino, your budget is not unlimited. Sooner or later, you will be confronted with money issues. When this happens, gambling addicts will do whatever it takes to restore their financial situation and hide their money problems from others. -
🚩 Trying to Hide Gambling Problems
It is said that truth will always find a way to reveal itself. However, in the case of gambling addicts, truth may stay hidden for a very long time. People who suffer from gambling issues will do everything in their power to sweep their problem under the rug. They may even go as far as to exaggerate their luck or pretend that nothing of consequence is happening to reassure their loved ones they have their addiction under control. -
🚩 Denying That It Is a Problem
A pattern of denial is something that all gamblers with an addiction have in common. From a psychological standpoint, it is understandable: nobody wants to acknowledge their defeat when it comes to their shameful habits and obsessions. Refusing to acknowledge the plain truth of an addiction is not something out of the ordinary, especially if the gamblers don’t want other people to feel sorry for them or confront them with inconvenient questions. -
🚩 Excessive Mood Swings
Having extreme mood swings is not something that can be instantly attributed to the category of addiction signs. However, if you have a gambling problem, it may show itself in the way you behave - giddy when you win a significant sum at the casino or sad when the outcome of the game is not what you have been hoping for. You may also experience rapid, dramatic mood shifts when the budget you have collected for the game has vanished sooner than you expected or when the specific gambling strategy has not been successful.
How to Gamble Responsibly
When you play responsibly, you minimize the risk of developing harmful habits and make sure to stick to your budget during your gameplay. Below, you will find the most useful tips for responsible gambling:
Set a Budget
Every time you decide to take control of your gambling habit, you need to start by defining a clear budget, which means ensuring you have the same amount allocated to gambling weekly. This sum will be your point of reference whenever you are faced with a hard choice of whether to gamble or not to gamble. When you have a specified budget that you can afford to lose, it becomes easier to view gambling as a controlled activity. Define the sum that will be specifically reserved for entertainment purposes.
Take Breaks
Taking breaks in between gambling sessions is good for your mind and your decision-making. For one, it may help you analyze your gambling behavior and understand when you need to quit without other people stepping in to remind you about your limits. When your mind is clouded from extended gambling, you cannot make sound choices and reflect on your emotional state. Breaks will help you distance yourself from the gambling situation and analyze your options from a critical standpoint.
Don’t Try to Chase Your Losses
When the players have a losing streak, they try to recoup what they have lost by the tactic commonly known as chasing losses. This is an attempt to win more that will bring emotional distress to the situation. You have to remember that losses are a natural part of gambling and learn to accept it. Acknowledge that luck may not be on your side every single day, and walk away before it’s too late.
Don’t Gamble Under Alcohol or Other Substances
It is no secret that gambling under the influence of harmful substances and artificial stimulators such as drugs may impact the way you process your decisions. When you don’t have a clear, rational mind, it is easy to take advantage of you as a player and influence your mood. Whenever you find yourself affected by substances, you will realize that they are mostly responsible for your rash decision-making and impulsiveness that can make a difference between reasonable gambling and an addiction.
Be Aware of the Odds
Casinos are built around the same principle: the casino house will always have an edge, and the odds will always be designed against you. This is not meant to discourage you or make you think that winning is something out of a realm of fantasy. However, understanding how odds work will help you get rid of unrealistic expectations and comprehend that the house, aka the casino, will always profit from its games, no matter how experienced you are or how many years you have played in the past.
Stop Gambling When You Are Getting Emotional
If you wonder why your betting plan has gone awry or why your gambling has turned into an addiction, you can monitor your mood while gambling. Being too emotional or too excited about the upcoming game can severely affect your results and make you less careful when placing bets online. This is the reason so many betting professionals and gambling experts recommend having a cool hand while gambling, which means you should not let your feelings overwhelm you whenever you are at a casino table.
Find Help If You Struggle with Gambling
If you are struggling or feel like you are developing a harmful gambling addiction, seek out organizations that can help people like you overcome their addiction. Contact the services that specialize in helping people keep their addiction at bay and minimize their spending when playing online.
Where to Get Professional Help
Although having a self-exclusion limit may be of assistance to some Arab gamblers, it is not a universal method that will help you overcome addiction if the problem has become too serious to deal with on your own. When everything else has failed you and you see no way out, you can always rely on qualified professionals in the field of psychology and therapy. These professionals are hired by charity organizations that help gamblers stay in charge of their spending habits and manage their gambling issues at a moderate pace.
BeGambleAware
Official website: BeGambleAware
BeGambleAware is a well-known charity center designed to assist people who found themselves in the clutches of a gambling addiction. This is an organization with a well-structured website that offers several effective methods that will help you fight the gambling problem and emerge victorious while doing so. As you visit the official website of BeGambleAware, you will find that the charity’s assistance is divided into separate categories, such as helping with finance management, assisting with self-blocking tools, and providing help for someone who denies having a problem.
Gordon Moody Association
Email: [email protected]
Official website: Gordon Moody
Gordon Moody Association is an organization funded by people who care about their loved ones who have been affected with gambling-related harm. The organization describes itself as a sanctuary for people who need their lives rebuilt and reclaimed after prolonged exposure to harmful gambling activities. This is a residential charity, meaning that Gordon Moody Associated will provide you with the correct treatment in a safe environment as you book a consultation and they find the best method to deal with your problem.
Gambler’s Help
Official website: Gambler’s Help
Gambler’s Help is a free hotline for people who have a gambling addiction. If you want to quit gambling for good, you can visit the organization’s website, find their contacts, and even get acquainted with personal stories from gamblers who have managed to overcome addiction with the assistance of Gambler’s Help. The organization claims they will reframe your mindset regarding gambling in a positive way and will provide you with self-help tools on how to stop gambling if you have an addiction.
Summary
Giving up your detrimental gambling habits and reclaiming a healthy lifestyle you once had is not as easy as it sounds. You have to reframe the way you think about gambling, overcome your obsession, and learn to manage your finances without breaking the law or borrowing money from others. Although the concept of gambling suggests that you should only place bets for the purposes of entertainment, some people get tangled in the web of their gambling addiction and require additional assistance to fight it and regain control. This is why so many charity organizations are here to help Arab punters monitor their gambling behavior and prevent excessive spending.
