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Responsible gambling is the art of enjoying online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms in moderation. The goal is to have fun, stay in control, and avoid causing harm to yourself or others.
We’ve broken down the core tenets of responsible gambling. You’ll also learn the warning signs that could indicate a gambling problem. We’ll then bust the most common responsible gambling myths, and we’ll also explain how to get support.
The Core Tenets of Responsible Gambling
We’ve identified 10 core rules for responsible gambling. They’re designed to protect you from gambling-related harm. You can play safe and have fun if you follow these responsible gambling tips.
1. Don’t Spend Money You Cannot Afford to Lose
If you’re wondering how to gamble responsibly, this is the most important principle. Never bet with money you cannot afford to lose.
Don’t play with money you need for bills, rent, food, or other essentials. Never borrow money or rack up credit card debt to gamble.
Success is never guaranteed when you gamble. Even the best poker players and the sharpest sports bettors lose frequently. For that reason, it’s important to only play with money you can afford to lose.
2. Set Strict Limits on Your Spending
It’s helpful to set yourself strict limits before you play. You can impose a limit on how much you plan to spend during a single session, such as $100. If you’re a frequent gambler, it’s beneficial to set yourself a weekly, monthly, or annual budget.
Don’t exceed this budget. It’s important to stick to your self-imposed limits, as that prevents you from overspending in the heat of the moment.
3. Manage Your Bankroll Carefully
Many bettors refer to their budget as a bankroll. Careful bankroll management helps you stay in control of your gambling. The idea is to only wager a small percentage of your bankroll on each pick.
For example, you might decide to bet 2% of your bankroll. If you have a $500 budget, you’ll start the season by wagering $10 per pick. Your bankroll will grow if you’re winning, so you’ll start placing larger bets. If you’re losing, your bankroll will shrink, and you’ll place smaller bets. That allows you to ride out losing streaks.
Follow the same approach when playing casino games or poker. Don’t bet everything on one hand or round. Spreading out your bankroll helps you manage volatility.
4. Use the Responsible Gaming Tools
The best gambling sites offer a range of responsible gambling tools. They allow you to set deposit limits, bet limits, and loss limits on your own account.
You can also set time limits, which can help you enjoy gambling in moderation. Take advantage of these tools, as they can help you stay in control.
If you’re gambling excessively, you can take a cooling off period. Your account will be frozen during that period, which can last for up to 30 days. You can also self-exclude from a gambling site. There are normally several options: a month, a year, several years, or forever. If you need to self-exclude, seek support from organizations like Gamblers Anonymous.
5. Treat Gambling as a Form of Entertainment
Gambling is supposed to be fun. Slots and table games are entertaining. Watching a ball game or a horse race can become a lot more exciting if you have money riding on the outcome.
However, gambling to excess can cause helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression. If you stop having fun, stop gambling.
Treat gambling as a form of entertainment. Some casino players get lucky, and some sports bettors make astute picks. Yet it’s important to remember that there’s always a house edge when you play casino games or place sports bets. You should never expect to win, so try to frame gambling as a form of paid entertainment.
6. Take Regular Breaks
It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re gambling. Time can fly by when you’re playing a fun casino game, competing in a poker tournament, or researching sports betting picks.
Don’t allow gambling to encroach on other areas of your life. Enjoy it in moderation. Take frequent breaks. Stand up, move around, get some fresh air, and have something to eat or drink.
Try to limit gambling to a small portion of your day. Ideally, you should have several days each week in which you don’t gamble at all.
7. Don’t Use Gambling to Escape Stress or Boredom
You may be more inclined to gamble compulsively if you’re stressed or bored. Substantial research has found a robust relationship between stressful life events and excessive gambling.
Other studies have found that gambling can increase your dopamine levels and make you feel “better” when boredom strikes.
Responsible gamblers avoid the temptation to play when they’re stressed or bored. This isn’t always easy, but it will significantly boost your chances of avoiding compulsive gambling.
8. Maintain Strong Relationships and Other Interests
Don’t let gambling encroach upon your relationships, your career, and your other interests.
If you miss an important family event, skip work, or abandon your favorite hobbies to gamble alone, you may have a problem.
It’s important to enjoy gambling in moderation, as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Don’t let it impact your friendships or your relationships with your family. Maintain other hobbies and interests outside of gambling.
9. Don’t Gamble When Drunk or Angry
There are various situations in which it is never advisable to gamble:
- When you are drunk.
- When you are on drugs.
- When you are angry and thinking irrationally.
You’re far more likely to make bad decisions if you aren’t thinking straight. That can be very costly when it comes to gambling, as you can lose money quickly, leaving you with a great deal of regret when you sober up or your anger subsides.
10. Don’t Chase Losses
Don’t try to aggressively win back money you have previously lost. Remember that previous losses are in no way indicative of future success.
If you lose five blackjack hands in a row, it doesn’t improve your prospects of winning the next hand. That’s known as the gambler’s fallacy, and it’s important to avoid this belief.
When you lose, accept it and move on. Trying to chase down your losses by risking more money can be very costly, so avoid that temptation.
Signs of Problem GamblingSigns of Problem Gambling
There are certain warning signs that could suggest you have a gambling problem. Seek support if you notice any of these symptoms:
- Becoming preoccupied with gambling and thinking about it more than usual.
- Feeling guilty, anxious, frustrated, or worried about your gambling.
- Failing to cut back on gambling or stop gambling entirely.
- Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to obtain the same thrill.
- Fluctuating between extreme highs and lows when you win and lose.
- Feeling irritable when you try to stop gambling.
- Borrowing money, selling possessions, or breaking the law to gain money for gambling.
- Avoiding family meetings and social events to gamble.
- Avoiding work and/or household responsibilities due to gambling.
- Neglecting previous hobbies and interests as you’re so focused on gambling.
- Running into financial troubles and incurring increasing debts through gambling.
- Lying to friends and family to hide the extent of your gambling.
If you or someone you know exhibits these symptoms, check out our list of problem gambling resources.
Responsible Gambling MythsResponsible Gambling Myths
There are many myths associated with responsible gambling. We’ve listed some of the most common myths and explained why they’re untrue.
Myth 1: “Only people with gambling problems need to think about responsible gambling.”
Responsible gambling is for everyone. If you play at an online casino, sportsbook, or poker room, it’s important to gamble responsibly. Building good habits will reduce the risk of developing a problem further down the line. By identifying what type of gambler you are, you can recognize unhealthy behavior and gamble more safely.
Myth 2: “Responsible gambling means avoiding risk entirely.”
There’s nothing wrong with taking risks. Millions of people gamble in moderation. They enjoy playing casino games, betting on sports, or competing in poker tournaments.
Responsible gamblers are aware of the risks, so they never play with money they can’t afford to lose. They enjoy gambling in moderation, just like responsible drinkers enjoy the occasional beer or glass of wine.
Myth 3: “Setting limits takes the fun out of gambling.”
The opposite is true. Setting deposit limits and loss limits allows you to enjoy playing at online casinos and sportsbooks guilt-free. You don’t need to worry about losing the money you need for rent, bills, groceries, and other essentials. That means you can simply concentrate on having fun.
Setting time limits ensures that gambling won’t encroach upon other parts of your life. You won’t miss out on family commitments, friends, work, and other hobbies.
Myth 4: “If you set limits, you’re admitting you have a problem.”
Setting limits is a sign of strength, not weakness. It doesn’t mean you have a problem. You’re simply being sensible. Setting limits is just like budgeting for a trip. You’re being proactive, not admitting to a disorder.
Myth 5: “If you gamble responsibly, you’re more likely to win.”
Responsible gambling doesn’t guarantee success. Casino games are random. You could always be dealt a bad poker hand. The sports team you bet on could have a bad day. Responsible gambling won’t change those facts.
However, responsible gambling can help you avoid painful losses. It encourages you not to play when drunk, stressed, or angry, or when chasing a loss. You’re likely to make bad decisions at those times, so responsible gambling is crucial.
Resources for Responsible Gambling
You can access a wide range of resources if you’re concerned about your gambling. The easiest option is to call 1-800-GAMBLER.
This toll-free help line from the National Council on Problem Gambling is available 247. The agents can offer support, and they’ll also recommend local counselors, treatment providers, and Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
There are also lots of useful online resources. Here are some of the best sites to visit:
Summary
Responsible gambling is vital at online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms. Follow our 10 responsible gambling tips to ensure you stay safe and in control of your gambling.
If you need support, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit the sites we’ve highlighted.
You can also use our risk calculator. This helpful tool will help you identify how risk averse you are. That should help you make astute bankroll management decisions, and it will also help you gamble responsibly.
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