Do You Use Responsible Gambling Tools at Online Casinos?
Despite the fact that online casino platforms originate from many different countries with unique regulatory requirements, there is, by and large, uniformity among how many of the platforms operate in terms of codes of practice. This is not by chance, as the industry can create common norms or even take action to anticipate future regulation. Of course, it’s also the case that many casino brands are multinational, so this also creates the conditions for standardization when it comes to policy.
One area with a commonality to it is undoubtedly responsible gambling. Licensed operators from the UK to the US, Canada to New Zealand will have codes of conduct for their casino safer gambling initiatives that are similar the world over. In short, they will provide you with tools and advice to ensure you are happy with your play. But do you use them? If not, then why not? They are foolproof ways of keeping your betting and gaming responsible.
Deposit Limits Let You Control How Much You Spend
One of the most important features offered is the deposit limit. In some jurisdictions, this is required by regulation from government bodies. It does what it says on the tin, allowing players to choose how much they can deposit on the platform over a certain period, usually per day, week, or month. The point is to allow you to choose that limit with a clear head, not when you happen to be losing. The beauty of the tool is that limits are decreased instantly, but there is normally a 24-hour cooling-off period before you can raise them. This is the perfect psychological tool for players. If you bet angry, then things can get a little out of hand. Not being able to raise the deposit limits for a period means you can take the time to have a more level-headed approach.
Session Time Limits for Those Who Get Side-Tracked
Not all responsible gaming is about winning or losing money. At times, it is the amount of time spent playing that can be a hazard. For some of us, it’s simply procrastination. As with playing video games or scrolling through social media, there might be something more productive that we could be turning our attention to. For others, it’s about attention span. If you are playing blackjack live for over an hour, you might start to lose your concentration, and that can be detrimental to your strategy. Time limits come in two forms. You can either set it for reminders, i.e., a message will appear after a certain length of time simply to remind you how long you have been playing, or you can set it to lock you out of the game for a time. For the latter, you could, for example, limit yourself to playing for 1 hour a day. As with deposit limits, there can be a cooling-off period before you raise the time limits.
Bet Limits for Those Who Want to Play on a Budget
Finally, we can point to bet limits. This, perhaps, is the least palatable to some players as many of us want to keep raising the stakes if we are winning. But, like the other tools mentioned above, they are useful for whenever our heads aren’t quite as calm as we would like them to be. Indeed, anyone who has ever gambled will know the feeling of chasing losses. And while it might feel annoying at the time to run into an upper limit for our bets, this does give you the opportunity to step back. In the end, it is simply a budgeting tool, allowing each player to choose what they are comfortable with betting before they play. For some, it might be a buck, whereas for others it could be much more. But it’s a useful tool to help you stay within your limits.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
