Responsible Gambling

Australian players should treat online casinos as entertainment, with which you can abstract from the pressing problems in real life and have fun for a small amount of money. Otherwise, playing pokies can become an addiction, leading to difficulties in social life, at work, and financially.

Responsible gambling is an important principle of the gambling industry, which should be followed at all times when playing for real money. If you feel the first symptoms of gambling addiction, realize that you can’t cope with gambling, or want to help your friends in this direction, you can always contact special authorities, which you will learn about later in the article.

How to Start Playing Responsibly?

Our team’s goal is to help all players in Australia avoid the feeling of attachment to online pokies. Therefore, our experts have made a list of actions that allow players to take a responsible attitude to gambling:

• Avoid thinking that gambling is the primary source of income. Think of pokies or roulette as entertainment
• Do not run online pokies while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as this will lead to chaotic rates.
• Enable the reality check option (5-minute break after one hour of play) if the online casino supports the feature.
• Set deposit limits, so you can only lose what you can afford to gamble.
• Set the time parameters for playing slots, taking breaks, and resting so as to maintain concentration.
• Choose safe online casinos with a license to protect your money from being stolen on scam sites.

How Do You Understand if You Have an Addiction?

It is difficult for the players to determine for themselves whether he has an addiction to pokies. Therefore, our experts recommend regularly being tested, answering honestly to simple questions:

• Do you borrow money or borrow money from friends and family to play online pokies?
• Do you and your family fight over gambling and spending money on spinning the reels?
• Can’t you go a day without slot machines or other simulators?
• You won’t be able to stop playing, make the right decision and leave the online casino site?
• Gambling has become more important than work, leading to problems with superiors or employees.
• Was your goal in the game to make as much profit as possible rather than to relax in the company of the best pokies?

This is just a small list of questions with which you can test yourself for gambling addiction.

Phases of Compulsive Games

Gambling industry experts identify several phases that a player goes through before becoming addicted to online pokies. The sooner you understand which stage is right for you, the faster and easier it will be for you to fight against gambling addiction and rehabilitate yourself in real life. We offer to deal with the phases of gambling and understand how they are characterized.

Phase — «I’m winning»

The confidence phase begins when Lady Luck smiles at the player, and he wins a hefty sum. The user thinks that it is his luck and skill that will lead to even greater profits. So he begins to visit the gaming room of an online casino more often, try or come up with betting tactics, not paying attention to significant losses during the game.

This phase is not characteristic of every player because it is the initial one and doesn’t typically lure the player. People are always ready to stop in time and get out of gambling. But there is also a part of the players who want to get more money when spinning the pokies reels.

Phase — «I am losing»

This phase is typical for users who have lost an impressive amount and want to try to get their money back. Players are trying to add money to at least win back what they have lost. At the same time, players need to notice how they lose even more money and begin to borrow to play the pokies.

Such actions spoil your relationships with family, loved ones, employees, and friends. In addition, the user is involved in the virtual gambling world, losing the threads of connection with reality. This approach leads to the realization of loss not only in online casinos but also in life.

Phase — «I’m desperate»

This is the final phase of gambling addiction when the player cannot control the situation. Here, players act depending on their character; some can fall into despair and continue to play with a reliable return on what they have lost or break a huge jackpot and cover all debts, returning to everyday life.

Other players may abruptly quit gambling, but replace the iGaming industry with bad habits, such as drinking or taking drugs. This is due to the acceptance of a reality where they will not be able to cope with debts and return all funds. At this stage, you can’t do without the professional assistance of the relevant authorities.

Advice from a Problem Gambler

When I was tormented by gambling addiction, I lived a lie, which is typical for any form of gambling addiction. I told myself that I was a master of gambling and I had every chance to win. I believed that I had developed a system that would help me succeed. But that wasn’t true because online pokies work by chance, and I had to pay a heavy price for which path I followed. Gambling can cause one of the most complex forms of addiction that affect the financial situation, health, and family relationships.

Blackjack was my passion. I played it online and could place huge bets, losing $500 each. No person near me would condemn my gambling hobby and its scope. I was playing against the computer, so I could spend impressive sums during a long game without anyone knowing. So I lost about half a million dollars.

What could be done? Probably set deposit limits and bet levels, self-exclude your account or fix a time slot gambling. But I didn’t because I thought I was in control. I planned to return to day-to-day life, but this didn’t happen. I could use free consultations in our province or other programs for addicts. But then I did not know about them, but now I know and would like to advise other players with a similar problem.

People who have problems with games do not want to accept that they are addicted. But denial is a terrible thing that does not allow you to realize the emergence of an issue. It would be best if you tried to sow doubt, look at the facts, and not focus on wins and successes, ignoring significant losses. If you see that you’re spending significantly exceeds your winnings, this issue has touched you. Talk to your family and friends because they love you and wish you a healthy and productive life.

Now I live to the fullest, getting rid of my addiction a year and a half ago. I am full of passion and always smiling because I feel healthy. I don’t drink or gamble, and I don’t have psychological difficulties. I have bipolar disorder, and I’m taking two medications today. I also thought that the drug was for them when they got into special clinics. But this is not so because the treatment was successful, and I was taken off a lot of the drugs that I had taken before.

I was booked in for 3 months of treatment but was told that I was well after 6 weeks. So professional organizations are committed to helping you and guaranteeing you a productive life. Thanks to them, I coped with the problem and changed, which gave me hope for ordinary life.

If You Need Professional Help, Here Is a List of Organizations:

1. Gamblers Help Victoria — Telephone and online consultations, advice, and detailed information provided by special organizations in Victoria: 1 800 858 858.
2. Amity Community Services is a non-governmental organization that helps gambling addicts. Provides immediate help or support by phone number: 1 800 858 858.
3. ACT Gambling Counselling and Support Service (AGCSS) — free online advice, telephone help for problem gamblers, allowing self-exclusion from online or land-based establishments: 1 800 858 858.
4. Gamblers Help Queensland, a free advice service providing problem gambler assistance, special education programs, and events to raise awareness of the gambling problem: 1 800 858 858.
5. Problem Gambling Help SA — Gambling Rehabilitation Fund represented by the Government of South Australia, Clubs SA, the Australian Hotel Association, and others: 1 800 858 858.
6. Gambling Help NSW is a New South Wales government organization funded by the Responsible Gambling Authority’s Responsible Gambling Fund: 1 800 858 858.
7. Gamblers Help — an organization that helps gamblers in Tasmania and their friends or loved ones around the clock: 1 800 671 738.
8. Gambling Help WA is a non-profit Catholic help center with more than 300 employees with a wide range of training, support, and advice services for players: (08) 9325 6644.