Responsible Gambling

Resources and guides to avoid problem gambling.

Responsible gambling is basically enjoying casino offers without harming the player’s everyday life. There are many people around the world who enjoy spending their free time gambling. This is also generally up to the individual to decide. Unfortunately, it is quite possible for gambling to have a negative impact on the player’s life. In such a case, one speaks of gambling addiction. With our tips for a responsible approach to gambling, you will always remain in control.

Engagement with gambling is much more common than is generally assumed. Last year, for example, according to the Gambling Survey 2021 of the University of Bremen and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research (ISD), “29.7% of the population […] played at least one game of chance for money in the last 12 months […] 12.8% of all respondents gamble at least weekly.” Of course, that in itself is not proof of gambling addiction, but it does show a surprising trend. Even if many consider the image of the nervous gambling addict at the slot machine to be a cliché, gambling addiction must definitely be taken seriously.

What is responsible gambling?

This starts up front with accepting the fact that gambling can lead to addiction. Many players know this, but do not take it one hundred percent seriously. In addition, responsible gamblers regularly check themselves for possible signs of gambling addiction. It is crucial that the fun of the game is in the foreground and not the profit, or even possible high losses. If you have the feeling that you are gambling out of compulsion, it is better to take a break first.

Do you possibly suffer from gambling addiction?

Looking in the mirror and asking yourself if you are addicted is not easy for anyone. On the other hand, this is the first step and the most important action in recognizing and preventing gambling addiction. We recommend that every passionate gambler read the following list carefully and perhaps even print it out. This will make it easier to regularly review your own behavior. Pay attention to the following symptoms:

Do you feel guilty about the amounts of money you spend on gambling?
Do you need to increase your stakes to feel the same sense of excitement?
Do you find it difficult to stop gambling after a loss?
Does your gambling cause financial difficulties for you or even your entire household?
Does gambling interfere with your personal relationships, work, or studies?
Do you suffer from health problems caused by gambling, for example stress or anxiety?
Do you feel restless when you are not gambling?
Do you feel that you have a gambling problem?

How to help gambling addicts

It is not only when it comes to ourselves that we should be attentive. People around us can also suffer from gambling addiction. If you suspect that someone in your personal circle has a problematic relationship with responsible gambling, you can consult the following indicators. However, please keep in mind that a single sign is not yet a direct indication of a gambling addiction. Rather, it is about recognizing and preventing an overall picture. Here now are the most important indicators:

Financial signs

Money inexplicably missing from wallet or bank account
household objects or valuables suddenly disappear
Financial shortage despite a regular salary
Multiple loans at the same time
Unpaid bills
the person regularly borrows money
Reluctant to take care of one’s own financial routines
Lack of food in the home

Mood and behavior

Work performance is impaired
Changes in personality
Distance and coldness towards people close to the player
Manipulative behavior
Nervousness, anger, restlessness and anxiety for no apparent reason
Use of threats and lies to manipulate others
Feelings of hopelessness, frustration and depression

Temporal signs

Increasing time is spent on gambling
The person takes a long time to complete simple tasks
Secretiveness and unexplained absences
Repeated lateness
The person takes many days off from work to gamble

As a final note, help is best started with understanding. If you meet the sufferer with criticism or even aggression, you reduce the chances of recovery.

Minimum age for responsible gambling and protection of minors

Gambling on the Internet and participation in sports betting are only permitted in Singapore from the age of 18. To protect minors from the dangers of responsible gambling, the industry controls itself and does not actively approach young players. There is also a lot of information material and several hotlines where players and but also parents, for example, can get information. In addition, identification is mandatory both when using an online casino and when visiting a physical casino.

Tools for responsible gambling

Prevention of gambling addiction always starts with yourself. For this purpose, we have listed a whole range of useful tools that you should definitely test on yourself once. After all, this is also a very good indicator of the extent to which you are at risk when it comes to gambling addiction. If you find it difficult to comply with or use the points mentioned below, you might want to contact one of the gambling addiction support organizations. On the other hand, if you do not have any difficulties in dealing with these points, then you can be rather reassured.

By the way, these are all limits that you can also impose on yourself in your account with the relevant provider.

Deposit limit

The first possible step is to limit your own deposits to the account at the casino. This can be, for example, a weekly or monthly limit. The important thing here is that you do not circumvent your own limit, but are strict with it. Decide beforehand what is the amount that you can get away with each month without your quality of life suffering. If you lose the entire amount, then you will have to wait until the next deadline to recharge your account.

Loss limit

You can take a similar approach to your losses. If you have lost a certain amount, you should definitely cancel the game. This way you will avoid further losses. This, by the way, is a tactic that many professional gamblers also use. So, it’s not always just about gambling addiction, but this is a solid strategy if you want to avoid losses and make profits with gambling. The same applies to winnings, by the way. You should set yourself a desired win and stop playing as soon as it is reached. Otherwise, you increase the risk of losing your hard-earned money quickly.

Time limit with responsible gambling

It is definitely important to set a time limit as well. There are several reasons for this. This way you avoid spending all your time on gambling. There is still enough time for other activities. In addition, you can avoid exhaustion with a sensibly calculated time limit. It also helps here that you can avoid time slots that are particularly dangerous. For example, if you start playing at 8 in the evening, there is a very high chance that the game will continue late into the night.

Break from the game

If you feel you are losing control of your behavior, take an extended break. Go on vacation or keep yourself busy elsewhere. After a week or two, you can make a cautious attempt to see how your behavior has changed. In addition, gambling on the Internet in particular can be a very isolating experience. That’s when it’s often helpful to leave your own four walls and let your surroundings inspire you a bit. This way you can regain your perspective.

Bet limit in responsible gambling

If you want to avoid high losses, it makes sense to set yourself a maximum limit for the stakes. You can use the minimum stakes of the casinos as a guide. If you have the urge to increase the stakes a lot, your alarm bells should go off. Especially if you feel that low stakes no longer give you the same exciting gaming experience, it is time to consider support on the subject of gambling addiction.

Turnover history

Check your account turnover at regular intervals. If a large part of it is related to gambling, that’s definitely a warning sign. This is also where you can spot patterns to learn more about yourself. When exactly do you make most of your transactions? What is the total amount you spend on gambling? Do you lose more than you win? To what extent does your gambling budget overlap with your everyday expenses? This step will help you get a better overview of your finances and behavior. By the way, you can also find a list of all your transactions in the casino in your customer account in the gaming hall.

Self-exclusion in responsible gambling

If you consider yourself to be at acute risk of being or becoming a gambling addict, then you can also exclude yourself from gambling. To do this, you can contact the casino in question. Casinos are required by law to take a self-exclusion seriously and take the necessary steps. Subsequently, your account will be deleted and you will not be able to open a new one as long as the self-exclusion is in place. In some countries like Germany, this process is even regulated centrally, so you can no longer play at any casino. However, this is not the case in Singapore.

Self-check

To avoid gambling addiction, it is especially important that you are honest with yourself. That’s where self-examination comes first. This process is usually very unpleasant, but if you look at yourself openly and honestly in the mirror, you will quickly get a clear picture of the situation. Online gambling halls usually offers quizzes and questionnaires for this purpose. Here it is important not to deliberately omit any aspect. Observe your own behavior, and if you have any concerns, take a break. If that doesn’t help, turn to friends and acquaintances, or even to one of the many organizations that offer advice and support in cases of gambling addiction.

Organizations that offer help and support responsible gambling

Of course, the government in Singapore also offers help and support. The Ministry of Social Affairs has set up a special page for this purpose with a wealth of information and offers of help. Among other things, you will find a self-test here that you can use to check once whether you should count yourself among the risk group for gambling addiction. The topic of computer game addiction is also dealt with here.

Similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, this association offers support for people who want to free themselves from their gambling addiction. Among other things, psychotherapeutic counseling or guided groups can be found here. Placement in inpatient therapy can also take place here.