Casino games are fun to play, and if you’re lucky enough, they can also let you win real money. For example, by completing the Verde Casino login right now, you can access hundreds of games of different genres and play them with a bonus. But your online gaming experience should always stay as a fun hobby. It should never turn into an addiction. By playing responsibly, you can keep your gambling experience in check and make sure it stays as a casual hobby. Below, we talk about how you can do this.
Use Self-Exclusion Tools of Casinos
Online casinos that comply with responsible gaming rules offer all their members the opportunity to benefit from different types of self-exclusion tools. These tools can be used to restrict your gambling habit in different ways. For the same reason, they can also prevent it from developing into an addiction. Using these tools, you can:
- Limit your losses. As soon as your losses reach a certain total, you will be prevented from placing new wagers.
- Limit your deposits. You can prevent depositing more than a certain total amount in a certain period (i.e., one month).
- Restrict game types. For example, you can add slot games to your “excluded” list. You will no longer be able to play them for real money.
- Limit your game time. After playing for a certain time (e.g., 2 hours), the casino games will not accept real money wagers from you.
- Restrict your access to the site. You can completely block your access to the casino for a certain period of time (for example, a week). Even if you enter your username and password, the casino will prevent you from accessing games, bonuses, and other services during this period.
Self-exclusion tools are used in two ways. You can activate them from your profile page yourself or ask customer service to do this. Usually, you need to reach out to the customer representatives to restrict access to the casino, but you can make all other restrictions yourself. These cannot simply be revoked once activated — they each have a “cooldown period.” So, for example, if you regret a few hours after limiting your game time, you can’t cancel it right away.
In some countries, you can also get government assistance for self-exclusion. There is a national database in countries where gambling is legal, such as the United Kingdom. Players registered to this database cannot be accepted as members by online casino sites. This applies to all casino sites licensed by that government, meaning it covers multiple websites. You can use this option as a surefire solution because once you have registered yourself in that database, you will not be able to join any casino.
Learn the Signs of Gambling Addiction
Self-exclusion tools are useful, but for a safe and secure gaming experience, you also need to know the signs that can show you may have developed an addiction. If at least one of the symptoms listed below applies to you, your gambling hobby may have turned into something else:
- After losing a game, do you force yourself to keep playing until you recover your losses?
- Have you neglected your family or work responsibilities to gamble? For example, do you remember a day when you made up an excuse and didn’t go to work and gambled instead?
- Do you ask for a loan to continue gambling after you’ve exhausted your entire budget? Problem gamblers start by asking for loans from their relatives and may even steal as the addiction grows.
- Do you gamble when stressed and/or depressed? If you use casino games to escape reality, you may be developing an addiction.
- Do you plan your next gambling activity even when you don’t play? If you can’t get the casino games out of your mind even when you’re not playing, there’s a risk of addiction.
- Do you lie to your friends and family members about your gambling habits? Gambling addicts try to hide their activities.
Don’t Be Afraid of Getting Help
Gambling addiction is not a sign of weakness. It is a psychiatric problem recognized by the World Health Organization, and gambling addicts are technically subject to the same classification as alcohol & drug addicts. In other words, if you are aware of your addiction but can’t get rid of it, you must seek professional help. It is often an impulse control disorder and may need to be treated with both therapy and medication.
There are many organizations and communities ready to assist you. Some of these don’t even require you to share your identity. In Canada, gambling addicts can seek help from a different government agency in each province.
- Alberta: 1-866-461-1259
- British Columbia: 1-888-795-6111
- Quebec: 1-800-461-0140
- Manitoba: 1-800-463-1554
- Newfoundland: 1-888-899-4357
- New Brunswick: 1-800-461-1234
- Northwest Territories: 1-800-661-0844
- Nova Scotia: 1-888-347-8888
- Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut: 1-800-265-3333
- Ontario: 1-866-531-2600
- Prince Edward Island: 1-855-255-4255
- Saskatchewan: 1-800-306-6789
Visit GamTalk, Gambling Therapy, and ConnexOntario for more information.
