Responsible Gambling

Gaming online is designed as an entertainment product, but often, people get carried away. This way it’s Bitcointuesday’s mission to inform you of the upsides as well as potential risks of playing beyond one’s limit. Some people find it difficult to stop once they start and this continuity of the experience while entertaining up to a point, can have a negative social, financial and personal impact. Players who spend too much time do so without realising and before they know it, they begin showing symptoms of problem gaming behaviour. This could happen to anyone, but the good news is that if you follow through with the established responsible gambling practices, you can address any potential issue and deal with it in a quick, reliable and painless way. The first step to dealing with a problem is to acknowledge
that you have a problem.

Do I Have a Gambling Problem?

Establishing if you have excessive gambling behaviour is not at all that difficult. All you need to do is to answer a simple questionnaire which, when answered honestly, will give you a reliable answer that you can use to address any potential issue you might have with gaming.

• Do you gamble at the expense of social, personal or professional commitments?
• Do you feel a need to continue betting after every loss?
• Do you find yourself preoccupied with thoughts about gambling?
• Do you crave gambling at odd hours?
• Have you ignored another aspect of your life to gamble?
• Have you caught yourself inclined to steal or lie to continue gambling?
• Do you gamble above your means and what you realistically afford on any other hobby?
• Have you ever borrowed money or sold possessions to charge your gambling account and continue playing?
• Have you ever lied to others about your gambling hobby?
• Have you ever had an urge to win back your losses and continued to try over prolonged periods of time?

All of the above are pointers which can help you identify a problem and catch it early on. Some people feel that the questionnaire may feel or is specifically designed to instil shame in the person who takes it. However, it’s purely a helpful material to help you address an issue early on. There should be no feeling of shame, anxiety or stigma attached to it, and there isn’t.

How Can I Avoid Falling Victim to Problem Gambling?

Avoiding a problem means developing healthy habits, just like brushing your teeth would reduce the risk of cavities. Teaching yourself these habits, and in fact, starting your gaming sessions with a few simple rules in mind will allow you to play at a moderate and well-measured pace with no risk or harm to your well-being. Here are what is generally considered ways to address gaming in a healthy and sustainable way.