Responsible gambling: Decisive point
The treatment and prevention of problematic gambling behavior are part of the business policies of all serious online casinos. This topic is of great importance to all users, therefore, we would like to devote this section of our domain to clarifying some points about it. Here you will find useful tips both for the premature detection of pathological behaviors, as well as measures to prevent and control a possible addiction. On the other hand, we will inform you about anonymous and free player protection organizations, which can be used by users, family, friends, colleagues and all people in general, who suspect suffering from this disorder.
How to recognize gambling addiction?
The requirements to start an adventure in the world of casinos and online betting are really few, because it is enough to have a fast Internet connection and have a credit or debit card. Nowadays practically everyone has at least one device (mobile or fixed) enabled to access the Internet, so the number of customers has grown rapidly. This is not to say that everyone who participates in gambling, has the potential to develop an addiction. However, under no circumstances should the symptoms of pathological and addictive behavior be underestimated, because their early recognition can be the difference between a quick correction without details, or a long, expensive and stormy recovery.
Often the first signs are not easy to notice, mainly because the victims deny suffering difficulties and justify their behavior, blaming other agents, actors or instances of their losses. Addicted gamblers can come from all levels of society and belong to any sector, regardless of age or gender. People who begin to develop an addiction, usually suffer from sudden mood swings and overreact to situations with a low level of stress.
The frequency of visiting a casino is not a criterion for determining whether pathological behavior exists or not, unlike those that many would assume. Of greater relevance is the behavior present at the time of playing: the continuous increase in bets, in order to achieve the goals or planned winnings; the inability to interrupt participation in a machine or table, despite suffering constant losses or the recurring desire to ”beat" the Croupier, are some examples. People who are in a more advanced stage of gambling addiction, unsuccessfully try to control the development of the same and lose total or partial control over the stipulated bet or time limits and even abandon a game is impossible for them. This pathological behavior is easy to identify, since the affected person tries to compensate for his losses with greater possible profits and, more often, borrow money to finance his activities. Gambling addicts spend less and less time with their families or friends, generating a social self-segregation, which leads to suffering from tangible physical symptoms, such as sleep and eating disorders, excessive sweating and even loss of the notion of reality.
Process of helping patients with gambling addiction
If any of our readers has recognized the symptoms described above in a friend (a) relative or even in himself (a), first of all you should talk calmly with the person in question or, be honest with yourself (a) and recognize that you have a problem. To do this, you must not under any circumstances make claims, incriminations or demand payment of overdue or accumulated debts, since this will cause rejection and distancing from the affected person, being able to generate depression and fall into other addictions, which would worsen the situation.
People who suffer from gambling addiction have to face their financial difficulties and learn again the responsible management of money, without any pressure or feeling judged by their condition. To do this, it will be necessary in the first instance to deactivate the player's account at the online casino and start rehabilitation therapy. Since gambling addiction is classified as a mental disorder that directly affects the patient and triggers health problems, people who suffer from it have the opportunity to undergo inpatient or outpatient treatment paid for by the healthcare system.
The therapy should be individualized, because the time and intensity that the patient will require depends on the level of addiction. Usually, inpatient treatment includes a period of one to three months, during which time the patient remains in the medical facilities and lives outside his usual environment. This way you can distance yourself from your problems long enough, to understand the failures, identify your weaknesses and regain control over your decisions. To achieve the aforementioned goals, you can participate in specialized group therapy and make an exchange of experiences with other players, while social workers, doctors, psychologists and physiotherapists are constantly monitoring the patients, because in most cases, gambling in its addictive nature goes hand in hand with other problems, such as alcoholism, drug addiction and mental delusions, in addition of course to financial problems.
Prevention: Practical tips
To avoid a problem, it is necessary to know its causes. In the case of gambling addiction, there are various ways to maintain the option of participating in gambling, as an entertainment alternative and not, as the origin of addictions and major problems. First of all, it is important to establish that casinos are not a permanent and secure source of income, so the invested capital should represent an extra in the life budget, and not belong to important subsistence items. In addition, casual winnings and losses suffered should not be perceived in any other way than as a product of chance.
We recommend at all costs to avoid betting sums that, if lost, generate a conflict in the user's personal finances. In turn, for no reason should someone else's capital, coming from friends, relatives or acquaintances, be used. If players suspect that it will be difficult to respect a voluntary bet limit, online casinos have technical settings that limit the deposit and bet amounts on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. In this way it can be clearly established, what sum can be deposited, bet and lose without suffering any negative consequences.
Another aspect to consider is the time spent in the game session. Most operators also offer this type of regulation, giving the user the possibility to spend from five minutes to an hour active, and then block access for the rest of the day. In this way, you avoid running the risk of spending more time than desired, and consequently betting more money than allowed. Finally, all players should be clear that the outcome of the machines and tables are the product of chance, so it is impossible to predict the results, which are based on a considerable advantage for the house, so the odds of winning are much lower than those of losing.
Personal anonymous test
The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) is obliged by law to protect the participants of the different games of chance, mainly minors and vulnerable groups. To do this, it promotes a responsible attitude and provides the necessary tools to repair possible negative effects. The DGOJ collaborates with several player protection associations, such as the FEJAR (Spanish Federation of Rehabilitated Gambling Players) and is behind the programs “Play Well” and “Safe Game”, to facilitate all users access to the necessary help. In addition, he is concerned that the use of casinos and gambling remains a healthy and risk-free entertainment option. To do this, on the portal www.jugarbien.es various evaluation instruments have been made available to the public, which determine the degree of risk present in the user's behavior, as well as various tips for the prevention of addictions, as well as information to establish direct contact with professionals, in case of requiring help.