A Wellbeing-Focused Approach to Playing in a Live Casino
Some people think that online casino gaming is nothing more than harmless fun, while others believe this activity can be addictive and dangerous for mental health.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle – some people definitely can develop a gambling addiction after being exposed to online casinos for just a short time, but many players enjoy this type of entertainment without any problems.
The trick is to keep self-control, play in moderation, and avoid risking more money than you can afford to lose. Here are some tips that could be useful for protecting your psychological and financial wellbeing while you are playing live casino games.
Never Expect to Win Money
The main difference between casual gambling and obsessive behavior that can become a problem is the motivation. Most people go to online casino sites to have some fun and test their luck, with the expectation they will probably burn through their funds without hitting the jackpot.
If you start looking at games of chance as a way to make money or even worse start counting on your winnings to pay for real-life expenses, you are heading down a slippery slope.
Even if you win a couple of times, you need to be aware this is unlikely to happen frequently, least of all when you need it. The nature of casino games is inherently random and no reasonable person can expect to win all the time.
Set Time and Spending Limits
Perhaps the easiest way to maintain control of your gambling activities is to set firm limits and stick to them under any circumstances. Limiting your budget for each session or a longer period (week or month) ensures that you can’t overspend in the heat of the competition.
Likewise, when you have a maximum daily time allocated for casino gambling, the risk that you will start acting compulsively is considerably reduced.
Modern casino websites offer to set such limits for you, and will display reminders if you approach the threshold. Just a few players currently use this advanced feature, but that will likely change as its benefits become more obvious.
Don’t Click on Every Casino Ad
Resisting the tempting offers that casino sites are constantly sending out can be difficult, particularly since ads of this kind are all over the internet. Each of these ads contains a link leading to an online live casino with dozens of real-money games.
While the advertised perks may give you a short-term boost, being a member of too many websites is a drain on your time and finances. To make matters worse, some of the providers may be shady operators and you could accidentally get involved in illegal activity and lose a lot of money.
That’s why you should be far more judicious when you are choosing where to play, and trust only live casino brands that have spotless reputations in the industry.
Never Play When You Should Be Doing Something Else
You don’t want your gambling activities to interfere with your work or social life. This leisure time activity should be limited to your free hours, as it can be very invasive and rapidly consume your entire day if you are not careful.
Live casino games are not time-dependent in any way, so there is no downside from delaying your pleasure until you’ve finished all priority tasks. The temptation to use a short break to spin a few rounds can be significant, since you can access the online casino from your phone.
To avoid it, you must draw a clear line of separation between your gaming sessions and the rest of your life, and prevent them from mixing in ways that could endanger your wellbeing and social relations.
Stay Alert to Signs of Compulsion
People don’t become addicted to casino games overnight – this is a gradual process that can take months, sometimes even years before it reaches a critical stage.
There will be signs along the way to warn you that you might be spinning out of control and that you need to reconsider your gambling habits. Ignoring these signs is extremely dangerous, and typically leads to further deterioration of psychological pillars that hold your life together.
Nobody else can be more privy to your state of mind, and keeping track of objective parameters (i.e. spending on live casino games, negative feedback at work, etc.) is highly recommended. Being careful is better than being sorry!
Don’t Be Ashamed to Reach Out for Help
Ample resources are available to people with gambling problems, but most of them are hesitant to ask for assistance. If you recognize that you are struggling to control your gambling activities, there are quite a few things you could do.
The first step is to use the self-exclusion feature that is available on legitimate casino sites and stop playing live casino games. If that doesn’t work, you can contact qualified professionals or organizations run by ex-gamblers and receive discreet and free counselling.
In the most serious cases, long-term treatment may become necessary but such outcomes can usually be prevented by starting your recovery before things have gone too far.
