Problem Gambling Self Assessment and Advice

We often use the phrase ‘gambling entertainment’ because that is the very idea. Call a sport if you want. Multi-player poker has been classified just as eSports games are now considered professional sports, many with millions in prize and sponsorship money paid out to pro teams.

We should not look at online gambling, or any form of gambling for that matter, as a get-rich scheme but as a hobby. With the RTP (Return to Play) for most live table games, game shows over 95%, and blackjack over 99% in most cases; with the correct attitude, you can place bets and spend just a tiny amount in the long run gambling at online casinos.

The key is to under four important points:

1. You will have losing streaks (this is where problem gambling habits can occur).
2. You will have winning streaks (generally, you are happy if you continue to bet sensibly).
3. You will need patience to get through the losing streaks. (This means sticking to your bet sizing strategy and allowing variation to take its course – you can visit our Bankroll Management and BetSizing Strategy guide to learn how to control your bet and bet responsibly).
4. The RTP will eventually even out if you play the correct bet sizing strategy. (It is like flipping a coin. Heads may turn up 80 times out of 100, but eventually, over 1,000 flips, tails will start to catch up or overtake).

Explanation of points one to four to help you avoid problem gambling habits

Reread points one, two, and four above. Losing streaks will happen, and it is important to accept these losses. Point three comes in because you need to stick to your game plan without point number one’s losing streaks stressing you out. Eventually, as per point four, the results will even themselves out because you stick to your bet sizing strategy in point three.

Where does point two come into this? You may feel tempted to raise your bet sizes when on a winning streak. This is fine in some ways. But make sure you stick to a bet range, or you risk losing your winnings faster.

Gambling Addiction Self-Assessment Tests

Thankfully, getting help and using assessments to monitor your current gambling habits to make sure you are gambling responsibly is becoming easier. We would like to recommend two organisations that offer problem gambling self-assessment tests.

• GambleAware – self-assessment quiz
• Gamblers Anonymous – 20 questions

These tests are not location-specific:

• Take the tests from any country in the world.
• You do not need to be a gambling addict to take the test.
• We recommended taking the problem gambling self-assessment tests regularly to stay familiar with the signs of problem gambling.

Extra Info:

• Check the list below: You can also use the section below, ‘10 Signs That May Mean You Have Signs of Problem Gambling’, If you score yes for more than three of these points, then take the GambleaAware – self-assessment quiz suggested above.
• These tests are anonymous: They do not ask for your name or address when you take them. If you are worried about IP detection, use a VPN; however, this is overkill, but each is their own. We all have our levels of sensitivity regarding online privacy.

Adding Extra Privacy to Your Test

• Use an in-private browser so your visit to the self-assessment is not recorded on your browser history.
• Use a VPN if you are worried someone may see browsing on the router used to access the internet.

Advice on How You Can Gamble Responsibly

There are a few points to bear in mind when you gamble:

• Set a budget that you can afford: Just like you would set a budget for a gym membership, playing sports, or eating out in a restaurant). We all have to have fun in life, and part of having fun is setting an entertainment budget and dividing it across activities we enjoy.
• Bankroll Management: Always manage your bankroll. Don’t fly through it, as this could lead to problem gambling if you are inclined to make another deposit to recoup your losses.
• Bet Sizing Strategy: Understanding bet sizing is part of your bankroll management strategy. The smaller your bets, the longer you play. However, we all have different appetites for how much we can afford and want to bet. The idea is to size your bets responsibly to avoid depleting your bankroll if you hit a cold streak.
• Use Responsible Gambling Tools: Most casinos today offer responsible gambling tools. They are brilliant at preventing some of the signs of problem gambling,
  • Deposit limits: Prevent you from depositing more than you budgeted for gambling.
  • Max bet limits: Prevent you from raising your spin bet or table game bets to chase losses.
  • Max Loss Limits: Stops you from playing real money games for a period of time if you reach the max loss limit, which you set yourself.
  • Reality Checks: A reality check is a pop-up reminding you how long you have been in your session. It also provides you with your casino balance and win/loss amount for your session.

We highly recommend choosing online casinos that offer responsible gambling tools. Not all casinos offer these tools. However, you can learn more about casinos with these tools in the Livecasinocentral Live Casino Responsible Gambling Tools guide.

Gambling Addiction Test

There are places you can take a test to see if you show traits of gambling addiction. These are not tests designed to catch you, label you as a gambling addict, or put shame on you for gambling. The idea is to help you gamble more responsibly.

How do problem gambling assessments help?

• Tests can help you understand when you are chasing losses.
• They can identify when you might be playing for too long.
• They can identify where you could put yourself at financial risk.

As long as you have your gambling under control, then there is no shame in playing slots and other casino games. The main point is you are not over-gambling and getting into financial difficulty or losing sleep over gambling.

It is casino entertainment, and at the end of the day, if you have your budget as well as your bankroll management and bet sizing mastered and under control, then your gambling is simply a hobby.

10 Signs That May Mean You Have Signs of Problem Gambling

Just because you show one or two signs of problem gambling does not mean you are a gambling addict. All it means is that you need to readjust. Below are ten signals that could mean you must recheck yourself and realign your gambling into a more responsible pattern.

1. Raising your bets to make up for a losing session.
2. Raising your bets after a win and losing your winnings faster.
3. Depositing multiple times to chase a win after a losing session.
4. Losing your temper when you hit a losing streak or breaking equipment or items in your house (mobile players may typically throw their phone on the floor and break it).
5. Getting into debt on credit cards or with friends/family to fund gambling.
6. Lying to people by saying you are borrowing money for something other than gambling, then using the borrowed money to gamble.
7. Consistently canceling social occasions or not going out for social events so you can gamble.
8. Struggling to pay bills like your mortgage, rent, and utilities because you gambled too much gambled too much online.
9. You constantly change the settings on your ‘responsible tools’ so you can deposit more or bet more.
10. Losing sleep over gambling by either worrying about gambling losses or staying up late to chase your losses.

Counterproductive Gambling: Points two and three are important to understand to avoid problem gambling habits. If you are on a losing streak, raise your bets, and continue losing, you invariably lose more. Yet, if you increase your bet size after a winning streak and suddenly the results turn cold, you lose your winnings.

Official UKGC Advice on Safer Gambling

One of the best offcial sources we have seen that covers multiple topics to avoid problem gambling or avoid gambling altogether due to gambling addiction is from the UK Gambling Commission itself.

Source: UKGC website – Safer Gambling – just because this guide is written by the UKGC for British players, doesn’t mean it is not accessible globally. Whether you are in Australia, Canada, or any other country, you can gain some useful insights from the guides and tools mentioned in the UKGC’s safer gambling guide.

The page also leads UK players to help and support from GamCare, which is for UK players only. The hotline is 0808 8020 1333, and it is open around the clock 365 days a week. For information on how to get support for gambling addiction in your country, visit your country page via the Livecasinocentral home page and click in your country flag under the section ‘Play Live Games Using Your Domestic Currency‘.

FAQ – Problem Gambling Self Assessment and Advice

Should I take a gambling self-assessment even if I don’t think I have a problem with my gambling habit?

Yes, why not? Sometimes, you will be surprised by what you can learn from the questions. Even if you have one minor issue, these tests will give you advice on how you can fix that issue to gamble more responsibly.

Does gambling responsibly save me money?

Yes. Remember, this is ‘gambling entertainment’. There is no shame in gambling or stigma as long as you treat gambling as a hobby. The moment you start to chase losses, lose your temper, or let it affect your personality, you should stop gambling.

Do responsible gambling tools offered by online casinos help?

Yes. They stop you from chasing your losses and give you time to cool down. However, we would like to warn you about one slight caveat. You can change your limits, and within 24 hours, the casino will allow these changes to take effect. Therefore, the responsible thing to do is leave your settings as they are and stick to your guns.

What happens if I have already gotten into financial problems through gambling?

Look. You are not alone. There is help out there through numerous support groups online and offline. Looking online for a problem gambling help organisation is the best place to begin. Speak with one of the agents on the live chat. From here, step-by-step you can begin the road to recovery. They’ll give you debt advice, and some will find local support groups where you’ll meet others who have managed to kick the habit of gambling addiction.