As the number of gamblers who are switching their one-time land-based gaming action online increases, it is good to see that the organizations that license and regulate such operations are ensuring responsible gambling policies are firmly in place at the sites they do oversee.
For way too long now it has been possible to run wild when gaming at for example online casino sites, often resulting in all manner of problems for those who are unable to control their gambling activities.
But do such policies actually work and are they really protecting players who may have any form of gambling-related problem, well I put that question to the founder of sister casino guide a popular online casino comparison site.
I was walked through the multitude of different tools and initiatives that casino sites have in place and will pass on to you below the ones that are helping gamblers help themselves stay in control when playing at cyber gaming tables or when playing games such as slot machines and video poker games at home.
Deposit Limit Settings
The number of payment options that anybody who does fancy gambling online on any type of site that offers real money wagering opportunities are huge, with credit and debit cards being readily accepted along with web wallets and even cryptocurrency deposit options being available.
The sites that do take responsible gambling seriously will offer their customers an option to select a maximum deposit amount to have in place on their account and will also allow their customers to set a number of days, weeks, or even months for that deposit limit to be in place too.
As such by making use of that option setting, the ability to spend more than has been chosen is impossible for the banking interface will block any attempt to deposit more than the chosen amount once it has been reached.
Some gambling sites also have software in place that detects if someone is making deposits in quick succession and will block any additional deposits until a customer care team member has contacted that customer to give them a gambling-related welfare check by phone.
Onscreen Profit/Loss Reminders
Many gamblers will admit to feeling like they are in a trance-like state when they are playing slot machines or other casino games such as keno and can become oblivious to the amount of time they have been gambling and the amount of cash they have been wagering too.
Another tool that most casino sites now offer their players is an onscreen and prominent reminder type of meter, in which their current profit and loss for that session are displayed and updated each time a wager placed wins or loses on any game.
The amount of time a customer of such sites has been logged into their account is also displayed, and that can and does often function as a reality check for players, who can instantly see how much they have won or lost and how long they have been gambling too.
It is however vital that you stick to playing and gambling at casinos that hold a full gambling license, and one that is displayed on their website and links through to their respective Gambling Commission.
Casinos that are unlicensed will rarely if ever offer any type of responsible gambling tools to their players.
Take a Break and Self-Exclusion
Knowing you can set deposit limits is one thing, however, for some people who experience short-term gambling-related problems should not be gambling in the first place and as such, that is where two additional tolls come in hand for such players.
The Take a Break setting available at responsible gambling sites allows players to instantly lock themselves out of their accounts for any period of time they choose, and as such, they will not be able to deposit or gamble at those sites until their self-chosen lock-out time expires.
A long-term option is also available for anybody that wishes to give up gambling altogether, and that is known as a Self-Exclusion, which will see a player informing a gambling site operator either by phone, email, or by filling in an online form, that they wish to be permanently banned from that gambling site.
Once that option is taken, they will not be able to log into their now closed account ever again, and any attempt to sign up with a new account at those sites will be denied.
For the majority of people though, online gaming in any shape or form is an enjoyable pastime, and by setting your own personal limits and importantly sticking to them most gamblers do have hours of fun and entertainment when gambling online.
Just keep in mind that at the end of the day the casino always has a house edge on every single game they offer their customers, and that is true at both online and land-based casinos.
