How To Gamble Safely (part 2)

Title: How to Gamble Safely – Tips to Keep Gambling under Control

SEO link: how-to-gamble-safely

Description: Gambling can be a fun activity, but can also cause a lot of harm when it gets out of hand. Find out how to gamble safely.

(Part 2 of an article written and edited for Casino.guru)

Gambling is a form of entertainment, with a cost

Instead of gambling to win money, try to view it as entertainment. As with most forms of amusement, it costs money.

We pay for entertainment by purchasing tickets, meals, drinks, etc. In gambling, it's 'paid for' by playing at a statistical disadvantage. This enables casinos to run profitable businesses for our entertainment.

Money is part of the thrill that comes with winning. It adds to the entertainment value. Although some people enjoy playing casino games for free, most people enjoy them more when using real money.

Although money should not be the main reason for gambling, it adds to the entertainment value. Gamble because you enjoy the thrill of it, not just to win money.

Only gamble with money you can afford to lose

Getting into financial issues is one of the problems with gambling addiction.

Problem gamblers often borrow money to sustain their habits. They will do everything possible to get more money to play!

Problem gamblers sometimes cut back on essential needs to have more money to gamble. This starts by cutting out luxury items, but can gradually turn into more important necessities such as food and housing.

To stay safe, it’s important to set a budget and only play with money you can afford to lose. Don't sacrificing purchases, savings or other items needed to support yourself and your family.

By spending more than your budget set aside for gambling, or cutting back on other expenses, may develop into a problematic gambling habit.

Don’t chase your losses

Chasing your losses and trying to win back lost money is one of the surest ways to lose everything. It turns fun gambling sessions into financial losses and is a solid pitfall for gambling addiction.

Losing money feels bad and it’s natural to want to win it back.

But remember to have the right mindset when gambling.

• Don’t expect to win money

• Try to view gambling as entertainment with a cost

If you expect to lose, you won’t be tempted to chase your losses.

Trying to win back lost money is a way of digging a deeper hole – one that is difficult or impossible to fill.

By playing at a disadvantage, you statistically lose more money than you win back. Don’t make the same mistake as some other people. Set a budget for yourself and stop playing once you hit it.

Never play with borrowed money

It's important never to play with borrowed money. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.

Gambling with borrowed money is a clear sign you can't afford to lose it, even though it might seem otherwise.

Perhaps the most common situation is borrowing money to gamble before a paycheck, with the intention of paying off the debt soon afterwards. This may seem harmless, but it’s not because:

• You need to borrow money in the first place. A clear sign that you don’t have enough money for gambling.

• Carelessly borrowing money can create a dangerous financial situation and ruin your life.

• You can get tangled up with loan sharks or dangerous people, which is a danger in itself.

• Playing with borrowed money can be stressful and endanger your health, cause bad decisions and generate even more trouble.

The dangers don’t stop there. Even when you think everything's under control, it’s never a good idea to borrow money to gamble. Don’t do it.

Keep track of time and money

It's easy to lose track of time when gambling. Modern games are engaging and keep you entertained, making time pass more quickly. You might think you’ve only been playing for 30 minutes when it's been two hours!

The same goes for money. It’s easier to remember wins and therefore create a biased image about the money you've lost over the years.

Many frequent gamblers are shocked when they find out how much money they’ve actually lost.

It's important to keep track of how much time and money you spend on gambling.

• Pay attention to the length of your gaming sessions.

• Note the time when you started playing.

• Try to establish a reality check about the length of your session.

At many online casinos, reality checks store information about the amount of money won or lost during a session. This information doesn't cross over into other sessions and you'll need to keep track of that yourself because not many casinos keep long-term player statistics.