How to Stay in Control

Undeniably, the iGaming market is constantly growing and at a rapid pace. According to specialists from begambleaware, 3 to 5 out of 100 gamblers have an addiction problem which is a considerably large number. 

Here at NonStopBonus, we try to help our readers find the right sort of information and direct them to specialized institutions if an addiction problem arises.

Remember that we can only offer you general information and guidelines regarding gambling addiction problems. We provide you resources, data, and recommendations collected from studies on gambling addiction.

What’s more concerning is that 15,8% of the respondents were between 16 and 24 years old. 

Because the gambling market is constantly growing, it’s more important than ever to stay in control, gamble responsibly, and help the responsible bodies and authorities protect minors from the ill effects of problematic gambling. 

7 Tips to Stay in Control

Staying in control is not hard at all if you follow some basic tips and tricks to keep you on the right track and keep gambling “light”. Here are a couple of tips that anyone can follow and that can easily be put to practice for both online and land-based gambling. 

Try not to view gambling as a source of income

Yes, there are a couple of professional players that make a living out of gambling but realistically speaking, dreaming of becoming a professional player is just like dreaming to become an Olympic athlete after just a couple of push-ups.

For the vast majority of gamblers, this dream is impossible to achieve, and pursuing it usually results in not only disappointment but also serious addiction as specialists from Be Gamble Aware have suggested.

Always read the terms and conditions 

You may end up caught with some impossible to achieve playthrough requirements in a situation where you are simply forced to give up the bonus and the initial deposit because you simply don’t have the time or the financial power to complete it. 

Even if you can complete it, you may lose much more than it is worth. 

Never neglect the potential of playing games for free

While some may argue that playing for free removes the gambling part, playing some games in demo mode is a great idea.

At least for a while, you can prevent budget losses and potential gambling addiction, since you have time to decide if they are worth your money or not.

Avoid alcohol and other substances when gambling

They may distort the reality and make you take bad decisions like stretching or gambling much more than you would normally do.

Never gamble when you are stressed or upset

 If you are in a bad mood, counseling is the best idea and gambling will only make matters worse. 

Only gamble at online casinos that offer responsible gambling features

Having these features in place also shows that the specific gambling website cares about the well-being of its customers and it’s not just after the profit. 

Use a self-exclusion service

There are many software companies on the market like BetBlocker or GamBan that can help you self-exclude for a while from one or multiple online casinos.

Stay Informed - Read the Terms and Conditions

Claiming a bonus can be attractive for new players.

Let’s face it, we all love free stuff.

But as everybody knows, few things marketed as free are actually free.

On paper, getting a free amount of cash that you can gamble for free sounds great, especially when you think about the potential benefits and large prizes you could win.

Many players tend to overlook the fact that a bonus or a promotion is much harder to claim in reality.

Absolutely all bonuses and promotions come with wagering requirements unless the specific gambling website specifies otherwise. 

Sounds pretty simple right? 

In reality, it is not, because each particular operator can impose playthrough requirements as tiny as x10 or as big as x90 which represent impossible to achieve conditions for many players. 

To make things even more complicated, some conditions may specify that the bonus or the promotion is only available for a specific game or a restricted number of games.

Another condition may mention that only some specific games are taken into consideration for the playthrough requirements. 

Taking all that into consideration, it is very important to always read the terms and conditions.

We strongly advise you to read both the general terms and conditions of the specific casino and the terms and conditions of the bonus you are trying to claim. Sometimes, the T&C may not be on the same page as the specific promotion. 

How to calculate wagering requirements

Claiming a bonus may be profitable if you make the right calculations. You will have to multiply the house edge with the total amount that will be wagered. Subtract this amount from the bonus.

If the result is positive, there is a slight chance for profit. If the result is negative, it’s a clear sign that you will most likely lose the bonus and the initial deposit.

How to cancel a bonus

If at some point you decide that a claimed bonus or promotion was a bad idea, you can take several actions to cancel it. Depending on each casino operator, the conditions and consequences for canceling a bonus can vary quite a lot. 

If this is the case, your only chance is to contact customer support via email or live chat. It’s important to keep written evidence of your conversation in case problems arise. 

If the bonus is cancelable, most gambling websites will allow various tools which you can use to cancel the promotion yourself and can usually be found in your account settings at the bonus section. 

If you are planning to cancel a bonus, try not to wager anything in the meantime because, at most online casinos, both the bonus and the potential wins will be declared null in case of premature canceling if the wagering requirements haven’t been met.

If you feel like you don’t want to give up on a bonus while it is at your disadvantage, you can always check our Complete guide to self-exclusion.

Online casinos myths

There are several myths on the internet revolving around gambling. 

Instead of diminishing the gambling problems, they tend to make things worse by showing a distorted reality. Let’s check out the most popular ones:

You Can Influence the Outcome of Some Games

Many players believe that you can somehow influence the outcome of some casino games like card games by using card-counting techniques. 

Even if unproven, the technique may work in land-based establishments, but since in the online environment everything is controlled by RNG’s which randomize the result each time, it’s impossible to accurately make any sort of counting. 

Also, if the casino determines what you are trying to do, it may be considered a cheating attempt and your account may be closed.

Online Gambling Is More Addictive Than Live Gambling 

There is no study to prove that online gambling is more addictive than live gambling. Quite the opposite.

Land-based establishments tend to use a lot more “tricks” to keep players entertained than gambling websites which usually employ several reality check tools to remind their customers to take a break and cool off.

Online Gambling produces more Underage Players

Closely related to the one above, there is a myth and a concern that online gambling is easier to access by minors than land-based gambling. 

This is also false because all gambling websites have increased security measures and identity checks in place to prevent minors from playing. 

A Slot Machine that hasn’t Paid in a While is More Likely to Grant a Big Win

All slots use an RNG (Random Number Generator), an algorithm certified by independent auditing bodies that ensure that all results are random and there is no way to predict or control them. 

You Have to Bet the Maximum Wager to Win more

Just like the other ones above, this myth is also false for the same reason. It doesn’t matter if you wager $1 or $100. 

The RNG will randomize the result in either a win or a loss. The only difference between a small wager and a large wager is the potential win amount but will not influence the course or the result of the game by any means. 

Land-based casinos vs. online casinos

One of the subjects that are still not being discussed enough revolves around the marketing ways and different “tricks” that a land-based establishment uses to keep gamblers entertained and playing for longer periods. 

On the opposite side, online casinos are preferred precisely because they don’t use the same techniques and on the contrary, they use plenty of ways to ensure that players are gambling responsibly. 

Land-based establishments have their secrets, but so do certain casino games. If you wish to find out more about this subject, you can check or article on slots and the truth behind them.

Most useful tools responsible play tools

A good thing about technology is the fact that nowadays we have an app or a tool to help us with just about anything and there are plenty of tools integrated with online casinos that can help you stay on the right track and prevent gambling problems.

Here is a list of the most well-known tools available at online casinos and how they can help you.

• Game History - Just like the name suggests, you can see how much time and money you have spent in your previous gambling sessions.

• Financial Limits - Allow you to control how much you can spend in a gambling session or in a designated timeframe, for example in a month.

• Self-Exclusion - One of the advanced tools that allow you to cancel your account for a designated timeframe and take a break from gambling.

• Minor Gambling Prevention Tools - A series of verifications and checks in place to prevent minors from gambling.

• Reality Check -  Messages and reminders to take a break and cool off.

Final thoughts

Gambling may be fun if done right, but things can quickly take a dark turn if you are not gambling responsibility. Remember to always double-check the Terms and Conditions before rushing towards any promotion to avoid falling into a trap.

Also, there are plenty of tricks shown in this article that can help you stay in control, however, if you feel like the matter is getting out of hand, you should look for professional help.