We outline how to gamble safely by always being very careful about security and scammers and making sure that your leisure pastime does not turn into a gambling addiction
Gambling is a very fun thing to do when you have some time to kill, and the world of gambling can present you with some interesting games. The digital revolution has brought new technology that lets you play the most popular poker games and slot machines online, all with the use of a smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
It is easy to use, and gives you the best variety of games, without having to go anywhere. You just need to be aware of the necessary security and addiction precautions!
Where do you have to pay tax on gambling winnings?
While this is a huge plus for everyone that wants to have a go at an online casino, it is also presenting some concerns. The digital world is filled with hackers and possible threats, that in the worst case can be very dangerous and harmful for you and your devices.
Moreover, gambling is highly addictive, and you should always play in a moderate amount. Let’s look at some tips on how to gamble safely.
Use a security guide when choosing a site
Firstly, it is important to gamble at a safe site. This is where you are making your account, depositing money, and giving payment information, so it is quite obvious that it has to be legitimate. There are so many sites to choose from now, and it can be difficult to find just the right one.
A good tip is to find a guide like PAcasino.com. Such a guide will not only present you to the best gambling sites with great ratings, but it will also guide you in the direction of a casino with great bonuses and welcome offers.
Read the guidelines carefully
A good way to stay clear of scammers is to carefully read the guidelines and investigate the website policies. This should be present on any real gambling site. Just like when you are shopping online and want to avoid scammers, you need to do your research on gambling sites.
The place you play at should also use technologies like RTP and RNG, which stands for Return to Player and Random Number Generator. These two allow for fair games, and thus a better experience.
Keep the gambling in check to avoid addiction
An important part of gambling is also to keep the playing in check. It is easy for the brain to become addicted to the fun games in bright colors, but always remember to take a step back, look at what you’re spending and watch for signs of addiction. Sometimes it can be good to ask yourself if gambling sparks joy in you, or if it is a stressful moment.
Furthermore, you must never gamble with money you can’t afford to lose. In modern online casinos, some technologies are meant to detect addiction, and that puts restrictions on the games. It can for example be by the amount of time and money you can spend each day or week.
10 symptoms to identify gambling addiction
Just like other addictions (alcohol addiction, drug addiction, etc.), gambling addiction is a mental illness. According to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), at least five of the following ten symptoms must be met for a doctor can make a medical diagnosis of gambling addiction:
What to beware of as a gambling beginner
If you are addicted to gambling, you:
- think about gambling all the time.
- continuously increase your stakes.
- keep trying to get your game under control or stop completely – to no avail.
- get restless or irritable trying not to play.
- keep playing even though you are losing more and more money or are already having money problems from gambling.
- often play secretly and lie to relatives, friends or employers in order to keep playing.
- play to feel better and to distract yourself from your problems.
- sometimes commit crimes to finance your gambling.
- ask other people for money to keep playing.
- accept the risk of losing your partnership, family, friends, work or prospects in life.
- In addition to gambling addiction, other addictions or mental disorders can occur. Doctors then speak of comorbidity. Gambling addicts often also suffer from anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression or personality disorders. More than half of the gambling addicts are addicted to alcohol and many morbid gamblers use drugs.
3 Phases of gambling addiction
Gambling addiction typically has three phases:
- Winning phase: In this first phase of gambling addiction, the person concerned “gambles” in company or alone, he enjoys small wins and successes – and is thereby hooked on to continue playing.
- Losing phase: The player loses again and again, but he doesn’t let himself be “discouraged” – on the contrary: Now he plays all the more and usually plays until he wins again, even if he loses more and more over time! Encouraged by occasional winning phases or the attempt to regain lost money by continuing to play, he slowly but surely loses control over his gambling behavior and begins to show the typical symptoms of a gambling addict. Gambling addicts develop what is known as chasing behavior: They lose money and try to get it back by continuing to play with even higher stakes.
- Addiction phase: The person concerned now realizes that his gambling behavior is causing him lasting problems: For example, there are money problems, problems with family, friends, the employer or the law. Even so, his thoughts only revolve around playing.
What is addiction anyway?
Addiction is generally understood to be a pathological dependence on a certain substance or on certain behaviors. The terms addiction and dependence are often used synonymously. Well-known addictions in our society are alcohol addiction, nicotine addiction or the dependence on certain drugs such as cannabis (hashish, marijuana), heroin or crystal meth, or on drugs such as sedatives or painkillers.
Doctors and therapists use the official definition of addiction according to the so-called ICD-10 classification (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems), which was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1954. According to this WHO definition, addiction is a “Periodic or chronic poisoning caused by repeated use of a natural or synthetic drug”.
In the case of gambling addiction, however, it becomes clear that one cannot become addicted to just one drug. This takes into account other definitions of addiction, such as that of the scientist Klaus Wanke, which reads: “Addiction is an unavoidable desire for a certain state of experience. The powers of the mind are subordinated to this desire. It impairs the free development of a personality and it destroys the social bonds and the social opportunities of the individual.”
Addicts try to induce certain feelings of pleasure through their behavior or to suppress or avoid feelings of displeasure such as fear, sadness or anger.
Addictive behavior is characterized by:
- Repetition compulsion: The addict has to consume the substance over and over again or repeat the addictive behavior even though he knows that it is harmful to him.
- Increased use: If a drug is consumed continuously or if a behavior (such as gambling) is repeated over and over again, the body gets used to the condition. So-called tolerance develops, so that ultimately larger and larger amounts of the drug or behavior are necessary to produce the same effect.
- Psychological dependence: Over time, the person concerned gets so used to the regular consumption of the drug or the compulsive gambling that it comes to a psychological dependence. The addict only thinks about the drug or the game. If this “reward” is not received, he can become restless, nervous and aggressive.
- Physical addiction: With physical addiction, the person concerned is also physically (physically) addicted. There are changes in the brain metabolism. If the drug is not used, physical withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, tremors or pain also occur.
Summary
Online casinos can be a fun activity to do when you want to be entertained, however, it is important to stay safe and follow the correct guidelines.
