Responsible gaming – self-help information
Playing should be fun, and sometimes you may play more than you actually want to. This in itself is not bad, but it becomes critical when solid problems arise from excessive gambling. We at Cryptoplay.uk take the issue of gambling addiction very seriously and want to provide a safe, reliable and responsible gaming experience at all times platform for all gamers.
Gambling addiction is virtually as old as mankind, the most prominent example from recent history is probably “The Gambler” by Dostoyevsky. In this book, written in 1866, the author deals with his own gambling addiction and how it ruined his life. Gambling addiction is still a problem today. Especially in front of the home computer, on the cell phone or tablet, the user is left to his own devices and there is a lack of corrective factors from the outside.
The constant availability of gaming offers on the Internet can also be problematic. The same applies to the faster sequence of games and the win-loss decisions. Most people can cope with this, but a small percentage tend to engage in problematic gambling behavior. But what exactly are gambling-addicted people addicted to? This is a question that not only scientists are concerned with.
Some gamers who got into trouble report that it’s not even the money wins that are addictive. Rather, they love the moment just before the decision is made. Specifically, for example, the moment before the roulette ball drops on a number, the dealer puts the card on the table, the reel of a slot machine comes to a stop, and so on.
How exactly gambling addiction manifests itself, what it is based on, what stages there are, how you can recognize it, what online casinos do to protect minors and other vulnerable groups, what responsible gambling means and where you can find help, you can read in the following article.
The three phases of a gambling addiction
A gambling addiction often develops insidiously over a longer period of time. In the literature, gambling addiction is basically divided into three phases, whereby one should always keep in mind that there is no classic course per se. As mentioned above, gambling addiction is always individually different, so that there are also the most diverse courses. Nevertheless, there are three classic phases of the disease:
- Winning phase
The initial winning phase is characterized by occasional gambling and positive feelings before and during the game. This is usually accompanied by unrealistic optimism and the development of wishful thinking. Furthermore, gambling takes place for increasingly higher amounts and reality is increasingly faded out.
- Loss phase
In the loss phase the gambler trivializes his money losses, he brags about winnings and succumbs to the illusion that the losses are compensated by corresponding money inflows. In the second phase, the gambler isolates himself more and more, his thoughts revolve more and more around the game, and the first major losses occur. However, these are concealed from the environment, the affected person incurs debts and is incapable of resisting the game. The result of all this is the neglect or loss of friends and family.
- Desperation phase
The last phase of gambling addiction is characterized by complete social withdrawal and alienation from family and friends. The gambler’s personality changes, he increasingly suffers from irritability, sleep disorders and other negative characteristics. He is plagued by remorse and hopelessness, even suicidal thoughts. The gambler hates the other winners and he spends received money exclusively on the game. He plays for days and has no more control over his behavior.
Causes of a gambling addiction
Of course, addiction always varies from person to person, and the reasons can be found in personality, biography and other factors. Characteristic of gambling addiction is typically the inability of the person affected to resist the impulse to gamble, and even when this results in profound negative consequences in the personal, family or professional environment.
According to Wikipedia, men are statistically more likely to be affected by pathological gambling than women. Gambling addiction is categorized by science as one of the so-called “abnormal habits and disorders of impulse control.” This also includes kleptomania or pyromania, among others. Since 1980, gambling addiction has been recognized in the international classification systems DSM and ICD.
There is much evidence to suggest that the main risk factors for gambling addiction are to be found in our brain chemistry. It is worth noting that there are certain Parkinson’s medications that can trigger gambling addiction as a side effect. And this is true even in people who have never had problems in this regard before.
How can I tell that I am addicted to gambling?
You now know the typical phases of a gambling addiction and probably already have an idea of what to look out for. As I said, gambling can and should be fun and of course it can happen that you play quite a lot for a while. It can be that you play several days in a row and lose a relatively large amount of money. However, this does not mean that you are automatically addicted to gambling.
This is similar to other addictions – a few glasses of beer do not make you an alcoholic, an extensive shopping spree does not make you a shopaholic, etc. To find out whether you have developed problem gambling behavior or a gambling addiction, you can take a self-test. But you can also ask yourself a few questions here and now that can bring clarity. Please be honest with yourself when answering the questions:
- Do you have to use more and more money to get the same positive feeling from gambling?
- Do your thoughts constantly revolve around gambling?
- Have you tried to reduce or stop gambling more often in the past to no avail?
- Is gambling a way for you to deal with negative aspects such as depression, anxiety, helplessness, guilt, etc.?
- Have you lied to people about the extent of your gambling activity?
- Have you suffered negative consequences in the past as a result of gambling, such as loss of a job or a relationship?
- Do you have serious financial problems as a result of gambling and have had to seek help from those around you?
- When you are not gambling, do you suffer from negative impairments such as restlessness or irritability?
- Do you often gamble longer than you had planned?
- Have you ever thought of self-destructive behavior or even suicide after gambling?
Please note that these questions are only indications and not a rigid diagnostic scheme. The main indicator of pathological gambling is still that gambling has a strong negative impact on other areas of life and that it causes distress.
Special case of excessive computer game or online game use
In this context, we would like to briefly touch on another topic. Nowadays, young people in particular are becoming increasingly addicted to computer games without the possibility of making money. Especially in the case of online role-playing games, a small percentage of players can develop pathological patterns of use that have a negative impact on other areas of their lives, such as family, education or career. If you wonder whether you are at risk of developing such problematic computer game use, you can take an online test at Charité Berlin, the link to which can be found at the end of this article.
Tips to prevent gambling addiction
At this point, we would like to give you some tips on how to counteract gambling addiction. This is not meant to trivialize such a serious issue, and of course you should seek professional help in case of a pronounced gambling addiction. We will tell you about various places you can turn to at the end of this article. Nevertheless, there are a few rules you can follow to keep the risk as low as possible.
- Make sure that gambling does not take up too much space in your life. Devote yourself to other activities or leisure activities as a balance.
- You should always gamble to enjoy yourself, not to win money.
- Be especially careful if you have suffered losses: Don’t chase your losses by betting higher and higher.
- Set certain amounts for yourself that you will use for gambling and never gamble with money that you need to make a living.
- Also, set limits on the amount of time you spend playing.
- If possible, do not play when you are sad, angry or tired. You will not be able to make proper decisions. Also, do not gamble to compensate for negative aspects of your life.