With the rise of new gambling websites and an increasing number of people getting involved, promoting responsible gambling has become more crucial than ever. Regulators, betting sites, and people use this term to describe various measures whose goal is to ensure people avoid some of the common problems when gambling.
It’s no surprise that not all iGaming brands have responsible gambling features. Only a tiny fraction provides several measures, allowing players to pick the most suitable options. We at Nostrabet are aware of this, but we are of the opinion that players must be aware of all responsible gambling aspects, features and how it all works.
Responsible Gambling 101
The big idea behind gambling responsibly is to enjoy what you are doing without getting in trouble. Companies have to do everything possible to ensure clients have enough options and help them when they have problems.
Before discussing specific features and how to apply them, we must analyze the basics of responsible gambling. We must start by saying that iGaming operators should only accept users who are the minimum gambling age. The latter is usually 18, but it depends on the client’s country of residence.
Sadly, it is common for clients to lie about their age to use a specific gambling operator. Sites know this, so they will have a verification check requiring all clients to submit certain documents. Players will almost always need to prove their identity, but some operators also want to check the client’s address and even source of funds.
Almost all gambling companies will demand clients complete the verification procedure before withdrawing their winnings. In other words, it is not advisable to sign up by providing false details.
When discussing the principles behind responsible gambling, we also need to mention the exclusion lists. Nowadays, you can come across a lot of third-party services that allow you to self-exclude yourself. Reputable operators should have access to this data and have to do everything possible to prevent you from using their services if you are on such a list.
Self-exclusion lists are usually country-based, so you can check whether there is such a service in your country if gambling is legalised. One of the most popular gambling self-exclusion schemes is GAMSTOP, which is available for UK customers and allows punters who wish to stop their access to gambling sites to register there and, that way, prevent any gambling actions through betting sites or apps.
Of course, players must be responsible and careful for their actions. They must monitor their spending, take a break when needed, use various features, and more.
Responsible Gambling Tools and Measures
Everything mentioned above is important, but it isn’t always enough because many people can develop various gambling problems. To resolve this issue, some operators (often “encouraged” by different gambling regulators) provide responsible gambling tools.
As mentioned, the number of tools differs and will depend entirely on the gambling website. Some platforms take this very seriously and try to offer all popular options, whereas others only have a few solutions. Speaking of the devil, here is what you can expect to come across:
- Self-assessment test – This has to be the most popular option, and it usually consists of several questions you need to answer.
- Self-exclusion – Another prevalent feature that allows players to prevent themselves from accessing their gambling account.
- Time Out – The feature is similar to self-exclusion, but its duration is usually much shorter.
- Deleting an account – This is one of the most serious steps because a user who deletes an account won’t be able to access it anymore.
- Deposit limits – Limiting the amount of money you can deposit can be a great way to control your spending.
- Bet size limit – In some instances, operators provide bet size limits that allow players to control how much they wager on each bet.
- Betting session limit – With this feature, you can limit how much time you spend logged in.
- Disabling certain games/sections/products – Some gambling websites let you disable specific games, sections and products and enjoy the other options.
What Can Operators Do to Help Their Clients to Gamble Responsibly?
Besides granting access to various tools, gambling operators could offer services that do an even better job of assisting users. For example, operators should hire experienced customer support agents who are well-trained in this department. These people should be able to assist a problem gambler when needed.
Another step that operators can take to protect their clients is to work alongside different gambling regulators. In many instances, commissions themselves provide an exclusion list and/or other options. Operators who want to do as much as possible to help their clients can use the data.
Depending on the region, some gambling companies can participate in special events that promote responsible gambling. For example, Safer Gambling Week takes place in the US and the UK.
How to Determine if Someone is Struggling With Gambling Addiction
Also known as compulsive gambling, this is a disorder where someone has an uncontrollable urge to gamble, even though this has a harmful effect on the person’s life. You may also come across the terms gambling disorder, problem gambling, etc., but they usually mean the same thing.
Although a lot of people believe that they won’t have problems while gambling, the reality is different. Everyone can find themselves in such a situation, so it’s very important to be aware of the issue and know how to deal with it.
The bad news is that not all gamblers are in control of their actions, which often causes many problems. Most people will not admit that they have issues, but certain aspects will reveal that:
- Placing too many bets
- Using more money than you can afford to bet
- Lying about gambling and everything related to it
- Using gambling as a way to deal with certain problems
- The inability to stop gambling even though it clearly has a negative impact on something
- Financial issues caused by gambling
- Problems with family and friends
Of course, these were just a few things that indicate when someone has gambling-related problems. You will see many more signs that reveal this behaviour, and people often show many of them at the same time.
If you believe you have such problems or know someone who does, you should do everything possible to help this person. Some countries have their own rules and responsible authorities whose goal is to help this kind of people. Having a gambling disorder can cause a lot of problems, so it is crucial to help the given person.
Third-party Responsible Gambling Authorities
Some countries where gambling is legal have specific regulations and authorities responsible for people with gambling-related issues. However, we won’t cover them now because each country is different and has many specifics.
With that said, users from all over the world can access some of the most popular responsible gambling authorities. Their goal is to help users who experience difficulties and promote how to stay safe while gambling with others. Some of the most popular names here include:
- GamCare
- GambleAware
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- Responsible Gambling Council
- UK Gambling Commission’s Safer Gambling
Some gambling commissions, such as the one in the UK, have more experience dealing with people who have gambling issues. These places provide many more options and features often used by regulators from other parts of the world.
The Challenges Related to Responsible Gambling
Despite the growing awareness of players and the multiple events that promote responsible gambling, people go through a lot of challenges. Among them is underage gambling, an issue that is becoming more prevalent in certain parts of the world.
Even though people who do not have the required gambling age should not be able to use iGaming platforms, this happens from time to time. Unfortunately, a lot of these people do not know how to control their gambling behaviour and often develop all kinds of problems.
To overcome this problem, companies must introduce a more strict verification system. They must require clients to go through this process immediately after signing up and use different tech to ensure people don’t break the rules.
Another challenge related to responsible gambling is the proper implementation of gambling prevention methods. As mentioned, there are a lot of institutions and other authorities that provide tools for people to control themselves when gambling by not allowing them to access certain sites or accounts. The only problem is that most of the work is regional, which means players can’t rely on these tools when accessing international iGaming sites.
To deal with this issue, companies need to start working together and share this kind of information. Once all sites in the iGaming business have access to the data, a person who is at risk will be much safer.
These are just some of the challenges that responsible gambling must overcome. Fortunately, technology can resolve these issues, which is the next important aspect we must address.
The Role of Technology in Responsible Gambling
The rapid growth in the gambling sector means that more and more companies rely on different tech tools. AI plays an increasingly important role in these processes, and we expect to see many future developments in this sector.
There are countless examples of how AI can help people and promote responsible gambling. For example, companies can use the tech to analyze real-time data and interfere and/or give suggestions when needed. The same tech can also be applied to mobile gambling.
A lot more people today have problems caused by their gambling behaviour, so we wouldn’t be surprised if companies develop new tools that only focus on those things. Ideally, these tools will be available to everyone, not just a selected gambling brand.
The Effect of Responsible Gambling
It cannot be denied that the collective efforts of responsible gambling measures, together with the initiatives of third-party operators and regulators, have a positive impact on players. With that said, we also believe that responsible gambling as a whole affects all betting companies in a positive way.
Some people probably think that it is in the interest of gambling sites to have users with gambling problems because the latter will spend more money. This may be true in some cases, but it is better for operators to have customers who do not have such problems, as many of them will play more regularly.
Also, we need to address reputation. Every single legit gambling website that makes an effort to provide additional features for responsible gambling will almost always become a lot more popular among players. Everyone will appreciate the brand’s effort to make their platform safer.
In general, the more we talk about responsible gambling, the more we raise awareness about it. As mentioned, many people do not realize that they have a problem or need help until it is too late. Although there will always be gamblers who have these kinds of issues, many more people will be aware of the potential problems and take measures.
Future Gambling Trends, Regulation and Responsible Gaming
To achieve the best possible results and prevent people from developing gambling problems, websites, regulators, and gambling commissions must work together. They should create a unified network that encourages people to be responsible and helps those with different problems.
As mentioned several times, AI and other tech should make everything more efficient. This, combined with the joint efforts of everyone involved in the responsible gambling space, should provide good results. Of course, we are yet to see if this will be the case.
The most important thing to remember is that you should only gamble for fun. It’s true that some people get lucky and win money, but this does not happen very often.
Gambling isn’t a reliable source of income, and it can be addicting, so you need to abide by some basic rules while playing. Always monitor your spending, how much time you spend while playing, and more. Doing this will allow you to have a lot more fun in the long run.
Responsible Gambling – When the Fun Stops, Stop!
The responsible gambling principles must be followed. With the increasing number of people gambling worldwide, the chance for more and more people to develop addiction to gambling is also going up. This is why it is important for every bettor to know more about the responsible gambling measures, tools and other essential details.
Gambling must be, in the first place, for fun! When the fun is over, it is better to stop playing.
The Nostrabet team encourages every bettor to play responsibly and make reasonable bets. As for the need to be informed, we will try to stay up to date with the trends and tell you about all the important aspects of responsible gaming.
