Responsible Gaming in Online Casinos 

Today, it is very easy to start playing at any online casino. Of course, we at Free Spins Mobile Casino find it exciting and entertaining – but we are also mindful of the importance of balance so that gambling does not degenerate and lead to destructive behavior. The reason why we run our casino guide is because we want to help others who enjoy playing at online casinos by finding safe alternatives in the market as well as providing free information about games and casinos in the industry. After all, the idea is that online gaming should be fun!

Sometimes, casino games as entertainment can unfortunately be tricky and, unfortunately, some also end up in terrible gaming addiction. In this guide, we go into more detail about which signals you should pay attention to, but also what you can do to reduce the risk of getting into gambling addiction.

Gambling Addiction vs Gambling Problems 

When you log in to your favorite casino online or on your mobile it should feel good in your stomach. You should definitely not associate it with anxiety or that you are feeling bad. If so, it's really time for you to start reviewing your gaming habits. If you have ended up in this situation you are far from alone today. Many people discover the thrill of playing casino games online, but not everyone can handle this kind of entertainment.

First, we can address the fact that you may have either gambling problems or you may suffer from a gambling addiction. These are two different things – however, the common denominator is that the behavior leads to negative consequences.

Signs of gambling problems: 

• Affects public health with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and difficulty sleeping.
• Gambling problems are sometimes linked to other problems that are alcohol and drug-related.
• Affects socially with conflicts with loved ones and it is difficult to manage the job/school.
• Affect financially with problems paying monthly expenses and any debts.

Gambling addiction today is also called gambling syndrome, which is a diagnosis made by either a doctor or a psychologist. Below is a list of criteria for gambling syndrome.

Signs of gambling addiction: 

This problem starts when you:

• think about games and playing all the time;
• have to play for higher stakes to get the same “kick”;
• have tried to stop or limit your gambling without success;
• feel annoyed when you try to stop or limit the gambling;
• play to avoid thinking about other issues such as anxiety, debt or depression;
• are trying to win back money that you have lost on your gambling;
• are not honest about your playing with friends and family;
• risk personal relationships, education and work due to gambling.

Early warning signals for gambling problems 

Games of money affected by chance, so-called gambling, have been around since ancient times. In other words, people have long ago had problems related to just games of money. Most often it is difficult to limit how much time and money you can and spend on gambling. Having difficulties in setting such limits, in turn, means that everything that usually leads to problems that relate to everything from relationships to work and the private economy. But there are actually a couple of early warning signals that you should not ignore:

• 1/ You continue your gambling even if you have a negative impact on health, finances and your relationships.
• 2/ You rarely play for much more money than you had originally planned.
• 3/ You also play for a much longer time than you initially thought.

Reasons why people suffer from gambling problems 

It is easy to suffer from gambling problems and then it is also common for several different factors to play into and affect the condition together. Below you can read more about various such factors as for example:

• So-called “fast games” such as online slot machines
• More and more advertising about games and that games are so easily accessible
• You want to feel tension or reduce negative emotions
• The reward system in the brain is influenced by your gaming habits

If you are interested and want to learn more about why many people have problems or suffer from gambling addiction, we recommend that you visit the website “Gambling Therapy” which comes from the National Health Service.

Take control of your finances again 

When you feel that you are starting to have problems with your gambling about money, it means that your overview and control and your finances also deteriorate significantly. For example, we always advise our readers to create a small gaming budget and go through the economy first. That way, you know exactly how much you can spend on playing casino games online and still afford to pay bills and shop for food. If you have not made a budget and feel that you do not have good control over your finances because you are playing too much, you can start by reviewing how much you have played for and spent during, for example, the last few months. Write everything down on a piece of paper so that you have the numbers in front of you and really see how much money is spent. Then you can talk to someone in your area that you trust and that could help you regain control and be a support.

Lock your account with the casino sites 

All major players on the market today offer their players the opportunity to lock themselves up. In other words, if you have an account with several different casinos, it can be a good idea to log in and close the account with all of them so that you do not risk falling back. You can also set limits on how much money you can put in, for example, a month and how long you can stay logged in and play at a time. If you still feel a craving that is hard to stop, you can also block casinos that you play with altogether.

Treatment and a life without games 

If you suffer from gambling addiction and you try to stop playing, you will soon find that it takes a lot of time. Therefore, it is worth thinking about what you want to do with your time instead of what is now over. You may want to try to learn how to play an instrument, read more books, try new activities or just hang out with your family and friends. By filling up the time it does not become a void which increases the risk of you starting playing again.

If you do not succeed in addressing your gaming problems on your own, there is help to get today. You can, among other things, visit the Gamblers Anonymous for support. If you suffer from a gambling problem, you may also receive cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational conversation. Contact your local health center to find out how to go and get treatment.

Let's play smart and healthy!