When you’re thinking about where to gamble online, a lot of different things probably run through your head. From promotions to odds to games available to banking methods. The list goes on. But do you ever think about responsible gambling tools?
Do I need responsible gambling tools?
Some people just think about responsible gambling as something you need if you have a problem with gambling. But the truth is, everyone can benefit from using responsible gambling tools. Whether you’re a casual gambler that only logs on every few weeks or you’re a regular who thinks they know the score, responsible gambling can benefit you in so many different ways.
The main benefit of responsible gambling is that it can help identify bad gambling habits or even stop them from forming in the first place because you’re more aware of yourself. However, they can also help you manage your time and your bankroll much better too. And that’s a good news story for everyone! So it’s absolutely worth exploring responsible gambling tools and what they can do for you.
Activity tracker
Off the top of your head, do you know how much you’ve spent on online gambling in the last year? How about the losses you’ve racked up in the last month? If the answer to those questions is a big fat no, you should be tracking your activity better.
On good online gambling sites, you should be able to view your account activity and statistics. This includes bet times, transactions, win/loss history, net deposits and, of course, your balance. You should be able to see your activity across a range of time periods from a week, a month to a year.
Once you’ve had a good look at these statistics, you can assess how your online gambling sessions are working for you and if there’s any area you need to cut down on.
Budget calculator
Working out if you can afford what you want to spend online gambling is extremely important. In order to work out what you have to spend, think about all the money you have coming in. Add up your wages after deductions, benefits and any other income you have. Then deduct your other major expenses, such as rent or mortgage, utility bills, loans, transport costs, shopping any any other major expenses. Then also think about what you need to save regularly too and deduct that from your overall income.
That should leave you with your expendable cash. You shouldn’t think about spending all of that on gambling. Because you’re going to need to have fun with your friends, take a holiday, splurge on some nice meals out. But you can spend a small percentage of that expendable money on online gambling.
On some of the better websites, you’ll find a budget calculator included in the responsible gambling pages.
Deposit limits
Let’s face it, it’s always a good idea to stay on top of your finances. If you regularly gamble online, you know how important that is. And why not utilise a handy tool to make sure you stick within your budgets? Set a deposit limit for a 24-hour, 7-day or 30-day period so you definitely won’t accidentally deposit more than you want to play with. At most sites, you can also decrease these limits at any time too.
However, if you want to increase your limits, it’s a big decision. You should never decide to increase your limits because you’ve lost a packet and think you can win it back. That’s throwing good money after bad and is never a good idea. So if you have thought it through carefully and do want to up your limits, many sites have a 24-hour period before your new increased limits take effect.
Time limits
We’ve all been there before. Getting immersed in a gaming session and just not realising how much time is going by. It’s never a good feeling to spend longer than you wanted to gambling. So make sure you manage your time cleverly. Set time limits on your play. Good gambling sites have time limits or reality checks that you can set to give you a nudge when you’ve been playing for over a certain amount of time. This often applies to sportsbook or casino play, but sometimes poker is exempt.
Much like deposit limits, you can get alerts more often instantly. However, if you want to remove time limits or get the alerts less often, it takes 24 hours before you’ll see the difference.
What sites take responsible gaming seriously?
In order to keep you safe when you’re online, you need to make sure your online sportsbook, casino or poker room has enough measures in place to keep your safe. For this article, we found all of the measures discussed above at bet365.
