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How to stay in control - The Complete Guide

CasinoFreak Editorial
CasinoFreak Editorial

​​​​​​​stay in control

There is nothing more important to us than your safety. We want you, as a gambler, to only have fun and help you avoid dealing with any sort of issues.

Yet, safety is not just about whether a casino is keeping your private financial data secure. It is also about the site doing its part to make sure that all players are gambling responsibly

We encourage responsible gambling and addiction awareness. Safe gambling is really important as it can help you stay away from gambling addiction. 

Note that if you are dealing with a problem gambler, you may feel guilty and ashamed as well. And, unfortunately, the self-blame can highly increase stress and it may urge you to gamble even more.

The good news is that there are some great ways to keep yourself in control or even stop gambling, in case of addiction. If you are dealing with a gambling problem, then you can receive the help you need upon assessing our article. 

DID YOU KNOW?

According to statista.com, in 2019, the global casino and internet gambling industry was predicted to be worth around 265 billion USD. This was a great increase in comparison with the previous year. 

Check out the following tips to stay in control

Tips for staying in control

Based on findings from responsiblegambling.org, there are several useful tips that can help you stay in control. Here is what you can do to avoid problem gambling. 

  • Set budget and time limits – Note that you can use various tools to help you monitor your play. 
  • Always gamble how much you can afford – If you don’t have money to gamble, then don’t gamble at all. You must never borrow money or use your savings for gambling.
  • Don’t think about gambling as an income source – It is very important how you look at gambling. You must consider this activity as a way to have fun and not a chance to win money. 
  • Always read the terms & conditions -  In order to play safely, you need to carefully read the terms & conditions on the site you are playing at. 
  • Decide on a money limit before you play – It is essential to set a money limit in advance. This useful trick can help you manage your risks a lot better. 
  • Never chase your losses – If you chase your losses, then you may have irrational behaviour that will result in even more losses. 
  • Have a deep knowledge of how the game works – It is important to never bet if you don’t know exactly how the game works. This is an essential rule mainly for sports betting and skill games such as Blackjack and Poker.
  • Never gamble when you are feeling down – If you are sad, angry, or depressed, then you must avoid gambling. Negative feelings will not allow you to make efficient decisions. 

Remember to read the Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

It is important that you never play before reading the Terms & Conditions. Note that there may be separate pages of an online casino for T&C and Bonus Terms. You must carefully analyze both before gambling. 

1. Common bonus terms

The wording may vary slightly, but the Terms and conditions will usually be quite similar on any platform. What’s really important is to understand that there will be General T & C that could apply to the Bonus. 

Yet, they may be not listed under the Bonus Terms. Therefore, as mentioned above, you need to carefully analyze both pages before playing. 

2. Unique bonus Terms & Conditions

Some platforms will have Bonus T & C that are fairly unique to them. Plus, they will also vary a lot from one site to another.

3. Bonus terms to avoid

Note that there are many Bonus Terms that are specially designed to thwart advantage gamblers. Most of the terms are specifically designed for this reason, if not for outrighting completely precluding the possibility of advantage play. 

Learn how to calculate wagering requirements

Wagering Requirements

You can use a mathematical formula to find out how much a bonus is actually worth. Yet, remember that this formula only works with cashable casino bonuses. 

Sticky bonuses never leave anything for profit because they are subtracted from the balance before cashing out. Therefore, they do not ever leave anything for profit. 

The wagering formula

  • Multiply the house edge with the amount you must wager in order to clear the bonus
  • Subtract this amount from the bonus amount
  • You can make a profit from the bonus when the result is positive
  • You can lose the bonus money and some of the deposit before clearing the bonus when the result is negative  

EXAMPLE 1

You are playing Blackjack. You have a house edge of 50%. The bonus terms are 70 times the bonus and the deposit. You deposit $500 and you get a bonus of $500. Multiply $1000 times 70 for a total play-through requirement of $70.000.

$70.000 times the edge of 50% offers you an expected loss of $350. The bonus is only worth $500, so this is certainly an expected loss of $150 more than the bonus. 

Take into consideration the fact that this is how most online casinos work. You should expect to lose a higher amount of money than the bonus is actually worth. 

EXAMPLE 2

Here is another example. You find a bonus that offers you $500 for a $200 deposit, for a total of $700. The bonus allows blackjack play. Yet, it only counts at a 15% rate against clearing the bonus.

The normal requirement is 30x the bonus amount. So, this means that instead of a 30x playthrough, you must complete a 300x playthrough requirement if you play this game. 300 times the $500 bonus is a total of $150.000

If you are playing the same Blackjack game as in the above example, then you multiply this by 50%. This will provide you with an expected loss of $1.000. Therefore, you are actually going to lose all of the bonus, including your deposit before you can clear the bonus.

Several mobile and online casinos use this trick. It only looks like a great bonus, but the requirement is so high that this is a much worse bonus offer than others. 

Cancelling a bonus at an online casino. Steps you need to follow

How to cancel a bonusWhether an online platform lets the user cancel an active bonus or not, it is important to know that there are two main categories of bonuses:

  • Cancelable -These bonuses can be cancelled whenever you want
  • Non-cancelable -These bonuses cannot be cancelled by you. However, the online casino can do so due to other reasons such as if the bonus abuse takes place. 

Using website tools for cancelling an active bonus

If the online platform you are playing at allows you to cancel an active bonus, then the best method is through the online casino. In most cases, this feature can be found in your account section. Here are the steps you need to follow:

  1. Log in and click on the ’’Bonus’’ section. Then, you need to click on the button ’’Forfeit Bonus’’ or ’’Cancel Bonus’’. 
  2. After doing so, you must confirm your action by clicking ’’OK’’. 
  3. The next step is to check your account for confirmation. It should be displayed as cancelled somewhere in your account settings. 

Contact the support team

Contacting the support team

In case you don’t manage to cancel the bonus by yourself, then you can contact the support team. You can find all the necessary contact details on the casino’s website. Depending on the online casino, you can either do that via live chat or via email.

Both these options are pretty easy and straightforward. Check out if the platform has a ’’live chat’’ section or a support email address. Simply mention the type of bonus you want to cancel and the support team will do that for you. 

PLEASE NOTE 

Bonuses can automatically be cancelled by the online casino if you don’t meet the wagering requirements attached. That’s why it is essential to always read the associated terms & conditions, and also the common bonus restrictions that may apply. 

What happens if you cancel an active bonus

There are some consequences of doing so, and you must take them into consideration before making this decision. Note that the bonus body itself and the winnings that come from it will be ended. Therefore, you will be left only with your deposit amount.

Carefully check out if the bonus has been cancelled or not. Violating bonus requirements may even cause confiscation of your entire deposit. For any uncertainty, you should contact the platform’s support. 

REMEMBER

If gambling gets out of hand, you can decide to self-exclude. This will restrict your access to the casino for a set period of time.

Myths about online casinos that you must know 

Online gambling is fun, and it can also be quite rewarding, but only when done responsibly. Yet, there are several myths surrounding online gambling that you must know. Check them out below:

  1. Online casinos are a scam and you cannot win
    This myth simply is not true. Gambling platforms want to ensure fair play and therefore they use a Random Number Generator. This is to make sure that all games are 100% random. It means that when you are playing online, you actually have as many chances to win as any other gambler.
    When you do win some money and want to withdraw the funds, gambling platforms feature some of the most online security systems.
  2. Online gambling is illegal
    Online gambling is legal in most states. It has strict laws that govern it just like physical casinos.  Yet, it is your responsibility as a gambler to check whether the legislation in your country allows online gambling or not. Always remember to do so before playing at any online casino.
  3. Online gambling is actually a front for money laundering
    This is another common myth about gambling. Well, the truth is that there is no evidence of this. Transparency is a must in this industry. Therefore, money laundering is all about non-existent. Note that those operating gambling platforms must undergo very strict backgrounds before getting the license. 
  4. Online gambling encourages minor gamblers
    It is possible for an underage gambler to wander into an online casino and lose money. Yet, most online casinos feature a very strict age verification process. On these platforms, if the gambler’s age cannot be verified, then he won’t be able to play.
  5. Online gambling is more addictive than live gambling
    This statement is yet another myth about this industry. It is important to know that online platforms track every move the gambler makes. They track the frequency of your deposits and also the number of logins. With this useful information, the platform can be more proactive in terms of controlling problem gambling. 

Land-based casinos vs. online casinos

Types of casinos

Besides attractive games, casinos use other instruments as well to attract and retain gamblers. There are various strikes that operators use to convince you to play longer and spend more.

Physical casinos use some ’’secrets’’. Yet, online operators also have their own strategies to keep players busy. 

Land-based casino secrets

The longer players stay inside the casino, the more profit the casino makes. The ultimate goal of all land-based casinos is to make players lose track of time. 

Alcohol and the exciting atmosphere have this purpose. Plus, the floor plan is another trick physical venues employ. 

Online casino facts you didn’t know

Unlike physical venues, online casinos cannot use elaborate website designs to keep gamblers away from exits and do the above tricks. Yet, they are armed with some other effective tools.

One of the most common gambler concerns is that online platforms may manipulate game results. This should not be an issue as long as you know the difference between fake and original games. 

Land-based casinos

Online casinos

No windows and clocks

Time-tracking tools for tracking the time spent on gambling

They pump oxygen into their halls

This is not possible when playing online because you can play from wherever you want

Alcohol and an exciting atmosphere

You play from the comfort of your home / No alcohol / You are not disturbed by other people and noise

Floor plan

You decide when to stop gambling and when to start it again

 

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BeGambleAware is an independent charity that empowers responsible gambling across the UK.

The charity provides gambling prevention and treatment services for gamblers and affected families through a safe, professional environment.
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