How to Gamble Responsibly Correctly: A Guide
There is no need to rely on outside forces to protect vulnerable players from destructive behavior.
Players and stakeholders alike shouldn't have to look to after-the-fact enforcement to learns what sites are making them vulnerable during Corona: there is plenty to be done to protect oneself.
Be Self-Aware
Some might not even be aware what constitutes responsible, or safe gambling.
Defining Safe Behavior
The basic definition includes exercising control and informed choice.
The goal of informing one's gaming choices is to keep gambling affordable and entertaining for the player from start to finish.
Balance in Life
The behavior should be undertaken in a manner what is balanced with other activities and responsibilities in life: if not, and you are blocking out the rest of your life to play, then you are vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
That being said, what is one supposed to do if they stray?
Examining Personal Usage
Well, start by taking a long, hard look at usage rates. Ask yourself:
What funds are you using? Is it money you needed or planned to use to pay for necessities such as bills or food?
Is gambling dominating your free time, or do you engage equally in other leisure activities such as recreation and social time?
Are you borrowing money or using credit cards to play?
Are you playing under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
Are you playing as a way to manage your emotions, such as when you feel anxious or nervous? Do you use gambling as a relaxation activity?
Do you know the proper answers to the above questions?
If the answers are unclear, or falling on the wrong side of any of these questions, it is time to set limits for yourself.
Limits Defined
Limits include on time (how long) and money (how much) you gamble.
Maximum bet sizes, and limits on increasing bets are two management adjustments suggested for those with only minor difficulties, that may have answered just one or two questions unsatisfactorily.
Self-Managing Adaptation
More proactive self-management adaptations include using websites with a daily limit spend, and holding only one gambling account
Signs of Outside Help
If these measures do not seem sufficient, either in suggestion or practice, disable your accounts, get outside help, voluntarily self-exclude, and embrace other outlets to pass the time during corona, from family to reading to picking up a new hobby.
Outlook: Better Left Said
While this may seem easier said than done to the most afflicted, thoughtful introspection of both players and operators based on the aforementioned suggestions stands to filter some portion of potential problems problematic behavior, before more significant financial or emotional problems or government penalties manifest.
