Responsible Gaming

Understanding Responsible Gaming

Responsible gambling is the set of social responsibility initiatives by the gambling industry to ensure the integrity and fairness and promote awareness of harms associated with gambling, such as gambling addiction.

Safer gambling has become one of the cornerstones of online gambling in the last years. With more and more casino sites opening every week, there was a huge need to set out rules to protect players from gambling harm and ensure safe user experience.

Responsible gaming also ensures that all stakeholders – from online casino operators to casino software developers have a responsibility and obligation to offer safe user experiences and protecting people from gambling addictions and other issues related to problem gambling. All companies engaging in gambling must follow the regulatory bodies' responsible gaming rules or face significant fines.

Protecting susceptible gamblers

Some players might be tempted to spend too much time and money on gambling sites. This can become a problem if it affects other parts of your life, and most casino websites implemented measures you can use to get your gambling habits under control. Websites can offer self-exclusion on different products, or you can set deposit limits or time limits as well.

Sites also send regular notifications about how much time you've spent on the site so you can keep track of your habits better. Some responsible gaming systems also recognize if you've been chasing losses and regularly topping up your account and might delay the deposit with 24 hours to give you a cool-off period.

Preventing underage gambling

Preventing underage gambling is a shared responsibility between operators and parents. Operators have strict measures to stop underage kids from registering to their websites, and they also try to limit advertising exposure to this age group. Parents should also monitor their children's internet access and install parental control functions. There are plenty of sites and apps where you can play casino games for free, which can still develop unhealthy gambling habits at a young age.

Protection against money laundering and data breach

Online gambling sites can be targets of hacks and money laundering activities. Casino operators must implement security protocols to identify money laundering activities and stop data breach attempts before they are successful. There are strict policies to protect customer information and financial information from both staff and external attacks.

All your transactions on the casino site are being handled by advanced software. You are well protected from identity theft, and fraud using one of the trusted Canadian casinos.

Ethical marketing and advertising

Operators must follow specific rules when it comes to advertising. They must be factual, not misleading in their advertising, and they must avoid marketing to underage or vulnerable audiences. Advertisers also need to get express permission from the people whose personal details they are using in case they plan to advertise directly, for example, via emails or texts.

Never gamble when you are stressed, angry or depressed, gambling should be fun.

How gamble responsively?

While most people can somewhat control their gambling, some people are unable to. However, responsible gaming will not only ensure you enjoy the game, but it will also save you the stress of losing more than you can afford. Below we look at some tips for responsible gaming.

• Take it as entertainment, not a source of income
  Think of playing casino games as going to the movies or the game. It doesn't matter if your team wins or loses, you had a good time, and there is always next time. Never let gambling become a source of stress.
• Stick to a pre-set budget
  Set up a budget and stick to it. This way, you know you won't spend more than you can afford. Discipline is the key to maintaining healthy gambling habits.
• Only play with your own money
  It is always a bad idea to play with borrowed money. Whether it is from friends, family, or a credit card, if you can't afford it from your own pocket, then don't spend it since there are no guarantees of winning, and you can lose even more.
• Stick to a pre-set time limit
  Regardless of the outcome of your streak – winning or losing – always set a time limit and stick to it. Spending too much time playing online can affect other parts of your life.
• Understand game rules and odds
  There are hundreds of games out there with different rules and different odds at winning. Spending some time learning the rules without stakes will help your chances of profit from a game and minimize your losses at the beginning.

• Don’t chase your losses
  It doesn't matter if you win or lose; you should stay on budget. It is easy to be tempted to chase your losses and make back your money, but this can lead to your gambling habit spiralling out of control.
• Don’t be superstitious
  Gambling is about luck and chance. If there is a lucky table you prefer or always play the same game where you win big, that's fine, but don't expect that to happen all the time, last forever and don't start chasing your losses. Your luck in a casino doesn't affect your luck in your personal life.
• Don’t cheat yourself into thinking you have a system
  Most gamblers believe that if the roulette wheel shows one colour a certain number of times, then it must show the other colour at a particular moment. Gambling is a game of chance, and it is unpredictable. Subsequent outcomes are independent of previous ones.
• Don’t drink and gamble
  Okay, don't drink and drive is more common, but drinking and gambling can be dangerous. Gambling is supposed to be fun, but when you drink alcohol, your decisions are clouded and more impulsive. To make the right decisions and gamble responsively, you need to be sober.
• Avoid gambling when you are stressed or depressed
  Gambling is best enjoyed with friends and as a form of entertainment. Escaping to gambling during tough times is a recipe for disaster and will potentially lead you into bigger problems. When the times are tough, don't turn to gambling.