How to Recognize When Gambling Is a Problem
As a result of studies conducted by the National Council on Problem Gaming in the United States, roughly one percent of adult Americans are classified as “pathological gamblers.” According to a research released by Harvard Medical School, an additional 2-3 percent of the population suffers from “less severe but nonetheless important disorders.”
This indicates that around 15 million people in the United States are either suffering from or at risk of acquiring gambling addiction issues over their lifetime. When compared to the estimated 322 million people that live in the United States, the number does not seem to be very large. However, gambling addiction, like any other social vice, is a problem, no matter how little the issue may seem to be.
We want you to be aware of the indicators of gambling addiction so that we can carry out our responsibilities as responsible online gaming experts. In order for us to assist you, you must first assist yourself, which necessitates an awareness of the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction.
Using the Harvard Medical School terminology as a starting point, “pathological gambling” is defined as follows:
Preoccupation with gambling experiences from the past, present, and future, as well as with methods of obtaining money for gambling.
It is necessary to raise the number of wagers.
Attempts to reduce or halt have been made several times without success.
When you’re attempting to cut down or quit, you can find yourself becoming restless or angry.
Gambling as a means of getting away from daily issues or to alleviate emotions of helplessness, anxiety, or sadness is prohibited.
Attempting to regain as soon as possible following a financial loss (chasing losses).
Lying about one’s gambling habits.
Taking part in unlawful activities in order to fund gambling.
Having a personal connection, employment, or professional potential end or be jeopardized as a result of one’s gambling.
Requesting gifts or loans to pay off gambling debts is against the law.
In light of these considerations, what conclusions may be drawn? Problem gambling is, at its core, a need to exert control over something that is beyond one’s control. People get obsessed with “beating the house” due to a lack of knowledge of the nature of gambling (i.e., how luck may swing both ways but always evens out) and an addictive mentality.
Losing and losing becomes a source of despair, rage, and adrenaline for the one who is losing. Problem gambling develops as a result of this concoction of emotional responses. Even while we recognize that gambling is an emotive endeavor, it may become problematic when someone gets so engrossed in the games that they lose sight of reality. As a result, if you observe yourself or someone you know getting too emotionally immersed in a game, take attention since this might be the beginning of a problem.
The Consequences: How Problem Gambling Has an Impact on People’s Lives
How Problem Gambling Has an Impact on People’s Lives
Problem gambling, like many other social vices, has a negative impact on both the person and their immediate environment. The above description of compulsive gambling provides a solid framework for understanding how family members, friends, and even innocent bystanders may get entangled in the web of gambling addiction and become addicted to it.
It’s really a good comparison to think about the issue as if it were a web. The person with a problem is trapped in the center, unable to move, and surrounding the perimeter is a sticky matrix of fibers that entangles everyone who comes into contact with it.
Initially, the issue seems to be limited to a single person. Before money becomes a problem, the person is subjected to mood swings and feelings of guilt, among other things. The issue of money arises at this time, and it is at this moment that things begin to have an influence on others in the individual’s immediate vicinity.
When the money runs out, individuals get desperate, which in turn leads to a cascade of bad feelings to emerge. Between paying for living expenses and attempting to maintain a gambling habit, folks who have a problem need money, and it is at this point that other people get involved in the situation. The affects of a gambling addict will be felt by friends, family, and people alike when money is involved, regardless of whether the money is borrowed or stolen.
Some people believe that moving away from the person and cutting them off is the best course of action. When it comes to a loved one, though, this isn’t usually as straightforward. Furthermore, allowing a person suffering from an issue to suffer alone is not something anybody wants to have looming over their heads at all times. As a result, we wish to address the issue, and in our following part, we’ll discuss some of the most successful methods of assisting problem gamblers. Let us, however, briefly review some of the difficulties and how they might impact everyone who is entangled in the web of gambling addiction before we go on to the solutions:
Uncontrollable emotions – Gambling addiction is characterized by a person’s inability to maintain control over their emotions. As they strive to find a solution to the problem, this might produce minor, then dramatic, changes in someone’s mood.
Persons who are aware of a problem (whether consciously or unconsciously) will attempt to conceal it by deception and shame arousing from inside them. This process of lying to one’s family and friends subsequently results in a great deal of guilt, which displays itself in furious outbursts on a regular basis.
Frustration and rage – Gambling addicts often experience notable mood fluctuations as a result of their failure to manage their addiction and lying to their loved ones. Taking it out on people closest to you is a common outcome.
The need for money – Once a person has lost emotional control, the next stage is to seek financial assistance. By the time money becomes a concern, the individual will already be well entrenched in their addiction. The practice of stealing, borrowing, and generally being wary about one’s financial situation becomes normal.
Dread and anguish – The last stage of the gambling addiction process is characterized by a feeling of fear and pain. Acknowledging a problem and attempting to resolve it are both difficult tasks, and this often leads in feelings of helplessness and despair.
Problem Gambling: What to Do When You Have a Problem
How to Deal with Addiction to Gambling
We at OnlineGaming.com are dedicated to finding you the greatest igaming offers available anywhere in the globe. We do, however, want you to be safe and problem-free as possible. To that end, in addition to describing the fundamental principles of gambling addiction, we are here to provide some recommendations.
The following are some basic techniques to assist treat problem gambling, despite the fact that there is no “one size fits all” solution for the problem:
Learn the warning signs – Educating yourself about problem gambling is the first step in overcoming it. Before you sign up for any of our suggested gaming sites, educate yourself about gambling addiction by reading the material in this guide. Knowing the warning signals increases your chances of identifying them and, as a result, of effectively battling them.
Understand the concept of EV – Understanding the nature of gambling in all of its manifestations is essential to success. There is always an element of expectation (EV) in play whether you are playing casino games, poker, or betting on sports. In a nutshell, the statistical anticipation of an occurrence based on an infinite number of trials is known as the expectation value (EV).
Example: In a game of Texas Hold’em, going all-in pre-flop with pocket aces has an advantage over the house since it will result in a profit in the long term. Although this is true, it does not guarantee that you will win the pot every time you make this move. As a gambler, your only duty is to make movements that increase your chances of winning.
Things may not always go your way, but they will sometimes do so. Understanding this will make it much easier for you to distinguish between gambling and emotion, which should reduce your chances of developing a gambling problem in the future.
It is also important to manage your money. Setting a certain bankroll and not spending more than you can afford is an excellent approach to avoid being a victim of problem gambling. It is recommended to gamble no more than 5 percent in a single session, based on the amount of money you have to spend (for example, $1,000). Following these kinds of guidelines should assist you in keeping your emotions under control and your life under control.
Allow them to assist you – All of our suggested online gaming sites will be equipped with player safety measures. We’ve combed the internet for the top sites that provide the most possibilities for gamers, and we encourage that you take use of them as much as possible. The utilization of deposit restrictions, cooling off intervals, and betting limits are all options that should be considered by everyone, regardless of whether they are experiencing a problem.
Learn some new talents – Another excellent technique to deal with compulsive gambling is to acquire some new abilities. If you consider your gaming activities to be a test of logic and cognitive agility, it becomes less about the money and more about your abilities to think critically and critically. The pursuit of losses will become an anachronism if you realize that you are more interested in improving your abilities in order to get the finest potential outcomes.
Talk – Our last piece of advice for conquering gambling addiction is as simple as it is effective: talk to someone. Communicate your feelings to someone, whether it’s before, during, or after a difficult situation. Even if you don’t have access to a professional, you should speak with someone you know and trust about your concerns.
Access by Minors is Restricted – Due to the nature of the internet, we are unable to physically verify the age of a website visitor or prohibit them from accessing our website. Parents, on the other hand, may prohibit their children from accessing gambling websites in a variety of methods, as detailed below.
Monitor your kid’s online activity using child safety software, such as Net Nanny (which we suggest). Parents should take precautions to protect their credit card or e-wallet information. Never utilize the’save password’ function on any gaming software that you have installed. Create different profiles for your children on the computers in your house.
Final Thoughts on the Subject of Problem Gambling
There is no advantage to anybody from compulsive gambling, not even an online gaming website. Educating yourself and receiving help from friends and family members are the most effective ways to manage compulsive gambling. While the vast majority of individuals bet within their means, for others, gambling may become an addiction that spirals out of control. We would encourage our visitors to keep the following points in mind to assist them in maintaining control.
Gambling should be seen as a kind of amusement rather than a way of generating income. It is advisable to think at gambling as a kind of fun, rather than as a means of chasing your losses.
Problem Gambling Support Services
Additionally, there are a plethora of professional options available to assist problem gamblers, in addition to self-help alternatives. If you’re situated in the United States and believe you need assistance, please see the following links. Only when you are confident in your ability to bet responsibly should you place an online wager.