Responsible Gambling

What is Responsible Gambling?

Let us start by having a look at what Responsible Gambling stands for. Responsible Gambling, which is also referred to as Safer Gambling at times, is an initiative by the gambling industry such as regulators, operators and vendors, with the scope of promoting awareness of the issues that gambling and gambling addiction can cause.

When playing online, you should always make sure to gamble within your limits. This means you ensure that you do not spend more money than you can afford. In this way, you can ensure that your experience playing online remains a positive one, which prioritises your personal safety and responsibility. 

It is important to keep in mind that when you play online, you are going to have instances where you win, and others where you lose. For this reason, it is important to set personal limits. If you chase your losses or get obsessed with the need to win, you can create problems for yourself. For this reason, it is crucial for you to know when to stop. Several online casinos in fact offer customisable limits to help players stay vigilant.

Do you have a potential gambling addiction?

When playing online it is important to watch out for signs that could show you that you have a gambling addiction. Below are some questions you could ask yourself to identify whether you have a gambling addiction or not.

1. Do you feel guilty about the amount of money you spend gambling?
2. Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
3. Do you find it difficult to stop gambling after a loss?
4. Does your gambling cause any financial problems for you or your household?
5. Does gambling negatively affect your personal relationships, your job or studies?
6. Does your gambling cause you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
7. Do you become restless if you are not gambling?
8. Do you feel that you might have a gambling problem?
   

Helping someone with a Gambling Addiction

When do you consider gambling a problem? when it begins to interfere with daily life, affecting mental and physical well-being, straining relationships, and leading to financial difficulties.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified gaming disorder as a mental disorder, recognizing it as an addictive behavior with criteria including impaired control over gaming, increased prioritization of gaming over other activities, and continuation of gaming despite negative consequences.

If you think that someone you know might have a gambling addiction, this section aims to help you understand whether they actually do. We will look at a few signs that could indicate that you or someone you care about has a gambling addiction.

Financial signs:

The below list highlights common financial warning signs that may indicate a gambling problem.

• Money missing from the bank or wallet
• Household items and valuables missing
• Shortage of money, despite having a stable salary
• Having several loans at once
• Unpaid Bills
• Regularly borrowing money
• Secretive about financial records
• Lack of food at home
  

Mood and Behavioural signs:

In the below list, we will look into some mood and behavioural related signs that might indicate that you or someone you know has a gambling problem.

• Performance at work is affected
• Changes in personality
• Becoming withdrawn from loved ones
• Manipulative behaviour
• Being agitated, upset and worried for no particular reason
• Using threats and lies to manipulate others
• Feelings of hopelessness, frustration and depression
  

Time indications:

Now we will look at some time related indications that could highlight a person’s gambling addiction.

• Spending longer hours gambling
• Taking a lot of time to complete simple tasks
• Secrecy and unexplained absence
• Always arriving late for appointments
• Taking a lot of days off from work in order to gamble
  

Legal age for gambling

The legal age for gambling exists for a very important reason: to protect all players. Different countries might have different regulations when it comes to the legal age for online gambling. Generally, it would be individuals who are 18 or 21. The laws are designed to safeguard minors and also promote responsible gaming.

Online casinos that fail to enforce age requirements end up facing severe penalties once caught. This includes big fines and in certain cases even the loss of their operating license.

Protecting Minors

Preventing underage gambling is very important. When persons under the age of 18 gamble, there is a higher risk of this leading to addiction in the future as well as causing long-term negative consequences. Strict measures are necessary to protect minors and ensure operators comply with legal regulations.

Responsible Gambling Tools

It is important to note that all online casinos that we review on BahrainCasino have tools that support players in being responsible while gambling. Amongst these tools one can find the opportunity of setting up a variety of limits, creating a time out, as well as self-exclusion and self-assessments. Below we will look at some of the most common tools available.

Deposit Limit

The deposit limit is an option that online casinos provide players to be able to control how much money they deposit while playing. Many times, one could set deposit limits per 24 hours, week or month. This comes in handy in particular when playing games like slots, poker, baccarat and blackjack. It is easy to get sucked into these kinds of games and find yourself depositing more money than you’d like to increase your winning odds. What the setting does is that once you reach the limit set, you would not be allowed to make any more deposits.

Loss Limit

This functionality allows you to choose the maximum money you are willing to lose before you start playing. As soon as you reach the limit, you will be stopped from playing again until the limit is reset. It is up to the players themselves to decide the reset period. For instance they can choose to place their limit to reset every day, week or month.

Session Limit

The session limit would restrict the length of time a player can spend gambling in one session. Players are able to set a limit for the duration of their session and keep themselves in check. As soon as the time limit is reached, the player would be logged out of the account. 

Time Out

The time out function allows players to take a break from playing online by blocking themselves from accessing their account. This would prohibit them from playing all the time. A player would be able to choose the duration of the time out, and for this duration they won’t be able to sign in. Usually players are able to block their accounts for periods starting from 24hrs to 30 day periods. As soon as the time out period ends, the account will start working normally again.

Wagering Limit

The wagering limit controls the amount of money that you are able to wager in one single bet, as well as in a specific timeframe. This is irrelevant to how much money you are requested to put down to play. Players are able to change the limit at any time. However, such a limit can help players control impulsive or excessive betting urges.

Transaction History

The transaction history allows players to be in control of what they are depositing and withdrawing, the kind of bets they have made and the results of these bets. They can monitor their open bets as well, all from one place. When a player looks at this page, they are able to get a glimpse into their gambling patterns and identify whether they could be developing a gambling problem.

Self Exclusion

When one imposes the Self Exclusion limit, this means that they voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling for periods of time that go beyond the time-out limit. This means they can block themselves from playing with that specific provider from hours to even years! During this period the player will not be able to access the operator’s gambling services until the Self Exclusion period expires.

Self-Assessment

The Self-Assessment is a quiz that players are required to take in order to better understand their gambling pattern. Players would need to answer a variety of statements and questions, which will lead to their eventual survey outcome. When the results generated showcase a possible gambling addiction, players will be guided toward information and tools that might come in handy to try to change their bad habits.

Time Alert

A Time Alert comes in handy in order to bring the duration of a gambling session to the player. Individuals would get alerts that notify them how long they have been playing, or they would be notified if they’re getting close to the end of their session or set limits. In this alert, they would be able to see information such as the current balance, as well as the account itself. 

Organisations that can help and provide counselling

As you may be well aware, gambling is not legal in Bahrain. For this reason, you might not be able to find help or counselling on the topic within your country. However, there are worldwide organisations that can provide you both with the tools and the necessary support in handling gambling addiction. Below you can find a few of these.

Responsible Gambling Council

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing gambling addiction in Canada and worldwide. It has been operating for over 40 years. Through research, advocacy, and industry partnerships, it works to promote responsible gambling, protect players, and ensure gambling remains a safe and sustainable activity.

• Website: www.responsiblegambling.org
• Contact form: www.responsiblegambling.org/about-rgc/contact-us/
• Phone number: +1 (416) 499-9800

Gordon Moody – Gambling Therapy

Gordon Moody provides comprehensive support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. This is done through a range of services, including residential treatment, relapse prevention, and online therapy. Their expert-led programmes focus on long-term recovery, offering compassionate care to help individuals and families rebuild their lives.

• Website: www.gamblingtherapy.org
• Contact form: https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/about-us/contact-us/ 
• Email address: [email protected]

Gamblers Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous provides a supportive fellowship for individuals struggling with compulsive gambling. It offers a space to share experiences and seek recovery together. With no fees or affiliations, the program follows a 12-step approach, guiding members toward lasting control and a healthier life.

• Website: https://gamblersanonymous.org/ 
• Email address: [email protected]
• Phone number: (909) 931-9056

Gambling Addiction Help Worldwide

Below you can find a detailed list of Gambling Addiction organisations that you can seek support from worldwide. 

• USA – The National Council on Problem Gambling
• USA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Argentina – Juego Responsable – 0800-333-0333, WhatsApp 011-1524416058
• België – VAD – 02 423 03 33
• Brasil – Jogadores Anônimos – (11) 3229-1023
• Canada – ProblemGambling – 1-866-531-2600
• Chile – Psicólogos Ludopatía Chile – 9 222 3860
• Deutschland – Spielen mit Verantwortung: Glücksspielsucht – 0800-1 37 27 00
• España – FEJAR – 900 200 225
• France – IFAC – + 33 (0)2 40 84 76 20
• Italia – TVNGA – 800 55 88 22
• Nederland – AGOG – 0900-2177721 (€ 0.10 per minute)
• Norge – Hjelpelinjen – 800 800 40
• Österreich – Spielsuchthilfe – (1) 544 13 57
• Portugal – Jogo Responsável – 213 950 911 (SICAD – Serviço de Intervenção nos Comportamentos Aditivos e nas Dependências)
• Schweiz – Sucht Schweiz – 021 321 29 11
• Sverige – Stödlinjen – 020-819 100 (09:00 to 21:00)

Stay in Control and Play Responsibly  

Responsible gambling is key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. By staying informed, setting limits, and recognising potential risks, you are able to better protect yourself and others. Remember, gambling should always serve as a form of entertainment, therefore, play wisely and responsibly.