When it comes to casino gambling, the power is in your hands to make it a fun, thrilling and responsibly hobby. However, for many players, it can feel like they have lost all control over their casinospiele gambling and their once fun-filled past time has transformed into an addiction which is overshadowing the thrill of the game and having a ripple effect on all other aspects of their lives.
Like all good things in life, quite often moderation is the key and you really can have too much of a good thing! So just like with food, shopping and drinking, it can be hard to know when you call it quits when it comes to gambling.
There are many signs that your gambling is turning into addiction and thankfully plenty of resources to help you before things turn from bad to worse. Here are a couple of the more common signs that the gambling thrill is developing into problem gambling so you can ensure you’re playing responsibly.
Spending over your budget
Managing your money is integral when gambling and one of the best ways to do this is to have a separate account for your gambling and only put into that account an amount you’d feel comfortable spending. You need to ask yourself how much you’d be happy to spend without getting it back, just like you would on other hobbies such as playing golf or shopping.
A key sign that you are developing a problem is if you are spending this budget very quickly and feel guilty about how much money you are spending, or if you are going over your budget and using other money for gambling – such as money you need for rent, bills or other essentials. This could lead to debt problems which would make the problem even worse, as some players who develop gambling problems who get into debt try and gamble more in order to pay off their debts – which rarely ever works out.
Chasing the gambling thrill
Gambling is all about having fun and the thrill of wondering if you’re going to win is all part of the enjoyment of gambling. The thrill of the game is what attracts people to play, but a key sign that you could be developing a gambling problem is when you can’t focus on anything else apart from getting your gambling fix. This could be turning down social events, not spending time with loved ones or not being able to concentrate on work because you want to gamble.
Players may also find themselves having to play games with bigger stakes to get the same thrill as they used to get making smaller bets, which can also be problematic if your budget doesn’t allow for big bets.
If this rings true for you, or you’re showing any other signs of problem gambling such as playing when you’re depressed, down or frustrated to cheer yourself up, or playing whilst drinking excessively, you should speak to someone you trust and seek help immediately so your problem doesn’t escalate.