Responsible Gambling

SevenJackpots’ pledge to help you play it safe

Our mission at SevenJackpots is to provide you with the safest and healthiest options for online gambling. That includes keeping dangerous sites away and never promoting gambling in a way that is misleading. Each casino, game, and promotion is thoroughly analysed according to our advanced review process to ensure that you have all the information you need to make responsible decisions.

While extensive knowledge about a product is great, we also understand that gambling problems do not discriminate and that anyone can develop unhealthy gambling habits.

If you are worried about the gambling habits of yourself or others, this guide on responsible gambling will provide you with the help you need to combat the problem.

What is responsible gambling?

Responsible gambling is a term used to describe behaviour within gambling that is done in a manner that is not negatively affecting one’s life. A person who gambles responsibly will perhaps only play with money they are fine with losing and use set limits to further control their habits.

Playing responsibly can also mean regularly checking in with oneself about one’s gambling behaviour, taking breaks whenever necessary, and noticing whenever feelings of frustration or anger arise.

Being responsible when participating in gambling can also mean not mixing gambling with alcohol or drugs.

5 tips to gamble more responsibly

There are a few things that you can do to add extra layers of safety and control to your gambling regardless of the type of games you are playing or from where. These five tips can, when used correctly, help you stay in control and reduce the risk of problematic gambling patterns forming.

Only play with money you can afford to lose

One of the most crucial parts of responsible gambling is to play only with money that can be lost. This requires budgeting and reviewing weekly and monthly expenses to understand how much is left for leisure. Never use family finances or money needed for food, rent, or other essentials.

Play during designated hours

It is easy to lose track of time when gambling. Setting a time limit, designating specific hours of the day, or scheduling time during a specific day of the week can help keeping you from excessive gambling. One key approach is never to prioritise gambling over other things but to instead see it as an extra activity that can be enjoyed where there is time to do so.

Do not chase losses

The mindset of trying to get lost money back by playing for more is bound to fail, and is a problematic behaviour. Chasing losses is a “gateway” to more severe gambling problems, as the more money that is lost, the more money will be invested in an attempt to win it back. A stable budget and limits are effective ways to restrict the ability to chase losses.

Play for fun, not potential profit

Gambling is not a reliable way to earn money, and the stress of chasing wins and being dependent on successful sessions is bound to create frustration and other negative emotions, not to mention depleted bankrolls. Instead, play the games you think are fun and only play for entertainment to avoid creating a habit of compulsive gambling.

Do not gamble under the influence

Gambling and alcohol or drugs do not mix. Placing real money bets while under the influence greatly increases the risk of bad decisions. Most people become less risk-averse when intoxicated. This can result in placing larger bets or playing for more money than intended. Refrain from combining substance use with putting money at stake.

Do you have healthy gambling habits?

Anyone can develop problematic gambling habits, and it is not always easy to notice these in ourselves, especially if we only have “moderate” gambling problems. One very effective way to gauge our habits is by conducting a self-assessment. Conducting the self-assessment is easy; all you have to do is read the below questions, and note down if the statement applies to you or not:

• Sometimes, I gamble for longer than I intend to.
• Sometimes, I lose track of time when I am gambling.
• Other people say that I spend too much time gambling.
• I devote time to my gambling when I really should be doing something else.
• Sometimes, I gamble more money than I intend to.
• Sometimes, I try to win back money that I have lost gambling.
• Sometimes, I gamble with money that really should have been used for something else.
• I sometimes borrow money to enable me to gamble.
• I do not want to tell other people about how much time and money I spend on my gambling.
• People close to me think that I gamble too much.
• Sometimes, I feel bad when I think of how much I have lost gambling.
• Sometimes, my gambling has left me short of money.
• I feel restless if I do not have the opportunity to gamble.
• Sometimes, I feel bad when I think about my gambling.
• My gambling sometimes makes me feel irritated.

The above statements are grabbed from the GamCare self-assessment check. They are warning signs. If you agree to one or more of them, you might want to revise your gambling habits.

How to spot problem gambling in yourself and others?

How to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy gambling habits? Realising that there are reasons for concern is often the hardest part, especially within oneself. That is why we have created a list of several ways in which a gambling disorder can manifest itself. If you notice that one or more of these apply to you or someone you know, there might be a need for a change in gambling habits.

Thinking about gambling: Letting your mind wander to gambling, especially if it takes up a big part of your day.

Heightened tolerance: Feeling the need to gamble more or make riskier bets to reach the same level of “thrill” is a red flag. The need for increased risk means that the dopamine production in your brain is starting to react to gambling in the same way as in addiction.

Unable to stop playing: Compulsive gamblers will struggle to end a gaming session, often experiencing repeated unsuccessful efforts to do so. This is a cause for concern.

Using gambling as a coping mechanism: Using gambling as a way to feel happier, less anxious, less angry or as a means to unwind might indicate that playing casino games has a calming effect on you, which is one of the warning signs of gambling addiction.

Rewarding oneself with gambling: “Allowing” oneself to gamble as a reward when something good happens is a risky behaviour that can easily have negative consequences as gambling turns into a coping mechanism.

Getting very emotional: Intense feelings of anger, frustration, sadness, or even happiness from gambling can indicate a strong emotional investment in gambling. While this alone is not an issue, it can become one when combined with other traits.

Hiding gambling habits: If you feel that you cannot be honest with your friends or family about how much you are playing, then chances are that you are already playing too much.

Hiding spending habits: The same goes for hiding the amount of money you are spending. If you need to lie about it and hide how you are managing money, it is probably already something that you need to look at further.

Experiencing withdrawal: Gambling addiction is just like any other addiction, and withdrawal symptoms are part of addiction. If you find yourself becoming very angry, distressed, anxious or sad while taking a break from gambling, you might be experiencing withdrawal.

Committing crimes to afford to gamble: Stealing money or committing other crimes to fund gambling is a sure sign that one’s gambling habits have turned destructive and may lead to legal problems, and even risks for your safety.

Understanding gambling addiction

Gambling problems are so much more complex than having “bad” habits. Let’s have a look at what happens in the brain that leads to gambling addiction.

First of all, the brain does not differentiate between pleasure. Anything that is pleasurable will signal the brain to release dopamine. If a specific activity is triggering this dopamine release, the brain will register that fact, and create an emotional connection.

In the case of a person with a gambling disorder, the act of gambling triggers this connection, and the brain releases dopamine. In people who struggle with addiction, the brain will release a huge amount of dopamine at once and will then struggle to release dopamine during other pleasurable activities.

Finally, gambling becomes the only thing that makes the problem gambler feel good. It is as if they get happy and “high” on gambling.

Steps to take when reaching out for help

One of the best ways to combat gambling addiction is to seek help from others. Thankfully, there are several great gambling helplines readily available to assist you with information, assistance, and support. Each of these organisations consists of professionals who are trained to assist people who have lost control over their gambling habits.

Gambling Therapy

Gambling Therapy (also known as Gordon Moody) is an online portal where you can get in touch with trained professionals via text-based services. The service is free, and the site is available in English, Hindi, and Punjabi.

Website: https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/

Hope Trust India

Hope Trust is an Indian treatment facility located in Hyderabad, Telangana, focused on psychological wellness. They offer professional treatment of various forms of addiction through a 12-step program, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), Yoga, and meditation.

Website: https://hopetrustindia.com/

Alpha Healing Center

Alpha Healing Center is a holistic treatment centre located in Gujarat. Their professional treatment plans mainly focus on treating inpatients.

Website: https://alphahealingcenter.in/gambling-addiction/

Rehabs.in

At Rehabs, you’ll be able to locate the rehabilitation center closest to you. Each Indian state will have its resources for problem gambling, so you’ll find yours here.

Website: https://rehabs.in/news/gambling-india/

OK Rehab

OK Rehab specialises in addiction treatment. The team of specialists are all in recovery themselves, which means that they have an insight into problem gambling and addiction unlike any other.

Website: https://www.okrehab.org/

Gamblers Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous, GA, for short, is a group of people who share experiences and work together to help each other. The ‘Anonymous’ fellowships, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and GA, use a “12-step program” to curb addiction. It is common for people part of the GA to participate in at least one gamblers anonymous meeting. The availability of these meetings depend on your location.

Website: https://gamblersanonymous.org.uk/

GamCare

GamCare is a UK-based organisation, and while it is not possible to gain counselling from India, its website holds a lot of information, gambling studies, and tools that are completely free to use. The website is available in English and Punjabi.

Website: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/

GambleAware

Although GambleAware is based in the UK, it is one of the leading organisations combating destructive gaming habits. The website offers tools and sources for support for those wanting to gain control over their gaming habits.

Website: https://www.gambleaware.org/

Protecting Minors

It is illegal for children (people under 18 years of age) to gamble. It is the responsibility of parents and other adults to make sure that no child has access to their gambling accounts. Children have a higher risk of developing addictions, and exposure to gambling at a young age greatly increases this risk.

Here are a few ways you and other adults can protect minors from gambling:

• Explain what gambling is: Explain that while gambling can be fun, it also comes with risks, such as losing money and turning into an addiction. Clarify that loot boxes in the games children play are gambling.
• Lead by example: Children take after their parents, and if your gambling addiction is affecting your family life, chances are your kids will create the same problematic relationship with gambling as they grow older.
• Keep payment methods safe: Children often open casino accounts using their parent’s personal and financial information. Make sure that you keep your Aadhaar card and payment details like credit card numbers or PhonePe login details safe.
• Be interested in your child’s online habits: Be curious about what they do on their phone or computer. Have them explain how the games they play work or what other apps they use. This way, you can spot if they are exposed to gambling elements.
• Use blocking tools: There are tools that, when installed, will block gambling content and gambling opportunities from a device. Installing one on the device your child is using is a great way to add extra protection.

Tools to give you extra protection

There are two types of tools you can use to add extra layers of control and protection when gambling online: internal and external.

Internal tools are provided by the casino and are used on your casino account at that specific casino. Here are some of the most common responsible gambling tools:

• Deposit limit
• Loss limit
• Session limit
• Wager limit
• Player history
• Time alert
• Self-exclusion
• Self-assessment

External tools are helpful when looking to block gambling content from even appearing. You can install these tools on one or more devices to reduce environmental factors and block gambling-related content entirely. Depending on the tool, it will block casino websites and apps. It might even block you from seeing commercial content that promotes gambling.

Gamban

Gamban will block all gambling-related websites on all your devices. You can try Gamban for free for seven days, after which you need to sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription. The service costs $3.49 (₹300) a month or $35 (₹3000) a year.

NetNanny

NetNanny blocks access to gambling websites and apps and can be used to block other topics harmful to children, such as alcohol, substance use, and adult content.

This tool also uses AI to block content instantly. It will also actively block content available via social media sites and YouTube.

You can get NetNanny for use on five devices within your family for a yearly cost of $55 (₹4770). Or $40 (₹3470) for the use on just one device.

GamBlock

GamBlock takes protection to another level by also taking the use of VPNs and Tor browsers into account. It will prevent the installation of apps containing gambling and stay updated with new casino websites to block them. GamBlock even survives a factory reset of devices!

The drawback of GamBlock is that it is the most expensive of the bunch, with the tool installed on just one device for a year costing $200 (₹17,350).