Stay In Control

Gambling can be all fun and games, but because of its irregular rewards, it’s important to remain in control. In this sense, casino regulators have implemented multiple tools to give the players control over their gambling behavior.

According to a gambling study conducted across 44 countries, a staggering 56% of the surveyed individuals have tried their luck with gambling in the past year.

This finding sheds light on the widespread appeal of gambling, with approximately 4.2 billion people around the world participating in such activities at least once a year.

Here at Chipy, we encourage our community to play responsibly as we are interested in keeping the fun of playing casino games.

Useful Responsible Gambling Tools

As a responsible player, you should activate some tools before starting a game. Most licensed online casinos have all the tools available. And if they don’t, you could consider this as a way to select a platform.

1. Take a Break
   When gambling becomes too much, you can decide on a break that can last from 24 hours up to 6 weeks. Moreover, this break can be activated on all casinos owned by the same operator.
2. Self-exclusion
   Self-exclusion is a straightforward feature. You can temporarily suspend your account on one or multiple platforms owned by an operator for 6 months up to a few years.
   Official gambling regulators also provide self-exclusion programs that will prevent you from creating profiles on any casino.
3. Player Limits
   Limits can be set on deposits, losses, wagering, and session time. The value or length of these limits can vary from one casino to another. Generally, you can set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits, while you can limit your gaming sessions time to one hour.
4. Reality Checks
   You can receive a pop-up starting from 30 minutes up to even 5 hours of gameplay. A reality check is meant to remind you of the time spent on a game. Some casinos might also remind you of the amounts you have spent.
5. Account History
   With this tool, you can check the financial transactions as well as bets made on games.
6. Self-assessment and Helpful Links
   A self-assessment is a test you can take to become aware of your gambling behavior. In case any aspect of your life seems to be at risk, reach out to the contacts for problematic gambling available in your country.

10 Tips to Remain in Control

If you want to gamble responsibly, there are some things to consider every time you start a new session. The main idea is to remain self-aware, as gambling can take you down the rabbit hole if the context is not right.

1. Know why you are playing
   Take a moment and ponder if you want to play for entertainment or in the hopes of making an income from a session. Because there is no guarantee that you will win, it is best to view gambling only as a form of entertainment.
2. Use responsible gaming tools
   If you want to lower your risk, go ahead and activate some responsible tools. They are usually placed on the lower side of a platform or from the account settings.
   For starters, you can use self-limits on gameplay, sessions, and funds, or set a reality check.
   Moreover, you can use these tools to manage your finances. All you need to do is decide what amount you are willing to spend, and for what period.
3. Stay informed
   Before starting, it is a good idea to read the Terms and Conditions of the casino. This way you will know the technical details and be aware of the wagering. It is also a good way of learning more about responsible play and become aware of the wagering requirements.
4. Bet as much as you can afford
   When you start placing your wagers, you will have to account for potential losses of your money. This way, if you lose your money, it will not negatively affect your life in any way.
5. Only focus on the wins
   In other words, do not chase your losses! This can result in compulsive gambling behavior and an increasing value of the amounts lost.
   Additionally, when you’re on a losing streak, have a break from gambling, and consider if you should continue or leave it for another time.
6. Know your games
   What gives you control when betting is knowing how the game works. Having the right information will help you to make the right strategic decision and most likely improve the gameplay.
7. Gamble when the mood is good
   Playing when you are emotionally and physically stable can have a healthier impact on your gambling choices.
   It is also important to remember that playing when you are not under the influence of substances can result in a light and low-risk gaming session.
8. Keep an eye on the facts
   There are plenty of gambling myths out there, but they are mainly based on odds and luck. Because casino games use computerized software, it is good to keep in mind that myths will most likely not increase your chances to win.
9. Use the Free Mode
   Online casinos have a cool feature of playing some of their titles with fictional money, thus for free. It is a good feature as you can test a game before betting on your real funds.
10. Explore other hobbies
    To play responsibly, try to find other recreational activities that will entertain you or even require a smaller financial investment with fewer chances to lose.

Land-Based Vs Online Casinos

While online casinos are increasingly popular, land-based casinos are still a thing people enjoy. The dress code, the people, the venue can make the gambling experience more enjoyable.

The brick-and-mortar casino is a place where they use psychological tricks to encourage you to continue betting for a long while.

Can you tell if it is morning, the middle of the day, or night? It’s hard to keep track, since the only time measurement in a land-based casino seems to be the money you spend. 

Moreover, the security staff is trained to identify any sort of suspicious activity, such as attempts to cheat or steal. Casino chips have an RFID tag that allows the casino to track their chips and have information about them at all times.

The RFID tag is a tracking device that uses radiofrequency (RF) to search or identify an object. This way, casinos can create a network of chips to ensure control over their movement.

Besides this, when your winnings are high and constant, you will be offered some perks like free meals and drinks or casino bonuses. 

This is how the casino creates a more rewarding experience for your financial investment. You can even find yourself surrounded by flashy lights and sounds to keep you active and interested.

Online Casinos

Online casinos do not hide the clock, but they have other ways to attract you. Some of the most efficient ones are the presence of bonuses and 24/7 accessibility.

You can play any casino game online from the comfort of your home or on the go. All you need is a desktop or mobile device and an internet connection.

Your moves will not be monitored by security staff, but the platforms have special software created to prevent suspicious or illicit activities.

Don’t worry about tracking the time or funds you spend in an online casino. There are multiple responsible gambling tools available for your protection. This is one of the greatest differences between online and land-based casinos.

Online VS Offline

We’ve gathered, side by side, the differences between online and brick-and-mortar casinos when it comes to their approach towards responsible gambling.

Land-Based Casinos	Online Casinos
No responsible gambling tools available	Various responsible gambling tools implemented by license providers
Attractive environment	Ability to select your gambling location
Entertaining sounds and visuals	Game sounds can be turned off
No windows or clocks	Reality checks tools can be easily activated

Terms and Conditions Are Your Allies

The clock and other responsible gambling tools help you keep online gambling fun. Still, reading the Terms and Conditions can also offer you some helpful insight about the platform you’re playing on.

The T&Cs are generally located in the footer along with the Bonus T&Cs, Privacy Policy, and the Responsible Gaming section.

These sections are important as they will advise you on some important betting aspects, which can assist you with your strategy. When gambling with a bonus, the general and bonus T&Cs should provide all the information needed.

Terms and Conditions provide details about wagering requirements, deposit and withdrawal limits, as well as any betting limits. The Bonus Terms will contain info about how different types of games contribute to the bonus.

Besides these games contribution, you could also come across a list of game categories or titles that will have no contribution or are forbidden for play when gambling with an active bonus.

Know The Wagering Requirements

If you want to withdraw winnings from a bonus, you will first need to play through those bonus funds or spins for a certain amount of times to make the resulting amount eligible for cash out.

The bonus funds will initially be placed into a designated balance. Most casinos will require you to first use the bonus funds, then your deposited money.

The example above is not generally applicable. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the specific bonus rules you are pursuing. The rollover can require to wager the bonus money, the deposit money, or both.

Bonuses can also provide you with extra spins. In this situation, you will need to play the spins, then wager the generated wins according to the bonus rules. After this process, you will be able to withdraw amounts.

Before the wagering requirements are met, some casinos can impose limits on how much to cash out from winnings. 

This implies that if the amount you have to withdraw is higher than the limit, the casino can decide to take away the difference between your amount and the limit amount. Only then the casino will allow you to withdraw your bonus winnings.

How To Cancel A Bonus?

While reviewing the T&Cs you will sometimes notice that the casino can revoke or cancel a promotion if they suspect or have proof of any bonus abuse taking place.

However, you also have the option of canceling a bonus whenever you see fit. On some platforms, you will be able to cancel a promotion from the account settings, while other operators will require you to contact the support staff.

When reaching out for assistance, head over to the live chat, if there is such an option available. You can also get in touch with customer support via email or phone.

What happens when opting out of a bonus?

Generally, after canceling a promotion, the associated funds will be revoked. Moreover, some of your deposited funds can also be nullified.

Moreover, you can prevent future promotional advertising materials from being sent to you, in case you prefer to not know about available bonuses anymore.

Make sure that the bonus is successfully canceled, otherwise, your gameplay could be mistaken for bonus abuse which can bring more consequences to your balance and account.

Online Casinos Myths

Since gambling is a game of chance, a lot of myths have been created around it. If you know the debunked version of these myths, there is an increased chance of making healthier decisions when playing in a casino.

Online gambling is more addictive than land-based gambling

Currently, there is no definitive answer or research to confirm this theory. If you are wondering if responsible gambling tools are better at preventing addictive behavior, their effectiveness seems to need more research, according to the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario.

Online casinos are not legal

When accessing an online casino, head over to the lower side and you can learn about its license. Official regulators have implemented laws for casinos to follow to maintain the safety of players and operators.

Underage people are more drawn to online gambling

All legal online casinos require new players to go through verification checks before they can deposit and play for real money. This implies that the player must send documents to prove their identity and age.

If any underage person is identified, the casino staff will block their access to the platform. Moreover, there is software that will automatically filter your browser and block websites that provide content meant for an 18+ audience.

Online games can be card counted

To debunk this myth it is important to understand that any attempt to cheat is not in the casino’s favor. Therefore, land-based casinos will take measures to prevent you from entering the location again, while an online platform will forfeit your digital access.

You need to make big bets to win

This one can be true, but lower bets can generate wins. This depends on the volatility of the game. There are three types of volatility, low, medium, and high. This implies the level of risk you take when making a bet.

Final Thoughts

Making your gambling sessions a fun time requires some preparation beforehand. Keep in mind that any responsible gambling measure you take is meant to protect you.

We also recommend always reading the T&Cs of a casino and bonus. It can make the difference between a good and not-so-good session. When in doubt, feel free to come back and take another look at our suggestions.