Are you a responsible gambler? That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?
The knee-jerk assumption is to peg all gamblers as irresponsible and careless with their money, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Think about your hobbies. If you like boating, I bet fixing that boat from time to time is pretty expensive. And, what about filling the gas tank? That gets pretty expensive as well. I’ll bet that some recreational gamblers spend less money gaming (especially when they actually win money) than recreational boaters. The same might also be said for travelers, golfers, equestrians, and maybe even bowlers. All of these hobbies might have a higher price tag than the recreational gambler.
If you’re the type who enjoys sitting at the blackjack table, playing slot machines, or other games of chance, the following three questions will reveal whether you’re a responsible gambler:
- Do you ever bet more money than you promised? It’s hard to top the feeling that comes with winning big at the casino tables or slots. However, when you’re losing money, it’s only natural that you want to win it back. Responsible gamblers always maintain a preset bankroll before they begin gambling — and when it’s gone they stop.
- Are you at the casino more than three nights a week? Responsible recreational gamblers might head to the casino one day out of the week or even every other week. Generally speaking, the frequency is determined by their discretionary gaming budget. On the other hand, irresponsible gamblers will go to the casino without regard to the impact on their personal finances.
- Do you ever make bets to solve a financial crisis? Responsible gamblers would never risk their hard-earned money to get out of a tight spot financially. Ever.
So How Can You Become a More Responsible Gambler?
Gambling can be a very emotional experience that can overpower even the most disciplined people. In order to limit your spending at the casino, stick to a strict bankroll; take only the amount of money you are willing to lose. If you end up winning, fantastic! — and if you end up losing, at least it won’t be an amount that will make you sick to your stomach.
Here’s another tip: Limit your time at the casino. Too much of anything is never a good thing. Occasional trips are fine; for most people, once a week is probably enough. If you like to gamble more often than this, why not try poker for free? It won’t cost you any money and you can still get a little bit of a high from each hand.
That sounds like a win-win to me!
So … Are you a responsible gambler?
Photo Credit: Images_of_Money
This article makes a great point in that many, if not most, people who gamble are responsible. Take myself for example. I used to love playing online poker and put down a $100 deposit. Over the course of two to three years, I played small stakes for hours at a time purely for fun. I ended up making a few hundred dollars, but the more important thing to me is that it was entertainment. Likewise, while on vacation, my wife and I would go to the racetrack every few days and would wager $2.00 each on a race. We may have lost a small amount of money most days, but it provided hours of enjoyment.
I can remember picking up camp workers from remote logging or mining sites that had no pay cheques to show for their time. Why? They gambled at night. Some, who actually had pay cheques returned to camp with nothing….. having drank and gambled their huge wages away. It was a cycle. If you talk to people who like to ‘go to Vegas’ they always, ALWAYS say they broke even. Riiiiight, as if the casinos exist to ‘break even’.
There are other forms of entertainment that are not so dangerous. Play penny poker…whatever, but be aware that gambling can be dangerous and ruin families. My 90 year old neighbour is a case in point. She came from a wealthy French family. Her mom gambled the family fortune away……80 years ago.